Christmas Traditions

Santa Claus

The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicolas, Bishop of Myra, an area in Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children.  After his death around 340 AD he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors purportedly stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas’ popularity throughout Europe. His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cape, flowing white beard, and bishop’s mitre.  After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas.  Dutch colonists brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged.

Other countries feature different gift bearers for the Christmas or Advent season: La Befana in Italy, The Three Kings in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, Christkind or the Christ Child in Switzerland and Austria; Father Christmas in England; and Pere Noël, Father Christmas, or the Christ Child in France.

In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper.  In the Middle Ages, a popular religious play depicted the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Christmas Trees

It is thought that protestant reformer Martin Luther first adorned trees with light.  While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate the effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir tree inside his home.

The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany.  The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas Tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England.

Christmas Stockings

According to legend, a kindly nobleman grew despondent over the death of his beloved wife and foolishly squandered his fortune.  This left his three young daughters without dowries and thus facing a life of spinsterhood.

The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls’ plight, set forth to help.  Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman’s house and threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were fortuitously captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations.  They revered the plant since it had not roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter.

The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward off evil spirits.  The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace, hence the origin of the kiss under the mistletoe.

Holly and Ivy

In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of harsh winter weather, when it was thought that ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the winter winds.  Boughs of holly, believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter, were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten the mood during the long, dreary winter.

Legend also has it that holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth.  The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood he shed.

Poinsettias

A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828.  Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations.  One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the Christ Child.  He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church.  Though the other children mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch.  The bright red petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant.

Christmas Cards

A form of Christmas card began in England first when young boys practiced their writing skills by creating Christmas greetings for their parents, but it is Sir Henry Cole who is credited with creating the first real Christmas card.  The first director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, Sir Henry found himself too busy in the Christmas Season of 1843 to compose individual Christmas greetings for his friends.

He commissioned artist John Calcott Horsley for the illustration.  The card featured three panels, with the center panel depicting a family enjoying Christmas festivities and the card was inscribed with the message:  ”A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You”.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward department store, had been purchasing and distributing children’s coloring books as Christmas gifts for their customers for several years.  In 1939, the owners asked one of their own employees to create a book for them, thus saving money.  A copywriter, 34-year old Robert L May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and 2.4 million copies were handed out that year.  When May’s brother-in-law, songwriter Johnny Marks, wrote the lyrics and melody for the song “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” in 1947, the Rudolph phenomenon was born.  The song sold two million copies that year, going on to become one of the best selling songs of all time, second only to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”.

Christmas Carols

Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago, but there were not Christmas carols.  They were pagan songs, sung at the winter solstice celebrations as the people danced round stone circles.  The word carol actually means dance or a song of praise and joy.

Early Christians took over the pagan solstice celebrations for Christmas and gave people Christian songs to sing instead of pagan ones.  Soon after this many composers all over Europe started to write carols.  However, not many people liked them as they were all written and sung in Latin.  This was changed by St. Francis of Assisi when, in 1223, he started his nativity plays in Italy.  the people in the plays sang songs or “canticles” that told the story during the plays.  The new carols spread to France, Spain, Germany and other European countries.  Most of the best known carols such as Once in Royal David’s City and Away in a Manger are relatively recent having been written in America during the 19th century.

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