Page 39 - 200811 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - November 2011

39 Christmas Tradition Origins 39 Christmas Tradition Origins CHRISTMAS the 19th and early 20th century it was fruit, nuts POISINDEX information service, a 50 lb child CHRISTMAS TRADITION ORIGINS and candy and for many of the early letters to would have to eat around 500-600 leaves. The TRADITION ORIGINS AMA handbook just lists occasional vomiting Santa printed in newspapers would include this. Beginning in early 1900's Teddy bears became as side effects of ingestion of leaves. Bells - An early pagan winter celebration of Bells the most requested gift by boys and girls and Red and Green ringing of bells to drive out evil spirits. Later the still is the most popular stuffed toy of all Red and Green - Possibly from the Holly, tradition began to ring bells on Christmas Eve to time.Many churches to this day make up sacks which was a early Christmas decoration. Or welcome in the spirit of Christmas with joyful of fruit, nuts and candy to pass out to everyone from the AD325 council of Nicaea, which laid noise. In Norway bells are still rang through out on the Sunday before Christmas down guidelines for symbolism in church art; the country on Christmas Eve at 5pm. In Red - blood, sacrifice, divine love, courage, & Holly - Early Christians of Northern Europe Yorkshire, England on Christmas Eve, the bell Holly martyrdom, Green - stood for hope, earth is rung once for each year that has passed since decorated their homes & churches with this growth, spring, safety, rest youth, & victory, the birth of Christ. easily grown evergreen and was called “Holy Blue - divine mystery, eternity, & heaven, Tree” later “Holly”, because the pointed green Purple - royalty & riches, Violet - justice, Candy Canes - According to popular Candy Canes leaves reminded them of the crown of thorns penitence, pain, pity, & sadness, Gold - Spiritual tradition, a 18th century English candy maker and the red berries of the drops of blood at riches, achievement, & good life, White - purity, decided to make a candy commemorating Jesus' crucifixion. faith, truth, peace, & eternity, Black - evil & Christmas (this was during the time that unknown. Kris Kringle - German for “Christ's Child” or celebrating of Christmas was outlawed in Kris Kringle Reindeer Names; England) [see 12 days of Christmas], the result “Christkindlein”. A name for a early German Reindeer Names; Now Dasher! now, Dancer! was a candy cane representing the Shepherds gift-bringing infant Jesus or angelic being, who now, Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On, Cupid! staff and upside down, a letter for Jesus. Made was thought of as a Christ's helper and gave on Donner and Blixen. Nope, originally it was of white candy to represent purity with 3 red gifts to poor and needy children. As cultures on Dunder and Blixem in the 1823 publication stripes for the Trinity and 1 large red stripe for merged, visits from the similar St. Nicholas, of "A Visit from Saint Nicholas". Dunder and Jesus' blood later shed. Some dispute this. Pere Noel, Pelznickel and Christkindlein all Blixem was Dutch for Thunder and Lightning. became overshadowed or mutated into Santa Blixem was changed to Blixen to rhyme with Candles Claus. Vixem in 1837 by a Charle Hoffman and Candles - An early pagan tradition of lighting candles to drive away the forces of cold and Dunder to Donder. Then when Clement Moore Mistletoe - Ancient Celtic priests calls Druids darkness. The Romans decorated their temples Mistletoe included the "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" in with greenery and candles. The early Christians around the New Year would collect mistletoe his 1844 book, he'd changed Blixen to the started to light candles as symbolic of the birth from their holy oak tree and offer some as a German word for Lightning "Blitzen". Then of Jesus, the Light of the World. In can also be sacrifice to the gods. Some would be hung up comes the Johnny Marks song "Rudolph the associated with the Jewish feast of Hanukkah. during a ceremony which people would stand Red-Nosed Reindeer" who changed Donder to under it and kiss showing an end to their old Donner, German for Thunder. Cards - Began with school children drawing Cards grievances with each other. This later practice Stockings pictures of biblical scenes and a message like never actually died out. Stockings - May originate