FUN FACTS ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND ITS HISTORY.

"Jingle bells" are a traditional sound associated with Christmas. However, they originated with the fact that when winter snows arrived in northern climates, people replaced the wheels of their wagons with runners so as to be able to travel in the snow. People on foot would be bundled up (especially their heads) in scarfs, hats, mufflers...and because the snow effectively muffled sounds pedestrians could not always hear approaching wagons/sleighs being pulled by horses. Sleighs are silent, fast and very hard to stop. Fatalities and injuries often resulted, especially at night when visibility was at a minimum.

Sleighs drawn by horses
were a safety hazard.

To curb the possibility of death or injury from being run over by a horse and sleigh, many communities made it a law that bells had to be attached to the horses pulling a sleigh through the snow as a warning to those people on foot that a vehicle was approaching. So, the sound of "jingle bells" was first used as a safety measure, but over time became associated with winter and the Christmas season. By the way, the song "Jingle Bells" was written by a man from Georgia (Do they have sleighs in Georgia?) who just happened to be the uncle of J.P. Morgan, the famous/notorious banker/financier/"Robber Baron" of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (He was Morgan's mother's brother, a Pierpont. Her family was from the South). "Jingle Bells" is also one of the few, maybe the only, traditional Christmas song that does not mention Christmas at all.

J.P. Morgan, an American
"Robber Baron." His uncle, from
Georgia, wrote "Jingle Bells"
in 1857.

According to Christian legend and folklore, animals get the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve (but only for a moment) as a reward for being present at the birth of Jesus, and for being kindly to him in the hours and days after his birth. It is said that an ox and an ass were present at the event and warmed the baby Jesus with their breath.

Given the gift of speech at midnight.

A "creche" in the Middle Ages had another woman present at the birth scene of Christ. Who was this woman? A midwife, of course! To people up until that time it was assumed that a skilled woman practitioner of delivering babies would, naturally, be present. Over the next centuries, this female figure began to disappear, and then became "extinct," ...a non-entity in the Christmas story. Perhaps we could think about this and what it means in relation to women's history. But, that is another story.

This "creche" scene has no midwife present.

The three Wise men who came to see the Christ child were Zoroastrian priests from Persia. They are referred to as "the Magi," (or "Magians") which is the plural form of "Magus," from which we derive our present day word "magic."They were learned Persian priests, adept at the occult arts and were revered as sages, magicians and diviners. There names were Kaspar, Melchior and Balthasar and they brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar
bearing valuable gifts.

Why did they bring these particular gifts? Gold was a common medium of exchange and could help buy food and shelter. Frankincense is an aromatic gum-resin (from the African tree named "Boswellia sacra" which is common in Somalia) burned as incense but which in ancient healing traditions has antibiotic qualities which would be of use to the mother of any baby. And what is Myrrh? It is a fragrant gum/resin obtained from certain trees, especially in the Near East, which is used as incense, perfume and (her we go again!) medicine. A friend told me that, ..." myrrh is a funeral spice. That makes the Magis' gift appropriate for a king destined to die; a death and resurrection that would change the world." I didn't know that.

Flowers from the "Boswellia
sacra" tree, from which
Frankincense is made.

Frankincense and myrrh were the antibiotics of the ancient world. That's why these gifts to the Christ child were so important. So, it seems that those gifts the Wise Men brought were very practical after all. The bones of the Wise Men are, according to tradition, buried in the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

A Myrrh tree gave ancient people in the
Near East a natural antibiotic.

Bishop Nicholas was a man with strange powers many believed. This is a story which gives evidence to that belief. There was a famine in the city of Lycia, in what is now western Turkey. Nicholas appeared in a dream to a far away Italian merchant, giving him three gold coins as earnest money if he would agree to sail his biggest ship full of grain to Myra. When the merchant awoke from his dream, there were the three gold coins in his hand, so off he sailed with the grain to Myra, telling all who would listen this miraculous story.

Bishop Nicholas of Myra.
Note the red robes.

Here is an old Christmas superstition. No sunlight should fall on the dough used to make Christmas cookies. Women used to rise as early as 4:00 A.M. to mix the dough and bake. Also, they would hope for a lingering crescent moon on the morning horizon to give good luck to their baking. This was a serious affair, because if sunlight fell on the cookie dough it was feared/believed that disaster could befall the family.

The Dutch brought the tradition of Saint Nicholas to the New World with them in the 1600s. The Dutch words for Saint Nicholas were "Sint Klass." This became corrupted by the English colonists into our "Santa Claus." Another story says that bad pronunciation by early Americans of Saint Nicholas brought about the term "Sinta Claes" which finally evolved into "Santa Claus."

Dutch colony of New Amsterdam,
later known as New York City.

Why does Santa wear a red suit? The original Nicholas was a bishop in the early Catholic Church and served as the Bishop of Myra in what is today western Turkey. Bishops in the Catholic Church wear red robes as a sign of their office. As Nicholas' fame spread and the legend of Santa Claus developed, the color red endured.

The red colored robe was a symbol of
office for a Bishop in the church.

