The Magical History of Christmas
It's no secret that there is a lot more to Christmas than giving and receiving gifts, decking the halls with Christmas decorations, and wearing festive Christmas sweaters. The holiday is an age-old celebration with centuries of tradition and deep symbolism behind just about every aspect of the holiday. Christmas Day is a public holiday in several countries and is celebrated religiously by most Christians but also by many non-Christians.
Christmas Wasn't Always On December 25th
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but there is no mention of December 25th in the Bible. Many historians thought Jesus was most likely born in the spring. However, December was already a significant month prior to Christianity because many celebrated the winter solstice as a turning point where the worst of winter was behind them.
In addition, in Europe, December was the time when most cattle were slaughtered, and wine and beer had finally been fermented and were ready for consumption. In Rome, they observed the holiday Saturnalia throughout December and Juvenalia on December 25th.
Christmas Gifts Have Both Christian And Pagan Origins
Christians grew up learning that we give gifts at Christmas to mimic the presents the Three Wise Men brought to baby Jesus. The Pagans also gave offerings to the gods and held rituals during the winter. In early modern Europe, during the holiday seasons, bands of young men would "wassail" from home to home and demand handouts.
It was an exchange between social classes. In the 1800s, Christmas was domesticated, and the recipients of gift-giving shifted from the lower classes to children, given by versions of Santa Claus.
Evergreens Are An Ancient Tradition
Evergreens are an ancient tradition and go all the way back to the ancient Egyptians and Romans. They decorated during the winter solstice with evergreens to signify that spring would return.
They would hang evergreens over the doorways to welcome winter spirits in the hopes of receiving good health and fortune. To many, evergreens symbolized everlasting life because they stayed green and alive.
You Can Thank Prince Albert For Your Christmas Tree
Prince Albert of Germany introduced a tree to his new wife, Queen Victoria of England. It really became popular across the pond after that. A drawing of the couple in front of a Christmas tree was featured in Illustrated London News in 1848, and it went viral.
So yes, you can thank Prince Albert for your Christmas tree. Christmas was a special time of the year for the royal couple, and they encouraged the spread of their Christmas traditions throughout the country. In fact, every year, Albert sent trees from the royal estates to be gifted to schools and Army barracks.
St. Nick Was More Generous Than Jolly
The idea of Santa Claus came from St. Nicholas, but he wasn't really a bearded man who wore a red suit. In the fourth century, the Christian bishop gave away his large inheritance to the poor and rescued women from servitude.
In Dutch, his name is Sinter Klaas, which later became Santa Claus in English. The origins date back to Turkey, and he was known as the protector of children.
The Dutch Gave Us The Idea To Leave Cookies And Milk
The Dutch were responsible for the idea of leaving cookies and milk out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. On St. Nicholas' feast day, on December 6th, Dutch children leave him food and drink in exchange for the gifts he leaves overnight.
Ancient people would gather around the Winter Solstice to feast before cold weather wiped away their crops. Christmas changed, but the feasting continued. Bakers would bring out and use the expensive ingredients for the festive occasion.
Coca-Cola Played A Part In Santa's Image
Some people believe that Coca-Cola is responsible for Santa Claus' image, but that is not the case. Coca-Cola decided to use his image for advertising, but Santa's looks were actually more spooky than jolly.
In 1931, the company hired an illustrator named Haddon Sundblom to create the jolly old elf for magazine ads. They had a part in creating the image we see today, but they didn't fully create it.
Hanging Christmas Stockings Started by Accident
Hanging Christmas stockings over the fireplace has become a very popular tradition during Christmas. However, the tradition actually started by accident. The legend is that it all started with a poor man who didn't have enough money for his three daughters' dowries.
Old St. Nick dropped a bag of gold down their chimney one night after the girls had hung their freshly-washed stockings up to dry. The gold ended up in the stocking, and the tradition began.
Rudolph Started As A Marketing Ploy
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 after the Montgomery Ward department store asked a copywriter, Robert L. May, to create a Christmas story for kids that the store could distribute as a promotion.
The store distributed 2.4 million copies of the story in its first year. That's when the movie featuring the island of misfit toys and Herbie the elf hit the airwaves in 1964. Ever since then, Rudolph has been a staple of Christmas.
