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For
centuries people have held a celebration in midwinter, that is December.
They did this to cheer themselves up through the long dark winter.
They also looked forward to the 'new life' that would come in the
new year. Christmas, of course, takes place in midwinter
However,
the way we celebrate Christmas today is a mixture of traditions
from other countries across the centuries.
• The Romans held a midwinter festival between 17 - 23 December in
honour of one of their gods, Saturn. They asked him for good weather
and plenty of crops in the next year. They also exchanged presents.
• The Vikings held a YULETIDE festival in December in honour
of two of their gods, THOR and WODEN. They dragged a huge log indoors,
put green leaves on it and then set fire to it.
Presents
were given.
Two
of the days of our week are named after these gods. Can you work
them out? (Answers at the bottom of the page.)
• 25 December was the day the New Year started in Anglo-Saxon times.
• In the 14th century in England each village and town chose a Lord
of Misrule. He was in charge of Christmas fun, games, parties and
fests.
• In Germany and Holland St Nicholas gave presents to good children
on 5 December, St Nicholas' Eve.
• The Dutch word for St Nicholas is SANTA KLAUS.
• It was in America in the 19th century that Father Christmas was
first shown as a loveable old man with white hair and whiskers.
• The usual pictures we see of Father Christmas today first appeared
in an advert for Coca Cola in 1944.
• Mistletoe was hung over doors before the Romans came to Britain.
It was supposed to protect against witches, help cure illness and
bring a good harvest the next year. Why people started kissing under
it no one really knows. Perhaps it was just an excuse to have a
good time!
• Decorating Christmas trees was a German idea, with real candles.
It was Queen Victoria's German husband, Prince Albert, who made
it popular here in the 1840s.
• The first Christmas card was sent in 1843.
• The Victorians, and especially Charles Dickens in his story 'A Christmas
Carol' put together many of the above traditions to create our idea
of a 'traditional' Christmas.
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