| There are many traditions and symbols that we | | | | be in everyone's home.Santa Claus is a |
| associate with Christmas including the | | | | lively, jolly and fat old fellow who tours |
| Christmas tree, leaving cookies out for Santa | | | | the whole world on Christmas Eve delivering |
| Claus, and sending Christmas cards and | | | | presents to deserving children. The |
| Christmas presents. If you're like most, you | | | | modern-day Santa Claus finds his origins in |
| observe all of the traditions which are | | | | Saint Nicholas. This patron saint was shown |
| sacred to your family without a thought about | | | | in paintings to look like the ordinary person |
| where they originated or why they became so | | | | that he was, but was given a makeover by the |
| popular in the first place.While you don't | | | | Coca-Cola Company in the 1930's. That's |
| need to know why you celebrate the Christmas | | | | right; our beloved Santa Claus is nothing |
| holiday the way you do, it makes for | | | | more than a clever marketing ploy. And you |
| interesting conversation when you're sipping | | | | thought it was hard when the kids on the |
| egg nog in front of the fireplace. So, if | | | | playground told you Santa Claus didn't |
| you're ready to wow your family and friends | | | | exist.Christmas cards were introduced during |
| with your knowledge of the Christmas holiday, | | | | the 1840s in Britain with the introduction of |
| bring up these interesting facts about the | | | | the postal service and the penny stamp. While |
| most widely celebrated holiday.The modern | | | | a penny was a lot of money during those days, |
| term Christmas originates form the Olde | | | | sending Christmas cards still became very |
| English "cristes masse," which means | | | | common by the 1860s.Holly and mistletoe are |
| "Christ's mass." The name Christ finds its | | | | also attributed to the Druids. The ancient |
| origins in the Greek tongue, which was the | | | | Druids were the first society known to have |
| language spoken by Christ himself. The Greek | | | | worn sprigs of holly and mistletoe. The druid |
| form of the work was Khristos, which means | | | | priests believed that holly was able to |
| "anointed one."The origins of the Christmas | | | | remain green and vibrant the entire year |
| tree actually predate Christ and the history | | | | because it possessed magical properties. We |
| of Christianity by thousands of years. The | | | | may have also picked up some other |
| tree finds its beginning during the time of | | | | significant traditions from the Druids. Do |
| the Druids, a society made up of sorcerers, | | | | you think that it's a coincidence that the |
| prophets and priests. During the time of the | | | | colors of holly, green and red, are the |
| Druid winter solstice, which fell on December | | | | colors associated with Christmas today? |
| 21, the Druid priests decorated outdoor trees | | | | Mistletoe, on the other hand, represented |
| with apples and lit candles to show their | | | | fertility and was looked down upon by the |
| appreciation to their god Odin. The candles | | | | Christian church for its association with |
| represented the eternal light of their sun | | | | non-virginity.Gift giving came to us from the |
| god Balter. Christians later adopted the | | | | Romans. The Romans exchanged holly wreaths as |
| practice widely and decorated their fir trees | | | | gifts during their Saturnalia festival, which |
| with apples to represent Adam and Eve's gall | | | | coincided with the Druid's winter solstice. |
| from grace.The first Christmas tree has been | | | | The wreaths were a symbol of eternal life. |
| credited to a warrior of the Crusades, | | | | Later, many Christians would take to adorning |
| Winfried of England, who had traveled to the | | | | their homes with holly during the Saturnalia |
| Northern forests to covert the Pagans, | | | | festival to avoid persecution from the |
| according to legend. When Winfried came upon | | | | Romans. Eventually adornment with holly was |
| an unruly mob getting ready to conduct a | | | | absorbed into Christian practices as well.So, |
| human sacrifice before the sacred Oak of | | | | now that you know a little more about why you |
| Geismar, he chopped down the detestable tree | | | | do the things you do during the Christmas |
| and a fir tree immediately sprang from where | | | | season, why don't you see what other tidbits |
| the Oak tree formerly stood. Winfried claimed | | | | of historical knowledge that you can uncover |
| the tree was the three of Christ which | | | | to share during your next holiday gathering. |
| represented the love and kindness that should | | | | |