Black Friday Isn't The Busiest Shopping Day
Most people believe that Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is the busiest shopping day of the year. However, the most hectic and busy days of shopping are actually the Friday and Saturday before Christmas.
It shows that most of us are procrastinators when it comes to buying our holiday gifts. Still, Black Friday certainly sees lots of shoppers at the stores.
The Reindeer Have Had Lots Of Names
Santa Claus' eight reindeer have had several names throughout the years. In fact, Rudolph was almost named Reginald or Rollo. Some of the other reindeer were almost named Flossie, Steady, Ready, and Fireball.
The 1823 poem titled "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" originally introduced the world to Santa's reindeer. In that poem, Donner and Blitzen were instead called Dunder and Blixem, which refers to "thunder and lightning" in Dutch.
Christmas Wreaths Are Actually Religious Symbols
It is very common to see Christmas wreaths at Christmas time. The Christmas wreath first originated as a symbol of Christ, with the holly representing the crown of thorns Jesus wore at his crucifixion, and the red berries are for the blood he shed.
The custom developed in ancient Greece and Rome, when athletes wore leafy branches woven into a crown. It was a symbol of a never-ending circle that offered the promise of Spring's rebirth to Pagans celebrating the Winter Solstice. It was later adapted into Christian celebrations with the advent wreath.
"Jingle Bells," Began As A Thanksgiving Song
"Jingle Bells" is one of the most popular Christmas songs today, but it actually started out as a Thanksgiving song. The song "One Horse Open Sleigh" was written by James Lord Pierpont for his church's Thanksgiving concert in the mid-nineteenth century.
However, in 1857, it was re-released as "Jingle Bells" and became a popular Christmas song. The first-ever recording of the song was by a banjo player called Will Lyle. He made an instrumental recording on an Edison cylinder.
Astronauts Played "Jingle Bells" From Space
In 1965, nine days before Christmas, two astronauts aboard the Gemini 6 told Mission Control that they saw an "unidentified flying object" about to enter Earth's atmosphere. They said it was traveling in a polar orbit from north to south. Things started to get tense, and the astronauts interrupted that broadcast with "Jingle Bells," as Wally Schirra played the harmonica and Tom Stafford shook a handful of small sleigh bells.
Tom Stafford stated, "Wally came up with the idea. He could play the harmonica, and we practiced two or three times before we took off, but of course, we didn't tell the guys on the ground. We never considered singing since I couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket."
"Silent Night" Is The Most Recorded Song
Today, there are many Christmas songs, but the song "Silent Night" is the most recorded Christmas song in history. There are more than seven hundred and thirty-three different versions that have been copyrighted since 1978.
It was originally composed by Franz Xaver Gruber in 1818 and written by Joseph Mohr in Austria. It was first recorded in 1905, and the original was titled "Stille Nacht."
At One Point, Celebrating Christmas Used To Be Illegal
From 1659 to 1681, anyone caught celebrating Christmas would face a fine. In fact, by the Revolutionary War, the day had so little significance that Congress even held its first session on December 25, 1789.
Christmas wasn't even proclaimed a federal holiday for almost another century. Christmas was almost universally accepted throughout the U.S. by 1840 and was declared a National Holiday in 1870.
Jamestown Settlers Created The First American Eggnog
Jamestown settlers created the first American batch of eggnog; however, it bore little resemblance to the eggnog of today. The word nog comes from the word grog or any drink made with rum.
The early eggnog didn't have the rich, milky base, but it was historically known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch. The first known use of the word 'nog' was in 1693, and it was called an egg flip.
Christmas Decorating Sends Almost 15,000 People To The ER Every Year
During the holidays, people go all out on decorating, and it often ends in some accidents. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that fourteen thousand and seven hundred people visit hospital emergency rooms every November and December.
They are at the ER from holiday-related decorating accidents. Accidents usually happen when people are decorating their houses and yards.
Santa Claus Has His Own Canadian Postal Code
A huge tradition for children at Christmas is to write Santa Claus a letter and let him know what they want for Christmas. As a result, every year, letters to Santa Claus flood post offices across the world.
As a result, some Canadian post office workers started writing back. The program really took off, so they set up a special postal code for Santa. It turned into the Santa Letter-Writing Program initiative: HOH OHO.
