Origins of Christmas Customs

Advent Calendar —Beginning in the 1880’s, European printers produced elaborate Advent Calendars. Each calendar contains 24 windows or doors, and, starting on December 1, one is opened each day to tell the Nativity story, until the last door is opened on Christmas Eve. Today, there are a number of variations available.

Advent Wreath —Wheel-turning of any kind was prohibited beginning on Martinmas Day (November 11). Originally the Advent wreath was an unused wagon wheel decorated with evergreens and candles and suspended from the rafters in German homes. Adapted by the Christian church, it includes four candles for each of the four Sundays of Advent. The candles are traditionally white, but in modern times three purple and one pink are often used. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, also called “Gaudette” or “Rejoicing Sunday”.

Boar’s Head —In Medieval British castles, manor houses and boarding school refectories, this was a traditional Christmas platter, served with the sound of trumpet and a procession. The apple in the mouth has no symbolic meaning but rather is simply a decoration. There is a story that an English schoolboy from Queen’s College, Oxford, was walking alone in the forest one Christmas Day when he was attacked by a wild boar. He saved himself by stuffing a manuscript of Aristotle’s works he happened to be reading down the throat of the animal, causing its death. The head was brought to the college to prove the incident to his classmates.

Candy Cane —A red and white Christmas candy shaped like a shepherd’s crook. It is also said to represent the letter “J” from the name Jesus.

Christkindlesmarket —This is the European Christmas market held during Advent and supplying families with all they would need for the up-coming celebration.

Christmas Candle —In Ireland, a large fat candle is placed in the window on Christmas Eve. Traditionally said to be a sign of welcome for the Christ Child, it may actually have been an indication of a “safe-house” in which banned religious services were being conducted. Sometimes candles were placed in all the windows. Sometimes a candle was lighted as a memorial for each member of the family who had died since the previous Christmas. “On Christmas Eve a candlelight to shine aboard through Christmas Night, That those who pass may see its glow and walk with Christ a mile or so.”

Christmas Card —This relatively recent custom began with English school children preparing cards of best wishes for their parents. John Calcott first suggested the idea of Christmas post cards as a commercial venture in 1843. The first Christmas cards were sold in the United States in 1875.

Christmas Carols —Carols were originally sung to accompany ring dances and were used at other festivals besides Christmas. Some of the oldest carols include “ We Saw Three Ships”, “The Coventry Carol”, “The Boar’s Head Carol”, “The Wassail Song”, and “The Holly and the Ivy”. Most other Christmas carols are of relatively recent origin.

Christmas Seals —Christmas seals were invented in 1903 by a Danish postal clerk to raise finds for the treatment of tuberculosis. Christmas seals are now used in some forty-five countries.

Christmas Spider —A Ukrainian legend holds that the Christmas tree of a poor peasant woman was miraculously decorated on Christmas Eve with the silver web of an industrious spider. Silver spiders are still sometimes found as Christmas tree ornaments.

Christmas Stockings —Legend has it that on one of the nights Saint Nichols of Myra flung a bag of money into a home, it happened to go down the chimney and land in a stocking hung up to dry. In Europe, nuns would hand their stockings on the door of Mother Superior’s cell so that she could fill them with sweets and small gifts. In Victorian times, stockings hung on the mantel became a custom. In those days, both boys and girls wore knee-length stockings of ample size. A coin goes in first, as a wish for prosperity.

Christmas Tree —Angel Topper The custom of placing an angel on the top of the Christmas tree traces back to Nuremberg, Germany. Papier-mâché and wax angels were suspended from a wire over the tree. The heat from the candles on the tree caused the angels to revolve.

Gingerbread Houses —Baking gingerbread in shapes dates back to at least the 15th century.

Good King Wenceslas —He is a saintly Bohemian ruler who, according to legend, saw a poor man gathering kindling on the Feast of Stephen. Moved with compassion, he called for “flesh and wine” and walked through the snow to deliver the feast to the peasant’s home.

Jesse Tree —This is a fir tree decorated with biblical symbols representing the ancestors of Jesus and the events leading up to the birth of the Christ Child. Anything is fair game - an apple representing Adam and Eve, an ark representing Noah, a ladder representing Jacob, etc. At the very top of the tree, it is customary to place the initials of Jesus’ name in Greek - the Chi Rho (J.C.)

Letters to Santa —The custom has developed in English speaking countries wherein children write letters to Santa expressing their wishes. In the United States, these are mailed to the North Pole and received by an accommodating postal system. In England, the letters are burned in the fireplace. The smoke takes them to Santa.

Letting in the New Year —In parts of Britain and Ireland, it is the custom to open all doors of one’s house at midnight on New Year’s Eve to let in the New Year. It is a time to make a great din by banging household utensils for the purpose of scaring away the evil spirits as the year turns. In Scotland, the First Footer was supposed to enter a home by the front door, bring with him good luck, and leave by the back door, taking with him bad luck. Some people still consider it unlucky not to use the same door when entering or exiting a home.

Little Christmas — Epiphany (January 6) was once the official end of the Christmas season. Marked with celebrations akin to those of Christmas, it predates the festival of December 25. Epiphany is sometimes still called “Little Christmas” in Britain and its former colonies. Epiphany in Ireland is called “Women’s Christmas”, for cakes, tea, and wine were served as opposed to the beef and whiskey of Christmas Day. In Finland and other Scandinavian countries, the First Sunday of Advent is called “Little Christmas”.

