In the 1800's the tradition of Christmas Tree moved to England and then America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants. In 1880 Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas Tree ornaments, and they caught on very quickly. The first electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared in 1882. Calvin Coolidge in 1923 ceremoniously lit the first outdoor tree at the White House, starting the long tradition.
Why is Christmas sometimes spelled Xmas? :
According to the book "Did you ever Wonder..." by Jeff Rovin, the word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. From this word is derived "Xmas", which has been in common parlance in Europe since the 1500's.
A big (Yule) log in the fireplace :
According to the book "The Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris, "Yuletide for Christmastime" is a term derived from the Yule log, which in olden days was a huge log used as the foundation of the holiday fires. The custom of burning the Yule log began with the ancient Scandinavians who once a year burned a huge log in honor of their god Thor. After they became Christians, they made the Yule log an important part of their Christmas ceremonies. The word Yule came to stand for Christmas. In some countries lively ceremonies accompanied the custom of dragging the great log into the house. It was considered good luck to keep an unburned part of the log to light the next year's Yule log. This unburned portion was also thought to protect the home from lightning and fire during the year.
The Candy Cane :
The candy cane represents one of the oldest symbols of Christmas, the shepherd's crook, for the shepherds were among the first to experience that first Christmas. The colors of the candy cane have special meaning, too. The wide red stripe represents the sacrifice of Christ, "For by his stripes we are healed." The narrow red stripes represent our own sacrifices (giving). The white stripe is a symbol of purity. The peppermint plant is a member of the hyssop family, referred to in the Old Testament as a medicinal herb used for cleansing. As you eat your candy cane, you might want to break it, as Christ's body was broken for you, and share it with a friend, thus sharing in the sweetness of the true meaning of Christmas.
Oversized socks hanging on your mantel :
According to a very old tradition, Saint Nicholas left his very first gifts of gold coins in the stockings of three poor girls who needed the money for their wedding dowries. The girls had hung their stockings by the fire to dry. Up until lately it was traditional to receive small items like fruit, nuts and candy in your stocking, but these have been replaced in the last half-century by more expensive gifts in many homes.
Poinsettias flowers on the hearth :
Poinsettias were attached to Christmas starting in 1828. Joel Roberts Poinsett, then the first Mexican ambassador from the United States, imported the plant from Mexico. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "In warm climates the poinsettia grows outdoors as a winter-flowering leggy shrub about 3 meters (10 feet) high; as a potted plant in northern areas it rarely grows beyond 1 metre. What appear to be petals are actually colored lifelike bracts that surround a central cluster of tiny yellow flowers. A milky latex in the stems and leaves can be irritating to persons or animals sensitive to it, but the claim that poinsettias are deadly poisonous is greatly exaggerated."
The custom of exchanging presents on Christmas day :
The first gifts on Christmas were offered to baby Jesus by the three wise men (Christmas story). However, the tradition of exchanging gifts picked up in a big way only in the late Nineteenth century. The two factors, which have contributed significantly to this end, are the story of Santa Claus and retailing phenomena. Now exchanging gifts is an integral part of Christmas. Children go to bed on Christmas Eve expectantly, hoping to find their gifts stuffed in their stockings or under the Christmas tree. Grownups exchange gifts as a symbol of good will.
Christmas carols :
"In the Middle Ages in England and France, carols were dances accompanied by singing. In the French Midi, for example, the "carol" was a kind of round dance. In time, the word "carol" changed its meaning, referring only to certain kinds of songs. The Anglo-Saxon tradition favoured gathering together small choirs on the village green to sing carols and Christmas songs for the pleasure of passers-by. A number of currently very popular American Christmas carols come directly from France and England."
Red, Green and White: The Colors of Christmas :
The brilliant colors of red, green and white have come to be closely associated with Christmas. May people believe that white depicts the snow covered fields, green indicates the richness of the evergreens and red is the color of the berries of the holly plant. From decorating homes to packing gifts, these colors are extensively used in the Christmas season.
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The Christmas tree is now one of the most enduring traditions of Christmas celebrations throughout the world. Martin Luther is credited with the introduction of the Christmas tree to the holiday celebration. It is believed that he was walking on Christmas Eve and was so moved by the starlit sky he took a fir tree home and attached candles to its branches to remind children of the heavens.
Whatever its origin, the Christmas tree was popularized by the Germans. They considered it an integral part of Christmas and believed it symbolized eternal life. In Victorian times the Germans decorated their Christmas trees with sweetmeats and fruits which couldn't be eaten until the tree was taken down after Twelfth Night- a joyful climax to the season for children.
