A Yuletide Christmas: then and now

No matter who you are or from what part of the world you originate, you have heard of Christmas. Growing up, the Christmas story was told as a ritual each year. Often families would gather around a fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa or cider. But what is the true origin of Christmas; and how did it become the holiday celebrated today?

The Gospels in the New Testament speak of the Virgin Mary giving birth to the Son of God in a manger, surrounded by animals, shepherds, Joseph and the three wise men or Magi. Most of the modern world, according to Christian theology, did not begin to celebrate Christmas until the third-century A.D. when Roman Pope Julius I dedicated Dec. 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In the early American settlements, Christmas was outlawed from 1659 to 1681, and if citizens were caught celebrating, they were fined up to 5 shillings.

Some of the traditions that are celebrated today have some interesting beginnings as well. The tradition of gift giving came from the Magi, or the three wise men, bringing Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh to the Christ child.

Poinsettias became a tradition after a man named Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first ambassador to Mexico, brought these plants back from Mexico in 1828, where he cultivated them in his greenhouses for family and friends as gifts. Christmas was not a declared federal holiday in the United States until Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law on June 26, 1870.

But how did Santa Claus become who he was? In the early American settlements, the Americans called him Kris Kringle (from Christkind). After other world travelers such as the Dutch settled in the new colonies, it became a mash-up of Kris Kringle and St. Nicholas. It finally became the name that is recognized everywhere as Sinterklass, or Santa Claus. It was in the 1890s when the Salvation Army sent out a red suit covered donation collector that made the red suit of Santa Claus unmistakable everywhere.

The first known instances of using Christmas trees were in 16th century Germany. Instead of the sparkling decorations we see today, they were often adorned with fruits and nuts. These trees are evergreen and are also known as yule trees. Now more than 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year.

The Christmas wreath is used to represent the crown of thorns that Jesus is usually seen with. Eventually, the colors of Christmas – red, green, and gold – were added. Red is said to represent the blood of Jesus, green is supposed to symbolize life, and gold stands for royalty and light.

By far, one of the more delightful rituals of Christmas is the exchange of Christmas cards. You can choose to make your own cards with embellishments that you can go select yourself. Write a heartfelt message to the person you want to wish and don’t forget to wish them good fortune.

While your turkey roasts, the children explode in delight of this years collection, just remember that Jesus is the reason for this Season.