Did You Know: Christmas Traditions

In the United States, we observe several Christmas traditions that have been passed to us by our parents and their parents. This is the power of Christmas traditions; that they are able to transcend time and make the Christmas season more lively and fun.

But have you ever wondered where they originated? Let us clarify how some of our Christmas traditions got their start.

The Mistletoe

A lot of teenagers and lovesick adults wait for their crushes to walk under a mistletoe to steal the chance for a kiss. But why do people kiss under the mistletoe? The mistletoe has been a revered plant from the earliest times. Druid priests were said to use mistletoe in their rituals while ancient Celtics thought that the mistletoe had healing powers against infertility, poison and evil spirits. The fact that the mistletoe remains green even when in winter and without roots adds more to the mysticism surrounding the mistletoe.

In later times, Romans came to view it as a symbol of peace. For them, if enemies come under the mistletoe, they should drop their weapons and embrace. This practice later evolved when Scandinavians began associating the mistletoe with the goddess of love, Frigga. From these two practices came the Christmas practice of kissing under mistletoes.

By the way, did you know that as a result of kissing under the mistletoe, you are guaranteed a full year of good tidings and happiness?

Christmas Stockings

Children around the country hang up Christmas stockings hoping to find small toys, candies and other treats inside it come Christmas morning. But do you know that the Christmas stocking is first and foremost a symbol of generosity? Legend has it that a kind and rich man became depressed after the death of his wife. Soon his riches were gone, even the money for the dowries of his three daughters. The daughters then faced a life of spinsterhood. It is said that when St. Nicholas heard about their story, he went to their house and threw pouches of gold coins into the chimney. These bags of gold were caught inside the stockings that the daughters have left by the fireplace to dry.

We at MerryStockings know how important Christmas traditions are. Give personalized Christmas stockings to your friends and family in order for them to observe this tradition in style!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly...

Everybody knows this Christmas song, and almost everybody has sung it at at least one point in their lives. But do you know why people use holly during the Christmas season? It is not only because of the green leaves and red berries they have, which is coincidentally the most popular Christmas colors, but also because of a legend.

In olden times, people believed that ghosts and evil spirits roamed during winter and Christmas time. Europeans believed that holly held magical powers because like the mistletoe, it remains green even during the bleak winter months. So people hanged boughs of holly over their doors to keep the evil spirits away.

It served a more practical purpose too. In the time before canned air fresheners became available, these boughs of holly also purified the air inside the home.

Holly is also used as a religious symbol around Christian homes. It is believed that holly came up from the ground on which Jesus Christ walked. The spiky leaves represent his crown of thorns while the red berries represent the blood that he shed.

Christmas Cards

The practice of sending out Christmas cards had humbler roots. It began in the United Kingdom where young boys sent Christmas greetings to their parents in order to practice their writing. Officially, however, the first real Christmas cards were the brainchild of Sir Henry Cole who was too busy to send his friends individualized Christmas greetings. What he did was to ask John Calcott Harvey to draw an illustration, which he then mass printed on a card. The illustration with a simple greeting for the holidays became the first Christmas cards.

Poinsettias

Many homes in the United States have potted poinsettias during the Christmas season. The beautiful plant makes a great Christmas decoration around the home with its bright red leaves set against equally splendid green leaves.

This Mexican plant was used by Franciscans during their own Christmas celebrations. Legend has it that a young boy saw the poinsettia plant on his way to visit the village Nativity scene. When he realized that he had no gift for the Christ child, the boy gathered green leaves that he offered as a gift. Miraculously, as he put them on the manger, beautiful red leaves sprouted on each branch.

The plant was brought to America by U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Joel Poinsett in the 1820s.

Christmas Trees

Christmas trees go as far back to the 16th century when Germans decorated fir trees with apples, candies, roses, and colored paper. Similar trees were also regular fixtures of a popular play performed during the Middle Ages, which was mostly performed during Advent.

Martin Luther was said to be the originator of the practice of putting lights on trees, having been inspired by the beauty of stars whose lights shone through fir branches.

But the practice of having a Christmas tree during the season was started when the U.K.'s royal family was depicted in an 1848 Illustrated News etching gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria's Christmas tree soon inspired Victorian England to put up similar trees.

This practice was later brought to the U.S. by Germans settling in Pennsylvania.

Give the gift of love with Christmas and special holiday decor from MerryStockings.