Christmas Traditions

In England Christmas is the best loved holiday. Christmas marks the celebration of the birth of Christ, for Christians the world over. It is also a time of peace and goodwill and as such is celebrated by many people who choose not to celebrate its religious connotations. The word Christmas is derived from “Christ’s Mass” – the special church service, which celebrates the birth of the Christ child.

The origins of Christmas as we know it today, lie not only in religion but also in history. Since early times people in the northern hemisphere have celebrated the Winter Solistice around December 25. This time has long been considered special as it was mid-winter, (supposedly the shortest day of the year) and signalled the start of longer days as summer approached. People held ceremonies in honour of the sun and to welcome its returning strength, but to help it grow. These solstice festivals or ceremonies often included bonfire celebrations, torch-lit processions and much eating and drinking as well as the exchange of gifts.

In Scandinavia, Germany and Britain the solstice celebrations were marked by the burning of a large log, or sometimes a whole tree trunk, which would burn for three days! The logs were often prettily decorated and would not only keep the celebrators warm but were a message to the sun to start rising in the sky once more. The ash from the log would be kept as a source of good luck for the coming year. This burning of the “ Yule Log ” would be accompanied by feasting and celebrations.

In Ancient Rome the winter Solstice festival or Saturnalia as it was called then was a very popular festival. Saturnalia, was named after the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn. It was a big public festival during which people exchanged gifts. No war was declared or fought during this festival and no man was sent to prison or punished. It is not surprising that when Christianity became the official religion of Rome that people still wanted to retain this festival. The leaders of the early Christian Church sensibly attached the birth of Christ to this popular and happy festival and many of the traditions of the Saturnalia festival were retained and incorporated into the new Christmas festival.

The British still decorate their homes with evergreen plants such as holly and ivy. While to modern people they are merely “Christmas plants” in early times they must have served as a reminder of the coming summer and that the powers of nature still prevailed. In the Middle Ages holly was also thought to bring good luck and to have healing powers. Mistletoe was a sacred plant to the Druids of Britain and it is still pinned over the fireplace or the entrance to many British homes. This tradition was carried around the world as the British Empire grew. Evergreens are as popular today for Christmas decorations as they have ever been. In pre-Christian times evergreens featured in the pagan mid-winter festival of Yule. However, when 25 December was designated the day to celebrate Christ’s birth, the holly took on a new symbolism. Its prickles are said to represent the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head at his crucifixion and the red berries the blood he shed on the cross.

However, it wasn’t until the reign of Queen Victoria that Christmas celebrations evolved into the two days of family-centred festivities that the British now think of as a traditional Christmas.

The Sunday nearest 30 November, St Andrew’s Day, is affectionately known as “Stir-up Sunday” because the Anglican prayer book reading for that day begins, “Stir up we beseech Thee, O Lord, the will of thy faithful people.” Traditionally this is the day for making the Christmas pudding. Everyone in the house is supposed to stir the mixture from east to west in honour of the Three Kings. Christmas pudding has a lot of superstitions and symbolism associated with it. Before serving brandy is poured upon pudding and it is set light to. The flame is said to represent Christ’s passion, while a sprig of holly decorating the pudding is a reminder of his ‘Crown of Thorns’. Putting a silver coin in the pudding is an age-old tradition. It is said to bring wealth, health and happiness to whoever finds the coin. Other items put in the pudding include rings, which mean marriage within a year. On the contrary thimbles and buttons predict the finders to remain spinsters or bachelors during the year.

On 21 December, St Thomas’ Day, charity money is distributed in some areas in accordance with the old custom of Thomassing, when poor women or children went from house to house offering sprigs of holly or mistletoe in return for enough flour to make not only their Christmas food but, so they hoped, their bread for the rest of the winter too.

Christmas cards are an English invention. They were first sold in the early 1840s, a commercial variant of “Christmas pieces” – bordered cards written in laborious copperplate handwriting and given by schoolboys to their parents. Many cards glow with the flame of the robin’s breast – a symbol of mid-winter fire and the bonfire which legend says the robin’s wings fanned to warm Jesus. Candlelight is also used to symbolize the idea of Jesus’ coming as being a bright light in a dark world.

Paper and foil garlands are popular but the favourite decoration is the Christmas tree. Known in England since the early nineteenth century, when it was introduced by German merchants living in Manchester, and then popularized by Victoria’s consort, Albert, the tree has a place of honour in the living-room. Tinsel, shiny baubles, a fairy doll at the top of the tree and fairy lights make the tree a thing of wonder each year. Christmas crackers are as popular in Britain today as they ever were. They date back to 1844 when a sweet shop proprietor named Tom Smith wrapped sugared almonds in tissue paper twists, French bon-bon style. His customers loved them and so he took the idea a stage further and included love mottoes. He inserted a strip of cardboard impregnated with chemicals, which exploded when the strip was pulled apart, and the log-shaped cracker was born.

The most important part of Christmas Eve for children is when they put their Christmas stockings out ready for Father Christmas to fill that night. Some hang them at the mantelpiece by the fire, while others put them at the end of the bed. Carrots for the reindeer and a glass of sherry for Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, himself are thoughtful courtesies in some homes. Father Christmas has come to Great Britain by sleigh through the night sky every year since the I870s, but may not stop if children are looking out of the window for him.

Shortly before 12 p.m., many people go to a midnight service in church.

Different families have different customs – some eat their main Christmas meal ( see Eating and Drinking Habits) at lunchtime while others save it for the late afternoon or evening. Presents too are exchanged at various times. Church in the morning is a time-hallowed custom – for some people the only time they go to church in the year. Many churches have a Christmas tree and a beautiful nativity scene too. Many families make sure their lunch is over by 3 p.m., when the Queen’s speech is broadcast on television and radio. King George V started this custom back in 1932 and it has been popular ever since. Film of the Queen’s family may be shown and the importance attached to this speech symbolizes the affection and esteem in which the monarchy is held by many of the British people.

December 26 in Britain is Boxing Day (also known as St Stephen’s Day), the day when church alms (милостыня) boxes were given out to the needy, following a custom started by the Romans as part of their Saturnalia celebrations. Until recently it was traditional to give a “Christmas box” on Boxing Day to service people and traders who regularly call at the house in recognition of their services.

Twelfth Night marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas and is the eve of Epiphany, which celebrates the visit of the wise men to Bethlehem.

A special service at Epiphany in the Chapel Royal at St James’ Palace in London has been conducted for the last 900 years to commemorate the wise men’s gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. After the service a gift of money is donated to charity, frankincense is given to the church and myrrh is sent to a hospital.