Why do we hang stockings for Santa to fill with gifts? And why does he come down the chimney? Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, was a wealthy man and used much of his wealth to help the poor and needy, especially children. He would leave anonymous gifts for the poor on their doorsteps, or place them inside homes by reaching through windows and depositing them on the floor (remember, glass windows? Far in the future). He would hurry from the scene of these gestures so as not to be noticed. Once, so the legends say, he heard of a family with three girls that was extremely poor. They were so poor that each of the girls possessed only a single pair of threadbare stockings to wear, and every night they washed them and placed them out to dry, in front of a fire in the middle of their home, so they might wear them the next day.They had little to eat, and their parents had no money at all for a dowry. If their daughters were ever to get married they had to somehow get the money for a dowry for the grooms. The desperate solution the family had forced upon them, when all else failed, was to sell the girl's bodies on the streets of nearby towns, hoping that no one would recognize them and ruin their reputation.

Three young ladies with stockings
which were threadbare and worn.

When Nicholas heard of this story his compassion was aroused and he decided to save the young girls from this fate. Under the cover of darkness, in the middle of the night, he went to the family's home, climbed quietly onto the roof, and dropped a large number of gold and silver coins down the "smoke hole," chimneys, as such, being unknown at the time. The coins came tumbling down and instead of landing on the floor as he had anticipated, they miraculously fell into the hanging stockings of the three girls. Nicholas made his escape quickly and quietly. When the girls woke in the morning they found enough gold and silver inside their stockings to pay the dowries for all three girls. The family was amazed and ecstatic. How had this happened? They believed it was a miracle. It was. The girls all married and lived happily ever after. This story is significant in Christmas tradition because it brings together three elements of the holiday: stockings in front of a fireplace, or hung somewhere in a home; the giving of gifts in a "Christmas stocking; and Santa Claus coming down the chimney to give gifts to children. Thus, it is from the stories of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, that many of our Christmas traditions originate. (Note: Saint Nicholas is known as the patron saint of children. And, actually, he had nothing at all to do with Christmas as we know it today, because he was kind all year long. He really was a "saint.")

Interestingly, during the 1930s, the commercial history of Coca-Cola intersects with the modern image of Saint Nicholas. During that decade a commercial artist named Haddon "Sonny" Sundblom worked for the company and was asked to create an image of Santa Claus for its advertising campaigns during the Christmas holidays. In short, Sundblom created the image of a large (fat?), jolly, rosy cheeked, kind, grandfatherly individual that remains, to this day, the most memorable and accepted likeness of Santa Claus in people's imaginations the world over. He did not create single handedly this image as some have maintained. Sundblom, according to the Coca-Cola Company, was inspired to create his advertising image by a reading of Clement Clark Moore's 1822 poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas." The very plump, warm, human and friendly image that Moore created in his 1822 poem was visually translated by Sundblom in the 1930s. Thus, the modern depiction of Santa was born. My question is, does Santa really drink Coca-Cola?

Santa Claus as we visualize him today.
A product of the imaginations of Clement
Moore and Haddon Sundblom.

CHRISTMAS RIDDLE:

How many letters are there in the alphabet at Christmas time?
Answer: 25.
Why? "Noel."
Get it? No - "L" Little kids will like this.

Traditional Christmas poinsettia plant.

The Poinsettia plant was brought back to the U.S. from Mexico in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett of South Carolina, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico (1825-1828). In Mexico, the plant was called "the flower of the blessed night," (Christmas Eve to us) and was a native plant of that country. When Mr. Poinsett brought it back to the U.S. it was quickly adopted as a Christmas decoration for the holidays because of its bright, flaming red leaves/foliage, and it was renamed after the ambassador. In England, the plant is known as the "Mexican flame-leaf." Joel Poinsett's career did not end when he returned. He went on to become Secretary of War under President Martin Van Buren.

Joel Poinsett.

Why is "holly" associated with Christmas? This plant was hung over doors in France and England to indicate that Christians resided there. It was also an ancient belief that decorative greens represented the immortality of the soul. Additionally, the sharp leaves of the green leaves are said to symbolize the thorns of Christ's crown of thorns, and the red berries the drops of his blood running down his face prior to and during his crucifixtion.

Holly branch, with the red berries
and jagged leaves.

Digression:

Why do you blow out candles on your birthday cake?

How did the tradition of blowing out candles on a birthday cake begin? After all, this question does arise since we are talking about one of the most important birthday celebrations in history. In ancient times the mortality rate for babies and young children was very high. Respiratory diseases were quite common. Ancient peoples developed the practice of having a child blow out one candle on their first birthday as a test of strength and health. If the one year old were able to blow out the one candle it was a sign of respiratory health and general strength. At two years of age, two candles were the measure by which this was measured,…and so forth. As the child grew he or she was expected to blow out a greater number of candles. Today, with our access to physicians and medicines, infant mortality is, relatively speaking, much less of an issue. The reason for the tradition of the birthday candle is hidden in the past. There are other stories concerning this tradition, but I like this one the best.

A test of health and strength.