Luminarias — In Mexico, this custom probably developed from the farolitas or paper lanterns that are carried during the posadas processions. Luninarias are stationary versions - lighted candles placed in paper bags to light walkways and doorways.

Mass of the Shepherds —Based on the Biblical account of Luke, Nativity scenes most often include shepherds. In countries that still have shepherds, these men and women are honored as they process into the church usually for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. In Switzerland, young people on their way to midnight church services stop to drink at nine public fountains. Legend has it that anyone who takes three sips from each fountain will find her or her future mate waiting at the church door.

Moravian Advent Star —The 26 point Moravian Star originated in Europe as a kind of paper lantern with an oil lamp inside. It crossed the Atlantic with the early settlers of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Today, the stars are more likely to be made of plastic and lighted by electricity. During Advent, they are displayed in windows and doorways. Because the manufacturing of the star took place initially in the town of Herrnhut, Germany, it is also called the Herrnhut Star. Pieter Verbeecan, who had learned the skill at the Moravian Boy’s School about 1850, began producing the piece commercially.

New Year’s Noisemakers — It is the custom to make as much noise as possible at Midnight of New Year’s Eve - blowing horns, setting off pyrotechnics, discharging guns into the air. The purpose is to scare off the evil spirits at this “soft” spot in the space/time continuum so that they do not seize the opportunity of the changing of the year to slip into the world of the living, bringing bad luck with them. In the Old-Style Julian Calendar, the New Year began on March 21st, not on January 1st. When the Gregorian calendar reform of 1582 dropped ten days, some people resolutely kept their New Year’s noise making on the old-style date, which had now become April 1st. They were deridingly called “April Fools”.

Nutcracker —The craft of carving figurative nutcrackers developed in the mountainous Elzgebidge region of Germany. There were already carved nutcrackers being made as early as 1725. Today, there are dozens of different figures, most of them being lathe-turned.

Old Christmas — In the previously used Julian or Old-Style calendar, Christmas fell on what is now January 6. Epiphany is now sometimes called “Old Christmas”.

Oplatek/Oplatky — In Poland and the Ukraine, this is a wafer of unleavened bread stamped with the image of the birth of the Christ Child. On Christmas Eve, at the dinner table it is broken and distributed among the family members accompanied by a blessing. Pieces are sent to family members who could not be present.

Paradise Tree — This early style of Christmas tree began as a prop in the Adam and Eve mystery play presented in churches on Christmas Eve. A fir tree is decorated with apples. In the 15th century, the custom developed of displaying a Paradise Tree in a home setting. To the red apples were added white wafers representing Holy Communion. Cookies in the shape of stars, angels, flowers, hearts, and bells eventually replaced the wafers. People in northern Germany placed figurers of Adam and Eve under the tree instead of a crèche.

Plum Pudding —This is a traditional Christmas desert in England. It technically contained prunes (not plums) added to a mixture of boiled beef and mutton meat, cloves, ginger, currants, ginger, breadcrumbs, and raisins. It originated as a porridge or gruel. It was served as the first course at the Christmas Feast. Plum means to rise or swell.

Posadas — In Mexico, the nine days before Christmas are marked by street processions reenacting the Nativity Story. “Mary and Joseph” knock on designated doors in the village to find a place at the “inn.” A prayer service and social gathering mark each of the first eight nights. On the ninth night, Christmas Eve, the couple is let in to an honored house and a great celebration follows.

Reveillon —In France, this is the traditional Christmas feast following Midnight Mass. The French word means “wake- up”.

Saint Stephen’s Day — December 27 is also known as “Second Christmas”.

Silver Bells —The origin of ringing bells at Christmas is an ancient one, lost to historians. In Norway, the Christmas bell ringing begins at precisely 4:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. In England, the bell ringing commences at 11:00 p.m. In Sweden, the entire family rings hand bells. “I heard the bells of Christmas Day, Their old familiar carols play; and wild and sweet the words repeat of Peace on earth, good will to men.” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Sugarplums —Sugarplums are exotic treats, a combination of fruit and nuts. Originally, they were glazed figs.

Tannenbaum —This is a German word for the Christmas tree, etymologically connected to the pagan god Tinne. The fir tree was used not only at Christmas, but also stripped of its lower branches, decorated with colorful ribbons, and used for the May Pole in the spring.

Tinsel —“Icicles” for Christmas trees have been made and sold in Germany since 1878. The manufacturing process was initially a secret one, first used by the French to ornament military uniforms. The Germans obtained the formula in 1610. Silver-plated copper wire is drawn through a series of spools until it becomes very fine. It was then rolled and flattened.

Wassail Bowl —Was haile means “to your health.” This is warm ale decorated with apples. People brought the bowl into the apple orchard to toast a representative tree in the hope the orchard would be fruitful. The pagan god Thor carried a wooden wassail bowl. The maiden Rowena is credited with concocting the beverage to serve to Prince Vortigen.

Yule Log — This is a very ancient Celtic custom. A huge log, traditionally an oak, had to be found or given, but never bought. It was dragged into the Great Hall with much fanfare and lighted with a charcoal from the previous year’s log. It had to be kept burning day and night during the Twelve Days of Christmas. No squinting person and no flat-footed woman could enter the Great Hall while the Yule log was burning. The ashes of the Yule log were kept for good luck.