December 25
While some Christmas traditions are relatively recent, some date back thousands of years. Even the date is a tradition, rather than an established fact. When all is said and done, no one knows the precise date of Christ's birth.
December 25 was chosen by the Church around 400 AD, in an attempt to replace the various pagan winter solstice celebrations with a decidedly Christian one.
Mistletoe
The use of mistletoe is another hanger-on from pagan times, when it played an important role in both Celtic druidism and the Asgardian myths of Scandinavia. The Church was concerned with the plant's pagan past and substituted holly, making it a symbol of Christ.
The sharp leaves of the holly plant represent Christ's crown of thorns, and the red berries are a symbol of his blood. In spite of this attempt to stamp out mistletoe as a Yuletide symbol, the practice of kissing under the mistletoe has persisted to this day.
Caroling is an old Christmas tradition. It dates all the way back to ancient Greece, and originates in the word choraulien, meaning "to dance to a flute." By the Middle Ages, it meant "to sing and dance together," and over time caroling became associated with Christmas songs.
Christmas Cards
Sending Christmas cards is a recent development. The tradition began in England, and was helped along by the development of the public "Penny Post" and the speed with which the new railroads could deliver mail. At first the cards were almost exclusively religious, but they slowly branched out to include humor and non-religious sentiments.
Families who celebrate Christmas have developed numerous family-specific traditions over the years. For some families, Christmas means a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Other families battle over the issue of whether Christmas should be spent with "her" side or "his" side of the family this year. Many young families with working parents now opt to stay home.
Another firm tradition is the timing for opening gifts. In some families, late-night Christmas Eve is the preferred time. Families who attend midnight services at church open their gifts when they come home in the wee hours of Christmas morning. In the commercial version of Christmas, small children wake at the crack of dawn to run and check whether Santa has come. Many families open gifts in their robes and slippers on Christmas morning.
This section is divided into multiple section, covering:
While some Christmas traditions are relatively recent, some date back thousands of years. Even the date is a tradition, rather than an established fact. When all is said and done, no one knows the precise date of Christ's birth.
December 25 was chosen by the Church around 400 AD, in an attempt to replace the various pagan winter solstice celebrations with a decidedly Christian one.
Mistletoe
The use of mistletoe is another hanger-on from pagan times, when it played an important role in both Celtic druidism and the Asgardian myths of Scandinavia. The Church was concerned with the plant's pagan past and substituted holly, making it a symbol of Christ.
The sharp leaves of the holly plant represent Christ's crown of thorns, and the red berries are a symbol of his blood. In spite of this attempt to stamp out mistletoe as a Yuletide symbol, the practice of kissing under the mistletoe has persisted to this day.
"Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home." - Carol NelsonCaroling
Caroling is an old Christmas tradition. It dates all the way back to ancient Greece, and originates in the word choraulien, meaning "to dance to a flute." By the Middle Ages, it meant "to sing and dance together," and over time caroling became associated with Christmas songs.
Christmas Cards
Sending Christmas cards is a recent development. The tradition began in England, and was helped along by the development of the public "Penny Post" and the speed with which the new railroads could deliver mail. At first the cards were almost exclusively religious, but they slowly branched out to include humor and non-religious sentiments.
When two people marry, they must negotiate and compromise which traditions will be kept, and in which order.Family Traditions
She: In my family, we open our gifts Christmas Eve, then empty our stocking on Christmas morning!
He: There's no way we're opening gifts Christmas Eve. It's what Christmas morning is for. That's what my family has always done.
Families who celebrate Christmas have developed numerous family-specific traditions over the years. For some families, Christmas means a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Other families battle over the issue of whether Christmas should be spent with "her" side or "his" side of the family this year. Many young families with working parents now opt to stay home.
Another firm tradition is the timing for opening gifts. In some families, late-night Christmas Eve is the preferred time. Families who attend midnight services at church open their gifts when they come home in the wee hours of Christmas morning. In the commercial version of Christmas, small children wake at the crack of dawn to run and check whether Santa has come. Many families open gifts in their robes and slippers on Christmas morning.
This section is divided into multiple section, covering:
- Origins of Christmas Traditions
- Yuletide Traditions
- Modern Christmas Traditions.
Joyful Christmas Traditions
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Dream Come True
