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 Let’s start with the Christmas tree. Many European
countries decorated trees to celebrate the winter solstice, however
Germany is widely credited with starting the Christmas tree
tradition as we know it. Some also believe Martin Luther was the
first to add lighted candles to a tree to attempt to depict a
“starry night” scene on evergreen trees.
Many early non-Germanic American immigrants, particularly the New
England Puritans, believed Christmas trees to be pagan symbols –
along with decorations of any kind, singing carols, or any joyful
expression. Puritans believed these things desecrated the sacred
event of Christmas. There was even a fine for hanging decorations.
Christmas trees became popular in the United States in the 1890’s
through the early 20th century. Remember those were real trees, so
the tradition was to put them up on Christmas Eve, and they would
remain for the “12 days of Christmas.”
Candles in the early days or where electricity wasn’t available,
symbolized the “light of Christ.” The electric light strings, as we
know them, didn’t become popular until the 1930’s.
My dad said they used candles with clip-on holders. He laughed and
said they lit them once on Christmas Eve and they started blowing
them out about as soon as the last was lit. The goal was celebrate
without burning the house down. Both my father and my mother-in-law
both said the tree was cut off the farm, or close by.
There are many versions of the tree tradition around the world. One
example would be in South Africa where they decorate windows
instead, and use cotton to simulate snow. Another would be the
Philippines where trees are scarce, so they make trees out of lumber
and other items. Each family has their own traditions, and it may
involve cutting a tree, or setting up an artificial one on
Thanksgiving weekend, or something entirely different.
Let’s move on the Christmas stockings. The origins of this tradition
aren’t well known, but there are legends to attempt to tell the
story. One popular legend concerns a poor man with three daughters,
and no money for their dowries. St. Nicholas heard of the man’s
plight, and knew he was too proud to accept charity. St. Nicholas
decided to travel to the house, and throw three bags of gold (or
gold balls in some recounts) down the chimney. Of course, they
landed in the girls’ stockings hanging by the fire to dry. The girls
could now get married, and the legend of St. Nicholas as a
gift-giver grew.
Of course Christmas gift giving is rooted in the gifts of the Wise
Men to the Christ Child.
While Christmas stockings started with every day socks hung, it has
evolved into decorated items to receive the small gifts of Christmas
Eve from Santa Claus, or the gift-giver from whatever ancestry you
come from.
My grandmother took it upon herself to make each new family member a
felt stocking decorated with sequins. I feel blessed she was alive
to make stockings for my children, but like many traditions, this
one may have been laid to rest with her passing.
In many areas, the stocking gifts are the only ones received.
However, in the U.S. and Canada, there are also bountiful gifts on
Christmas Day and throughout the holiday season. These gifts are
really a more recent phenomenon.
The traditional gift of old, and received by
father and mother-in-law, was one or more oranges. The oranges are
suggested to be the “gold” of the folktale. My mother-in-law also
remembers getting fabric for sewing projects and maybe a book to
read.
What would the holidays be without food? As with most traditions, it
all depends on your ancestry as to what traditions are practiced.
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One American tradition is oyster stew on Christmas
Eve. This grew out of the Catholic tradition of refraining from meat
on this day. The Irish potato famine led to mass immigration of
Irish Catholics to the United States. In their home country, ling
fish was used in the stew. With the United States not having ling,
oysters were found to be a great substitute, and oysters were very
plentiful as well.
Along the lines of the oyster stew, Southern Italians follow the
“Feast of the Seven Fishes.” As the name suggests, seven courses of
different fish centered around an extended family party.
Turkey has become the traditional Christmas Day dinner, especially
for those of British descent. King Henry VII was probably the person
most responsible for the turkey tradition, but turkeys didn’t keep
well without refrigeration. This means unless you raised them, or
had a farmer you knew, turkey didn’t really become popular until the
1950’s.
More traditional was some sort of fowl roasted, with goose being
most popular. My mother-in-law recalls having goose or duck most
often, and this fit right in with butchering these between
Thanksgiving and Christmas. Dad’s family usually had guinea. Other
reports of the main fare include pheasant and even peacock.
All the trimmings also create family traditions. Favorites include
sweet potatoes, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, turnips, and
dessert. Favorite desserts now include pie, traditional puddings, or
fruitcake. Of course fruitcake is more of a joke now than a
delicacy, but it wasn’t always so!
Cookies are another long-standing tradition. This tradition actually
began in the 16th century in Europe, and the cookies were more
biscuits. These stored well, and were easy to take when traveling.
In the United States and Canada, favorites are sugar cookies and
gingerbread, but each family has their own favorites, and many
family bakers are required to make the Christmas cookie plate! Each
year, we get out Grandma’s spritz cookie maker and turn out a batch.
The tradition of leaving milk and cookies for Santa is also from the
United States and Canada. These items are left on Christmas Eve, and
often something is left for the reindeer as well. Carrots are a
favorite, but reindeer chow (similar to puppy chow) is becoming more
popular.
In Britain and Australia Santa is sometimes left beer and mince pie.
Irish families, of course, often leave him a Guinness and Christmas
pudding!
The traditions of the holiday season are too numerous to cover them
all, or even do justice to a few. The traditions of old came from
family heritage, and customs brought from ancestors’ upbringing.
It’s no different today, and traditions keep evolving to fit the
family. The important thing is to have some traditions for you and
your family.
[John Fulton]
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