Dry Christmas Trees Can Spark Fires
We all love Christmas trees during the holidays. Some families have the tradition of going out and searching for the perfect tree, chopping it down, and going home to decorate it.
However, real trees can be dangerous if they aren't kept watered. Dried-out Christmas trees spark about a hundred fires in the United States every year. The fires cause about ten deaths and $15.7 million in property damage every year.
There Are A Lot Of Packages Shipped During The Holidays
The holidays are shipping companies' most busy time of the year. In 2019, between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the U.S. Postal Service delivered an estimated nine hundred and ten million packages and fifteen billion pieces of mail.
The deliveries include gifts for loved ones, letters to Santa, cards and Christmas letters, and the dreaded holiday credit card bills. It's a thankless job and they have to deal with a lot of complaining.
The Term "Xmas" Dates Back To The 1500s
The term "Xmas" actually dates back to the 1500s. According to From Adam's Apple to Xmas: An Essential Vocabulary Guide for the Politically Correct, "Christianity" was spelled "Xianity" as far back as 1100.
Chi, or X, is the Greek first letter for "Christ" and served as a symbolic stand-in at the time. Later, in 1551, the holiday was commonly called "Xtemmas," which then later was shortened to "Xmas."
Most Americans Celebrate Christmas
It seems like Christmas decorations and items show up in stores earlier every year. That's because the majority of Americans really go all out for the holidays. Roughly eighty-five percent of Americans celebrate Christmas every year.
However, not all of those celebrate the religious basis of the holiday. Most Americans combine religious and secular customs with their own family traditions.
Roughly Half Of Americans Attend Christmas Services
Christmas services were almost required years and years ago, but today, only fifty-one percent of people who celebrate attend church as part of the festivities.
The Pew Research Center found that fewer people think of Christmas as a religious holiday these days. There are also many Americans that only attend church on the holidays. Christmas services are beautiful, especially the candlelit services.
Americans Spend Close To $1,000 On Gifts
Millions of dollars are spent during Christmas, especially on gifts. According to the National Retail Federation's most recent studies, consumers spend an average of one thousand dollars during the holidays.
Many shoppers go all out and buy way more gifts than necessary. However, some still cherish homemade, thrifted, or cherished gifts because they are more meaningful. Many Americans focus too much on gifts and forget what the real meaning of Christmas is.
Mistletoe Is An Aphrodisiac
Mistletoe is another very popular decoration, but it is also an ancient symbol of fertility and virility. The Druids considered it an aphrodisiac. According to legend, the gods used mistletoe to resurrect Odin's son Baldur from the dead.
Baldur's mother, Frigg, the goddess of love, made the plant a symbol of love and vowed to kiss anyone who passed under it. It is also perfect because it can blossom in the cold. During the eighteenth century in England, men were allowed to kiss any woman standing under the mistletoe. If the ladies refused, that would mean bad luck for the man.
Mistletoe's Name Isn't As Sweet
Mistletoe is a romantic gesture, but its name might not give you warm feelings. Mistle thrush birds eat the plant's berries, digest the seed, and then help the plant germinate with their droppings.
In fact, the Germanic word for mistletoe actually means "dung on a twig." It was also thought that mistletoe brought good luck to the household and warded off evil spirits. In Norse mythology, it was used as a sign of love and friendship.
Ham Ranks As The Festive Favorite
When Christmas first began, the traditional meals served were nothing like they are today. Today, one of the favorite Christmas dinners is Turkey, but Ham is also very popular. Spiral-cut ham edges out the bird as the most popular choice for a Christmas table.
Our ancient ancestors would make pork over spits, and beef would be chopped up and used in hearty winter stews. They also served seasonal fruit, such as crab apples and berries.
Candy Canes Originated In Germany
Candy canes are very popular during Christmas. In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant decorated his tree with candy canes. They were invented by a choirmaster to keep choir boys occupied during the long Christmas services and were made into the shape of a shepherd's crook to symbolize Jesus as the shepherd of his followers.
Some have said that the white of the candy cane represents purity and the red the blood of Christ. Candy Canes started being mass-produced in the 1920s and became a Christmas symbol.
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Started Small In 1931
It is a tradition every year that the Rockefeller Christmas tree is decorated and lit up. However, in 1931, the tree looked like Charlie Brown's. It was construction workers who first placed a small, undecorated tree in Rockefeller Center.
