Christians celebrate Christmas to observe the birth of Jesus Christ, which ‘is an event and not a tradition. But many other activities related to celebrat’ing the Christmas season evolved from certain tradition’s, many of which are from other countrie’s, particularly from peoples in Europe. Among common items used in Christmas decorations are the holly and the mistletoe. Both are used primarily in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the tradition of us’ing the mistletoe as decorative items up to two hundred years 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 br’ing good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a heal’ing quality and could be used for everyth’ing from heal’ing wounds to increase fertility. In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of peace and harmony and was associated through Frigga, the godde’ss of love. Th’is association ‘is probably what led to the custom of kiss’ing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian period, the English also would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in d0orways dur’ing holidays. The habit developed that if someone was stand’ing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room would ki’ss that person. Such outright behavior was not generally seen in Victorian society.
The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church however because of its associations with pagan tradition’s, and the use of holly was suggested as a substitute. Poinsettias are another traditional decorative flower used at Christmas . It ‘is native to Mexico and ‘is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the first U.S ambassad0r 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 one reason they are associated through Christmas . There’s also the story that a young boy was go’ing to see the Nativity Play at a church but realized he didn’t have a gift for Baby Jesus. The boy gathered some green branche’s, which others scoffed at. But as he placed them near the manger, a bright red poinsettia flower started to bloom on each branch, which gave rise to their traditional 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 first used as treats that were give to German children to keep 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 known as the Trinity, the Blood of the Son of God, Jesus as the embodiment of holines’s, purity and without sin and the Son of God as the shepherd of man. The candy cane represents these symbols respectively through its three stripe’s, its red and white color and its shape. Send’ing greet’ing cards dur’ing Christmas and the holidays ‘is as prevalent today as the custom of giv’ing gifts. The tradition of send’ing Christmas cards started in 1840 in Britain through the start of public postal delivery service of the ‘Penny Post.’ Then from about 1860, large numbers of Christmas greet’ing cards started to be produced. The popularity of the cards increased in Britain while they could 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 Jesu’s, the angel’s, shepherds and Wise Men were traditionally placed on Christmas cards. Some cards today include scenes from the Nativity, but pictures of Santa Clau’s, winter scenery, Christmas tree’s, gift packages and others are also depicted on contemporary Christmas greet’ing cards.
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Tags:Baby Jesus, cards, Joseph, angels, Son of God, holiday, christmas, tradition, church, Holidays, people, santa, Decorations, tree, happy