from an old St. Happy Holidays and I promise to be good, etc., Nicholas legend of the 3 doweryless girls, in Nativity Scene (creche) - St. Francis of and giving to their parents before Christmas. In Nativity Scene (creche) which each time St. Nicholas threw the bag of 1846 after the advent of the British postal Assisi is responsible for popularizing the gold down the chimney, it landed in a stocking system, the first Christmas Card was produced, nativity scene, but it most probably existed that happened to be hanging to dry. Note, St. showing a family celebrating a Christmas earlier. In 1223 or 1224 St. Francis wanted to Nicholas is often pictured with 3 gold bags or dinner in center and on each side were acts of add hope and joy of God's love to his message balls, and the early day pawn shops derived charity picturing feeding and clothing the poor, by constructing a life-size manger scene with their symbol of 3 gold balls from this. In with the message "A Merry Christmas and a live animals, with the gospel sung around the Holland the tradition arose of St. Kicholas Happy New Year to You.", by John Calcott scene. This became very popular. “Sinter Klaas” coming around and putting gifts Horsley, 1000 were made. in children's wooden shoes, this may have North Pole - In 1882 Thomas Nast drew a developed in the filling of hanging stockings North Pole Carols - Came from a Greek word for a dance Carols cartoon showing Santa sitting on a box drying in front of the fireplace. accompanied by flute music. By the 1600's, addressed "Christmas Box 1882, St. Nicholas, Sugar Plums carols involved singing mainly of Christmas North Pole". Nast just figured it was a good Sugar Plums - Still exist, though not called songs or hymns. Most carols were composed in place for Santa to live. that anymore. They are chocolate candies with the 1700's and 1800's. fruit preserves, cream or other sweet filling in Ornaments - Early Christmas trees had real Ornaments middle. Father Christmas fruit and flowers and candles as decorations, Father Christmas - Developed from several Stamps pagan gods. The Roman Saturnalia, a giant who looked good but was very heavy on the Stamps - On Christmas day 1898, Canada brought food, wine, joy and revelry once a year branches. German glass blowers began started its Penny Postal System and issued a to all and Odin, who would sweep across the producing glass balls to replace the heavy stamp to commemorate Christmas, this proved land during the winter. Always portrayed as a decorations. These became known as Blubs. In very popular and many other countries have giant with a robe lined with fur and holly with the 1800's the women's publication, "Godey's since done also. ivy or mistletoe on his head and carrying a Yule Lady Book" popularize the making of Wreaths Log. homemade Christmas ornaments & decorations. Wreaths - In ancient Rome, people hung decorative wreaths as sign of victory. The Poinsettia - Early Mexican Christians called it Gift Giving Poinsettia hanging of Christmas wreath seems to have Gift Giving - In the Dec. 17th Roman festival of Saturnalia and Jan. 1st Roman New Year the “Flower of Holy Night” and legend has it derived from this. Denoting the victory of God holidays, gifts were given as good luck that a small boy was upset on Christmas eve over Satan with Jesus' birth into the world. emblems and houses were decorated with because he had nothing to offer the Christ Child Yule - A very old Germanic feasting time, greenery. The early Christians frowned on this on His birthday. While the boy was praying at Yule pagan ritual, and wouldn't have any part of it. his village church altar, a flower sprang up with celebrated when the first snow came. A harvest For years though, many of the converts wouldn't its brilliant red and green. The plant was named type of feast, fellowshiping with neighbors for part with the practice of giving gifts and related after the American ambassador to Mexico, J. R. the last time that year before the hardship of it to the Magi's giving of gifts and later to St. Poinsett, who found out they grew well in the winter set in. Nicholas' gift giving. Gift giving became widely U.S. after sending some to his home in S. accepted by the middle ages. The most popular Carolina. Poinsettias have long been considered More Christmas Trivia in the December issue! gift requests of boys & girls are of toys, but in poisonous to humans, but according to the