Back to our primary subject:

For the first 300-400 years of Christianity birthdays were looked upon as a pagan/heathen practice. The birthday of Christ was not even celebrated, but was looked upon as an opportunity for reflection, worship and reverence only. As late as the 1600’s, the early Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony forbade the celebration of Christmas.

Kissing under the mistletoe,
a holiday tradition?

Why is "mistletoe" associated with Christmas? It is now one of the many symbols of the Christian celebration of Christ's birth, but its origin goes back to pagan times and history. The Druids of ancient Britain considered it a sacred plant. The Scandinavians started the custom of embracing and kissing underneath a sprig or branch of mistletoe. In France and Sweden the plant was carried or worn by individuals to ward off illness, especially during times of plague.

The mistletoe flower. It grows on
plants and trees and some consider
it quite a nuisance.

The early Christian church in England barred the use of mistletoe as a decoration in churches because of its relation to pagan practices. When early settlers came to America they brought the plant with them and, free of the restrictions of their respective European church authorities, they freely adopted it as a holiday symbol and tradition. "Ho, Ho, Ho,...the mistletoe..." as Burl Ives would later sing.

Justin Bieber's latest hit song
is named "Mistletoe."

HERE'S THE VIDEO:

Candy canes possess a high profile during the Christmas holidays. But why? It seems that the candy cane is full of Christian symbolism. The shape is said to represent the shepherd's staff ("tending their flocks by night..." - more on this later). The red stripe symbolizes the blood Christ shed on the cross. The mint flavor of a candy cane is reminiscent of the flavor of "hyssop" (a small bushy, aromatic plant of the mint family, the bitter minty leaves of which are used in cooking and herbal medicine) which was used in the Old Testament during rituals of purification and healing.

Candy canes have a significant
amount of religious symbolism
and meaning.

Why is Christmas sometimes abbreviated to "X-mas"? It originated with early Greek Christians in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D.. In Greek, the letter "chi," which is printed as an "X," was itself often used as a sacred symbol because it resembled the holy cross upon which Christ was crucified. Many large "Xs" can still be seen deeply carved into the walls of Roman catacombs (Christians had to worship together in secret), where they were drawn as symbols of Christ and his crucifixion.

Ancient Roman catacombs where early
Christians worshipped in secret.

Where did the word "Christmas" come from? During early Christian history (4th century A.D.) it was common to have a mass in honor of the newly born Jesus on December 25th.. It became known as a "mass for Christ." And then, in the tradition of word evolution, it was shortened to, simply, "Christmas." That is how the holiday got its name.

A Christmas Eve mass.
"Christ's mass"

Was Christ really born on December 25th? No. Historians have looked at it this way (although others might disagree): If the shepherds were "tending their flocks by night" as The Bible says, the only time shepherds would so closely monitor their herds of sheep would be in the spring when the ewes were giving birth to their lambs. The ewes and their newborn offspring were especially vulnerable to predators at this critical time, and shepherds spent their nights watching over the mothers and their lambs. Some historians, as a result, place the birth of Jesus as probably sometime in the spring (June being the most commonly mentioned guess).

Ewe with newborn lamb.

The early church placed the date for Christ's birth on December 25th to compete with the pagan celebration of "Saturnalia" on that same day. This was a good PR move because it allowed non-Christians to convert to Christianity without having to give up the pleasure of a holiday celebration in the process. Good thinking. (Note: "Saturnalia" was an ancient Roman holiday during which they decorated their homes with foliage, and on which they hung images of their gods. It was a season of good will toward the people of all classes and degrees of wealth. Schools were closed. No battles could be fought. No punishments could be inflicted on anyone, from children to criminals. All distinctions of rank and class were set aside. It was a carnival that went on for days and days, in a wild pursuit of pleasure. Does any of this sound familiar?)

Ancient Romans celebrating "Saturnalia"
near the end of December.

The Christmas card was invented by Sir Henry Cole, in England, in 1843.

The first Christmas card ever,
designed by Sir Henry Cole
in 1843.

Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, was once sailing to a faraway port when an intense, violent storm suddenly came up and threatened to overturn the boat and drown all aboard. Nicholas calmed everyone, raised his arms, and said a prayer. As suddenly as it had appeared, the storm dispersed and the boat and all its passengers were safe. This was considered a "miracle." And it is also the story which accounts for the fact that Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors (in addition to that of children, as I mentioned earlier).

Saint Nicholas calming the waters. He is
the patron saint of sailors and children both.

Bishop Nicholas of Myra died on December 6th, 343 A.D., and was buried in Myra. Other locations have claimed to possess some of his remains, but that is another story. How can I tease you? In the 11th century Italian sailors stole his remains and , supposedly, they currently lie in Bari, Italy. A "miracle" which happened after his death is that of the "incorruptibility" of his physical remains. His remains, over these long centuries, continue to emit a fragrant myrrh-like liquid with healing powers.

Saint Nicholas' tomb in a cathedral
in Bari, Italy. Other places claim to be the
resting place of either Nicholas himself or
of holy relics, that is, parts of his body.

The word "Christ" comes from the Greek word "christos" which means "messiah."

The "peace on Earth" symbol.
May your holidays be filled with peace.

FINIS

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