Christmas Traditions – Do You Know Where They Come From?

We all have favorite Christmas traditions but how many of us know where they came from. Here is some trivia to amaze your friends at the next Christmas party.

Mistletoe and Holly

Common items used in Christmas decorations such as wreaths and garlands are the holly and the mistletoe. The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as a decorative item up to two hundred years before Christ. To celebrate the winter season, they would gather the plants and use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a healing quality and could be used for everything from healing wounds to increasing fertility.

In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was considered to be a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the goddess of love. This association is probably what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian period, the English would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during holidays. The habit developed that if someone was standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room would kiss that person. Such outright behavior was not generally seen in Victorian society.

Since the use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church because of its associations with pagan traditions, holly was suggested as a substitute and continues to be used today.

Poinsettias

The poinsettia is a traditional decorative flower used at Christmas. It is native to Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, the first U.S ambassador to Mexico, who brought the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants are a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that’s one reason they are associated with Christmas. Legend tells the story that a young boy was going to see the Nativity Play at a church but realized he didn’t have a gift for Baby Jesus. People just laughed as the boy gathered some plain green branches to offer as a gift. However, as he placed them near the manger, a bright red poinsettia flower started to bloom on each branch. This gave rise to their traditional use at Christmas.

Candy Canes

Candy canes became a Christmas tradition when they were first used as treats that were given to German children to keep them well-behaved during church sermons. Over time, the legend of candy canes at Christmas came to be associated with some of the strongest symbols and beliefs of Christianity: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost known as the Trinity; the Blood of the Son of God and Jesus as the embodiment of holiness–pure and without sin; and the Son of God as the shepherd of man. The candy cane represents these symbols respectively with its three stripes, its red and white color and its shape.

Greeting Cards

Sending greeting cards during Christmas and the holidays is as prevalent today as the custom of giving gifts. The tradition of sending Christmas cards started in 1840 in Britain with the start of public postal delivery service of the ‘Penny Post.’ Starting about 1860, large numbers of Christmas greeting cards were produced. The popularity of the cards increased in Britain when they could be sent by the postal service for one half-penny (which was half the price to post a standard letter at the time) as long as they were
in an unsealed envelope. Traditionally, religious pictures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the angels, shepherds, and Wise Men were placed on Christmas cards. However, today, contemporary Christmas cards also include pictures of Santa Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees, gift packages, and other Christmas symbols.