Two years later, another tree was in its place, but this time it was decorated with lights. The tree continued to get bigger every year, and today, the massive tree is decorated with more than twenty-five thousand twinkling lights.
Washington Irving Created Several Santa Legends
We can thank Washington Irving for several of the Santa legends. Irving is most known for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which features the famous headless horseman. However, he also wrote a lot about St. Nicholas as well.
He's actually the one who first came up with the eight tiny reindeer. In 1835, he loved Santa Claus so much that he helped launch the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. He served as its secretary until 1841.
Norway Provides The Tree in Trafalgar Square
The iconic spruce that sits in Trafalgar Square is known to Londoners and visitors. However, most don't realize it is an equally iconic holiday gift. Every year since 1947, the people of Norway have donated a tree in thanks to Britain's support for Norway during World War II.
Trafalgar Square is a public square in Central London and is known as Charing Cross. The tree is put up twelve days before Christmas and remains until after Christmas Day.
This Military Christmas Gift Held A Lifesaving Secret
There is a Christmas gift that was given out during World War II that held a lifesaving secret. During the war, the United States Playing Card Company joined forces with American and British intelligence agencies to create a very special deck of cards.
They gave them out as Christmas gifts, but they were also meant to help Allied prisoners of war escape from German POW camps. When you get the cards wet, the individual cards peeled apart to reveal maps of escape routes.
Your Christmas Tree Probably Traveled Far And Wide
If you buy a real Christmas tree from a lot, your 'fresh' Christmas tree most likely spent weeks out of the ground before it arrived at your local retailer.
Also, most are not taken out of the woods, as ninety-eight percent of American trees today grow on farms, mostly in Oregon, California, Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. North Carolina is the country's top Christmas tree-producing state.
Tinsel Has A Storied History
Christmas tinsel also has a history. It was originally invented in 1610 in Germany but was originally spun from real silver. It was made as a symbol of wealth and a lovely way to reflect candles on old-timey German Christmas trees.
When the tradition came to America, different metals were used. However, tinsel was once banned by the U.S. government because it used to contain poisonous lead. Today, tinsel is made from plastic.
Candles Are A Symbol Of Light
During the darkest days of the year, candles and fires represent hope, warmth, and rebirth in Winter Solstice traditions around the world. Eventually, candles became a Christian tradition for Christmas.
In Scandinavia, girls would wear wreaths on their heads lit with candles for St. Lucia Day. In New Mexico, candles symbolically light the way for Mary and Joseph's journey before Jesus' birth. Candles are also used in advent wreaths to count down the four weeks before Christmas.
The Christmas Star Guided The Three Wise Men
Another symbol during the holidays is the Christmas star. Christianity believes the star guided the three wise men to baby Jesus. It also represents hope for all mankind during dark times.
Many scientists believe that the three wise men saw Jupiter and Saturn appear as a "great conjunction." Today, most of us put a star at the top of our Christmas tree, and we make star-shaped crafts and cookies.
The First Snowman Was Built In 1380
The snowman isn't something new, either. The first documented snowman appeared in 1380, and these Christmas symbols were especially popular during the Middle Ages. The first snowman ever drawn was discovered by Bob Eckstein for his book, The History of the Snowman.
They lacked the resources or outlets for artistic expression, so they turned to snow. The ruler of Florence even commissioned Michelangelo to build a snowman. Many still look for cheap DIY Christmas decorations to celebrate the season.
Christmas Oranges
A Christmas tradition that maybe isn't as well known is Christmas oranges. They were actually traditional nineteenth-century stocking presents. Also, in the original St. Nicholas stocking folktale, some have said he left oranges instead of gold coins. Putting oranges in the socks was much more affordable than gold or gifts. Plus, it was a rare, indulgent treat for the Winter season.
Dominique Foufelle wrote, "At the end of the nineteenth century in Europe, when the custom of gift giving for Christmas had spread, the orange was a rare and expensive fruit. Oranges became a luxury for families of modest means who reserved them as a gift for their children."
Fruitcakes Were The Height Of Indulgence During Christmas Back In Victorian Times
During Victorian times, fruitcakes were the height of indulgence during the Christmas season. The recipes called for dried or preserved fruits and nuts from the fall season saved up for special occasions such as Christmas.
