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The History of Christmas Traditions
by Hailey Williams
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Overview
Everyone is familiar with Christmas customs like exchanging gifts and decorating the tree, but few people know their history. Some Christmas traditions have origins dating long before the birth of Christ, while others were created more recently.
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Christmas Carols
Christmas Carols originated in Christian hymns and liturgies. The first non-religious Christmas song to achieve widespread popularity was "White Christmas" in 1942.
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Christmas Trees
Early Romans and Scandinavians used decorated trees in winter celebrations. Christmas trees as we know them today became popular in Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries. German immigrants introduced them to the U.S. in the 18th century.
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Mistletoe
Kissing under the mistletoe has its roots in ancient pagan traditions. In both Greek and Celtic culture, mistletoe was a symbol of fertility and an aphrodisiac.
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Santa Claus
Santa Claus is in an 1823 poem, while illustrator Thomas Nast created his jolly, bearded and rotund image in the 1860s. The idea for Santa Claus came from "Sinterklaas," a Dutch legend brought to the U.S. by early immigrants.
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Christmas Cards
The first commercially printed Christmas cards were produced in Britain in 1843. The idea didn't catch on in the U.S. until 1875. Today, more than two billion Christmas cards are exchanged each year in the United States alone.
