Christmas traditions are deeply rooted in Christian beliefs.
Every year, millions of people around the world celebrate Christmas with a variety of traditions and rituals. From caroling and decorating the Christmas tree to exchanging gifts, these traditions are deeply embedded in our culture and have been passed down from generation to generation. But have you ever stopped to wonder why we do some of these things?
Here are 12 interesting Christmas traditions that you may not know the meaning behind.
12 Christmas traditions and their meaning
Below comes the 12 Christmas traditions and their meaning around the world.
The Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is based on the myth of the tree of life from Norse mythology. This myth was used by Saint Boniface in the 8th century, evangelizer of Germany, to introduce Christian worship among the peoples of northern Europe. Initially it consisted of a pine or evergreen fir, which symbolized the eternal love of God, adorned with apples, which recalled original sin, and candles, representing the light that Christ brought to the world. Today, apples have been replaced by balls and candles by lights. Tradition indicates that it should be worn during Advent.
The Birth
The birth, also called nativity scene, manger or portal, is the representation of the birth of Jesus. The first representations date from the 5th century, although it is considered that one of the most important engines for its popularization was San Francisco de Asís. The purpose of the birth is to remind people of the humble circumstances in which Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The traditional thing is to put a nativity scene at home with Joseph and Mary in the center of the scene witnessing the arrival of Christ.
Christmas Holidays Car
Christmas cards are a tradition that started in schools in England, where students were asked to write about Christmas before winter break. Later, in the 19th century, the cards became popular and began to be used to wish a Merry Christmas to our loved ones.
Decorations with poinsettia flowers
The Poinsettia flower is a plant with carmine red leaves, which was originally used by the Mexica, in Mexico, in rituals as a symbol of purity and new life for dead warriors. But in the 19th century, Joel Robert Poinsett, a prominent American diplomat in Mexico, discovered it and exported it to the United States, where it became popular and spread to the rest of the world as a Christmas ornamental plant, due to the similarity of its colors.
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Celebrate the posadas
The posadas are popular festivals that begin nine days before Christmas. They consist of a representation of the path of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary looking for a place to stay before the birth of the Child Jesus. The posadas are processions where carols are sung and candles are lit, ending at the home of one of the participants. The celebration can be both family and intimate, or include neighbors and the rest of the community. It is a very popular tradition in Mexico.
Break piñatas
Piñatas came to America during the evangelization process. The piñata most used by the friars was the one with seven spikes, which represented the seven deadly sins. To break it, it was necessary to use virtue and strength, the only weapons to defeat temptations and thus obtain the rewards (the gifts of God), which were the sweets that were inside. Today, piñatas are used in Mexico during Christmas celebrations to remind us of this lesson.
Singing of Christmas Carols
Christmas carols are Christmas theme songs. The first ones were composed by the evangelizers of the 5th century to, through music, tell the peasants and shepherds who could not read about the birth of Jesus Christ. Hearing them in Advent is said to help prepare our hearts for the event of Christmas.
Go to the shepherds
The shepherds are theatrical representations that tell the moment when the birth of the Child Jesus is announced to the shepherds, and they come to honor his arrival. Apart from the religious content, they are usually seasoned, too, with humor and satirical allusions to the current social or political situation.
Hanging of Christmas socks
The tradition of hanging socks in the fireplace has its origin in a legend of Saint Nicholas of Bari, who, they say, knew of a very poor man who did not have a dowry to marry his daughters. Saint Nicholas, then, one day secretly sneaked into his house and put gold coins in the drying socks hanging in the fireplace. Since then, it is said that the gifts that appear in the socks are those that are authentically put by Santa Claus.
Eating as a family
Celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve with a large family banquet, with the typical dishes and drinks of the time, is part of Christian traditions. Making a hearty dinner symbolizes the abundance that Christ brings into our lives with his arrival.
Wait for the arrival of Santa Claus
Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus, is the character that traditionally brings gifts to children who have behaved well in almost all over the world. Its legend originates from that of Saint Nicholas of Bari, a Christian bishop who lived in Anatolia, present-day Turkey, in the 4th century, and who was venerated for his miracles and generosity.
Exchange gifts
Exchanging gifts at Christmas is a way of expressing our affection for our loved ones. The tradition, however, can be traced back to Ancient Rome, where, during the Saturnalia festivals, gifts were offered to children at the end of the celebrations. Today the tradition of exchanging gifts serves to remember the gift that God gave us in his son Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
Christmas is an annual religious gathering of both the Christian and non-Christian religions, its a feast celebrated to mark the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe you find this post, 12 Christmas traditions that you can’t imagine what they mean helpful.
Kindly spread the love to loved ones.