However, the cake's roots go even further back to Roman times, when a similar treat, called satura, lasted forever without going bad. Today, the cake has a bad reputation and is often made fun of in holiday movies.
Theologian Martin Luther Was The First Person To Put Lights On A Christmas Tree
Martin Luther, a sixteenth-century theologian, is said to be the first person to put lights on a Christmas tree. Legends state that he was walking through a forest one evening and was moved by the beautiful stars shining through the trees.
He recreated what he saw when he got home for his family. He put his tree in the living room and placed lighted candles on its branches. Today, Christmas lights are everywhere.
Oliver Cromwell Banned Christmas
Oliver Cromwell was known for banning Christmas in England. He was a Puritan, which is the type of Christian who believed that having too much of a good time would upset God.
He thought Christmas was too much fun, so he chose to ban anyone from celebrating it. He also banned makeup, going to the theater, and sports. Cromwell had a modest upbringing, but he kept his later life as a military and political leader known.
World War I Christmas Truce
Many of us have heard about the famous Christmas truce during World War I, which is completely true. In 1914, shortly after the war started, soldiers on both sides were experiencing their first Christmas in the trenches.
They all decided to put down their weapons and go out onto No Man's Land. They went out and swapped chocolate and cigarettes, played football, and sang carols together. It was a moment of peace in an otherwise horrible time for humanity.
One Of The Oldest Christmas Markets Dates Back To The 1600s
One of the oldest Christmas markets dates back to the 1600s and it is the Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany. The tradition has been years in the making, and the proof is on a small box at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
The inscription reads: "Sent to Regina Susanna HarBdorfferin by Miss Susanna Eleonora Erbsin on the occasion of the Christmas Market of 1628." There is a list from 1737 that demonstrates that almost all Nuremberg craftsmen were represented in the market. One hundred and forty people were allowed to offer goods for sale.
The Statue Of Liberty Is The Largest Gift Ever Given
The Statue Of Liberty is a sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, in New York City. It was a gift from the people of France and was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.
It stands more than one hundred and fifty feet tall and weighs two hundred and twenty-five tons. It is an impressive figure and is the largest Christmas gift ever given. It was given as a holiday gift to the U.S. in 1886.
Christmas Trees Were Once Not Accepted In The U.S.
Originally, Christmas trees were not an immediate hit in America. They were introduced to the U.S. by German settlers because they weren't seen as Christian. Written in History, "As late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans."
In addition, Theodore Roosevelt banned Christmas trees in the White House due to "environmental concerns." A holiday tree in the White House did not become an established annual practice until the 1920s.
Yule Log Has Its Roots In Gaelic And Celtic Winter Solstice Traditions
According to history, the yule log has its roots in Gaelic and Celtic Winter Solstice traditions. The yule log is a log-shaped chocolate dessert that is very popular for Christmas.
"To cleanse the air of the previous year's events and to usher in the spring, families would burn logs decorated with holly, pinecones, or ivy. Wine and salt were also often used to anoint the logs. Once burned, the log's ashes were valuable treasures said to have medicinal benefits and to guard against evil." ----- Best Life.
Queen Victoria Sent The First Official Christmas Card
Another huge tradition during the holidays is to send Christmas cards. Queen Victoria was the first official person to send a Christmas card. However, the first commercial card came in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole produced one thousand and sold them for one shilling each.
Today, there are only twelve of those cards left in the world. The first 'personalized' Christmas card was sent by Annie Oakley in 1891. Homemade Christmas cards became popular in the 1910s and 1920s.
Thomas Edison Invented Christmas Lights
Thomas Edison was one of America's greatest inventors and he invented the light bulb, the movie camera, and the phonograph. However, he is also partially responsible for Christmas lights. Edison and his friend, Edward H. Johnson, invented Christmas lights. They created the first strand of electric lights in 1880 and hung them outside his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. However, it was Johnson who became the first to wrap a strand of hand-wired red, white, and blue bulbs around a Christmas tree.
"He lit his tree with about 80 red, white, and blue lights. He actually had to hand-wire them. There was no such thing as tree lights, and so it was a long process for him. It really gathered the attention of the local neighbors, and then different newspapers and people came to see the beautiful lights. This was a great idea. It really promoted the safety of electric lighting and the possible and potential beauty of it." ----- Kathleen Carlucci.