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The Inspiration Behind Five Christmas Traditions
Following up on From Saint to Secular Icon: Santa Claus, it’s interesting to look at the background of many holiday traditions. The following are five in particular. Cookies for Santa The custom of leaving cookies for Santa is not limited to one definable point of origin. The most commonly cited origins were created to help teach generosity and reciprocation to children. In Norse tradition,…
Unusual and Eerie Christmas Traditions from Europe
Unusual Christmas Traditions from Europe While the Grinch is a well-known figure who embodies the anti-Christmas spirit, Europe boasts a variety of bizarre and fascinating Christmas traditions that often go unnoticed. Here are five of our favorite eerie yet intriguing customs. We emphasize ‘favorites’ as nightmarish tales that aren’t overtly racist—sorry, Netherlands, but we won’t be discussing…
Wassail is a Wonderful Way to Celebrate the Winter Holiday!
Wassail is a Wonderful Way to Celebrate the Winter Holiday!
“Here We Come A-wassailing (or Here We Come A-caroling) is an English traditional Christmas carol and New Year song, apparently composed c. 1850. (Source) “Wassail is a beverage of hot mulled cider, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, a Medieval Christmastide English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.” (Per Wikipedia) The recipe…
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Thanksgiving Celebrations Around the World
Thanksgiving Celebrations Around the World
“The world celebrates Thanksgiving for very different reasons and in very different ways; what unites the occasions are a communal feeling of gratitude.” Do you know how other countries celebrate Thanksgiving? https://twitter.com/EverydaySpices/status/1462828255103401989 https://twitter.com/EverydaySpices/status/1462829068852862980 https://twitter.com/FoxMarks_ATX/status/1462830937448845315
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Is the Christmas Tree an Idol? An Edification for Epiphany (Jan. 6th)
Despite the ideas of some religious groups (Islam in particular) the Christmas tree is not an idol. The supposition that the Christmas tree is a holdover from the Druids is incorrect. While it is true that the Druids worshipped trees, they revered the Oak tree, and would never have brought a tree (evergreen or otherwise) into their dwellings where it would surely have died. On the other hand, many cultures including the Druids and the ancient Hebrews felt evergreens to be a symbol of eternal life. Ancient Egyptians brought date palm fronds into their homes on the Winter Solstice to symbolize life's triumph over death. An old Scandanavian custom is to place evergreen boughs over the door at the New Year to scare off the Devil. The Druids used holly and mistletoe in the same fashion to keep away evil spirits. The legend of St. Boniface, who converted the Germans to Christianity, says that St. Boniface was angered when he came across some pagans worshipping an oak tree, and took an axe to it. In its place the Saint planted a fir tree (or in some versions of the legend, the fir miraculously grew from the oak tree stump.) The fir tree points to heaven and has a triangular shape reminding Christians of the Trinity. Many such Christian traditions are actually modifications of old pagan customs made by the early Church to make Christianity more palatable to the lay public. The tradition of the Christmas tree--bringing an actual evergreen tree indoors and decorating it for the Yuletide--is believed to have developed in Germany, and is traced by some experts back to the eighth century. Legend says that around the year 1500, Martin Luther was walking through the woods on his way back from church, and looking up noticed the stars shining down through the snow-covered evergreen branches. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree in a pot and decorated it with lit candles. While the pagans worshipped trees and felt evergreens to be a symbol of eternal life, there is no evidence that the pagans brought entire trees into their dwellings as we do today. The Christmas tree is not an idol to be worshipped, but a symbol of the Holy Trinity and of Christ Everlasting.
this stupid jigsaw puzzle is a holiday custom in my family. we’ve assembled it every year for the last thirty-something years. The production date on the puzzle is 1980. There are only two pieces missing that i know of. At least one of those my grandma stole because she liked to nonchalantly walk by and put the last piece in. Grumbling about the puzzle is also customary, but only allowable if you’re assisting in the assembly.
holiday cycles - the one show 2016
Sows, onions, and mumping
Sows, onions, and mumping
The winter holidays are often a busy time. Perhaps you’ve been hunting around for the perfect Yule log or mail-ordering flannel pajamas. Perhaps you’ve been collecting sticks for a solstice bonfire or turning your kitchen into a seasonal cookie factory. It’s easy to get so overwhelmed that you don’t have time to research traditional holiday customs of Great Britain. Luckily, we’ve done that work…
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