History of Some Christmas Traditions
Christians celebrate Christmas to observe the birth of Jesus Christ, which is an event and not a tradition. But numerous other activities related to celebrating the Christmas season evolved from certain traditions, countless of which are from other countries, particularly from peoples in Europe.
Among widespread items utilized in Christmas decorations are the holly along with the mistletoe. Both are utilized primarily in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items up to two hundred years just before Christ. To celebrate the winter season, the Druids would gather the plants and use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed the mistletoe would bring very good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a healing high quality and could possibly be employed for everything from healing wounds to improve fertility. In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the goddess of love. This association is possibly what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian period, the English also would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during holidays. The habit developed that if somebody was standing under the mistletoe, an individual else in room would kiss that individual. Such outright behavior was not normally seen in Victorian society. The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church having said that since of its associations with pagan traditions, and the use of holly was suggested as a substitute.
Poinsettias are an additional standard decorative flower employed at Christmas. It's native to Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the initial U.S ambassador to Mexico and who brought the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants were a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that's 1 reason they are associated with Christmas. There's also 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. The boy gathered some green branches, which other people scoffed at. But as he placed them near the manger, a bright red poinsettia flower started to bloom on every branch, which gave rise to their conventional use at Christmas.
Candy canes became a Christmas tradition not because their red and white stripes matched the colors of the season, but for the most unusual reason of discipline. that's because they were 1st employed as treats that had been give to German children to maintain them well-behaved for the duration of 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 recognized as the Trinity, the Blood of the Son of God, Jesus as the embodiment of holiness, purity and without sin plus Son of God as the shepherd of man. The candy cane represents these symbols respectively with its 3 stripes, its red and white color and its shape.
Sending greeting cards throughout 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.' Then from about 1860, big numbers of Christmas greeting cards started to be produced. The popularity of the cards increased in Britain when they could possibly be sent by the postal service for one half-penny, which was half the price to post a standard letter at the time, if they were in an unsealed envelope. Religious pictures of Mary, Joseph , Baby Jesus, the angels, shepherds and Wise Men had been traditionally placed on Christmas cards. Some cards nowadays consist of scenes from the Nativity, but pictures of Santa Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees, gift packages and other people are also depicted on contemporary Christmas greeting cards.
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