What’s your favorite thing about Christmas? Do you and your family have a special tradition every year?
Drew chats with storyteller, Ace Collins, about the fascinating origins of beloved Christmas traditions. Here’s a jolly summary for your Christmas delight!
🎅 Christmas Trees: A Tale of Faith and Tradition
- Origins: Christmas trees started as outdoor “Creation Trees” by the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe, symbolizing the Garden of Eden.
- Transformation: Evergreens in Scandinavia symbolized life during winter, which Christian missionaries like Boniface used to represent undying faith.
- Indoors Adventure: Latvians first brought Christmas trees indoors around 1500, initially hanging them upside down for practicality.
🍬 Decorations and Colors: Symbolism Galore!
- Early Decor: Initially, trees were adorned with homemade decorations like straw wreaths.
- Colorful Ornaments: German glass ornaments, with colors representing aspects of faith – red for Christ’s blood, white for purity, gold for divine light, and so on.
- Wreaths: Made from tree branches, these symbolized eternal life, adorned with red ribbons for Christ’s sacrifice and often featuring nativity scenes.
💡 Bright Lights and Artificial Trees: Evolving Celebrations
- Lights on Trees: Transitioned from candles to electric lights, becoming widespread after World War II.
- Artificial Trees: First appeared in New York City in the 1880s, initially made from feathers to meet high demand.
🎵 Music and Mirth: Keeping Traditions Alive
- Evolving Traditions: While new traditions are rare, old ones like celebrating Jesus’ birth with a birthday cake are seeing a revival.
- The Spirit of Christmas: Amid modern challenges, the beauty and simplicity of Christmas decorations and traditions offer a reminder of hope and peace.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
