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This December, we take a brief look at the origins of several Christmas traditions as we pause to reflect on the past year, count our blessings, and extend to all our good wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   

Warmest Regards,

Charles (Charlie) Boyer
Infinite Perspectives, LLC
www.infiniteperspectives.com

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS: Bah! Humbug! and Ho! Ho! Ho! In this crazy world where it has become politically incorrect to wish people a Merry Christmas, it is good to pause, take a deep breath, and take a good look at some of the customs and rituals we associate with Christmas.  Maybe it’s time for a good horse-laugh at ourselves, or at the very least, a bit of humility and a dose of common sense.  Maybe old Scrooge had it right all along – Bah! Humbug! to the whole silly nonsense that has become Christmas.

It’s interesting – and more than a bit funny – to sit back and watch people argue about whether Christmas has become too commercialized, whether we’ve forgotten what Christmas is all about, whether to allow manger scenes on public property, whether to allow “holiday parties” in public schools, whether we should buy “holiday trees” and send “holiday cards.”  Can you believe it -- a local school board is considering whether to call the coming vacation a “holiday break,” a “winter break,” or a “Christmas break.”  Can’t wait to attend that meeting!

The uproar over whether Christmas is a religious holiday is funny, too, because the early church didn’t have anything to do with Christmas.  Take a look at a few of the following tidbits for a little different perspective.

The Date of Christmas. Although the actual season of Christ’s birth is thought to be in the spring, the date of December 25th was chosen by the Catholic Church in the 4th century as the official birthday celebration (Christ’s Mass) to compete with a pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice.  It’s hard to believe today, but the celebration of Christmas was slow to catch on in America.  In colonial days, the celebration of Christmas was banned by law in Massachusetts.  (Bah, Humbug indeed!!!)

Xmas.  No, it really isn’t a sign of disrespect.  This abbreviation of Christmas is of Greek origin.  The Greek letter “X” is “Chi”.  During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ’s name, “X” in place of the word “Christ” as a shorthand form of the word.

Christmas Tree.  Live evergreen trees were often brought into northern European homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again.  There is one legend that attributes the custom of placing lighted candles on Christmas trees to Martin Luther.

Yule Log.  The word “Yule” means “wheel,” a pagan symbol for the sun.  Yule was symbolic of the birthday of the pagan sun god, Mithras, and was observed on the shortest day of the year.  Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun.

Mistletoe and Holly.  Two hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Druids used mistletoe to celebrate the coming of winter.  Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant by the Druids.  They believed the plant had special healing powers for everything from female infertility to poison ingestion.  The custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual.  The early church banned the use of mistletoe in Christmas celebrations because of its pagan origins.  Instead, church leaders suggested the use of holly as an appropriate substitute for Christmas greenery.

Christmas Cards.  The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first “Penny Post” public postal deliveries began.   Today, when it costs 37 cents (US) for a first class postage stamp, many people are sending their greetings via email.

Christmas Bells.  Long ago, people believed they could use bells or noisemakers to frighten away evil spirits.  Many people thought that as winter began, evil spirits would come to harm them.  The tradition of using noisemakers and bells carried over into the celebration of Christmas, but rather than keep away evil spirits, people made noise to celebrate the joy of Christmas.

Santa Claus.  Father Christmas, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas – whatever you call him – has become the human face of Christmas.  Pictures are seen everywhere of the old man with the long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys.  There are several interesting stories about the origin of Santa Claus.

One story says that the predecessor to Santa Claus is based on the Norse god Odin, who rode through the winter skies on his eight-legged horse, bringing gifts to the needy.  The eight-legged horse eventually became eight tiny reindeer.

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, a 4th century Christian leader from Myra (in modern day Turkey).  The legend of St. Nicholas is that he was shy and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it.  It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney.  It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire.  Maybe that’s why we hang the stockings by the fireplace today.

The Santa Claus character seems to have originated in the early 1800s, but some pictures weren’t too flattering.  The plump and jolly version became popular in U.S. print ads in the 1930s.  Remember the early Coca-Cola illustrations?  That rendition became “Santa” for a whole generation of American children.

Boxing Day.  In England and Canada, the day following Christmas Day is called “Boxing Day.”  No, it isn’t a day to return wrong-size or wrong-color gifts to the department store.  This word comes from the Middle Ages custom of churches opening their “alms boxe” and distributing gifts of money to poor people in the neighborhood on the day after Christmas.

Christmas Music.  The many legends and customs of Christmas are reflected in its music – everything from the simply beautiful (Silent Night) to the utterly ridiculous (Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer).  But what was the place of music in earlier Christmas celebrations, and where did it come from?

The first Christmas hymns were probably sung to the melodies of Jewish temple hymns and psalms.  Great hymns of the early Catholic Church (Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Veni Redemptor) were highly spiritual and were used as an integral part of the worship service.

Carols, a different type of music from hymns, were secular (not sacred) and pagan.  The word “carol” originally referred to a circle dance.  Struggling against pagan customs, the early church barred carols from sacred services.  But outside the church, Nativity carols flourished.  Nearly all were simple folk songs that appealed to humble country people.

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with bringing carols into the formal worship of the church.  In 1223, he created a “manger scene” and conducted a worship service to re-create the setting of the first Christmas night.  Friars composed and sang new, joyful songs much more akin to carols than hymns to accompany the tableau.  Carols enjoyed further development and popularity through their connection with the mystery plays of the Middle Ages.

Here are some of the origins of famous Christmas carols:
Good Christian Men, Rejoice (14th century German carol)
Good King Wenceslas (Piae Cantiones, 1582)
The Friendly Beasts (Medieval French carol)
Joy to the World (Isaac Watts, 1719; G. F. Handel, 1742)
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day  (H.W. Longfellow, 1863;  J. Calkins, 1872)
Silent Night (J. Mohr, F. Gruber, 1818)
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (13th century Plainsong)
Adeste Fidelis  (J.F. Wade, ca. 1740)

The Legend of the Poinsettia . . .
Juanita was a little girl who lived in the small village of San Pancho, Mexico hundreds of years ago.   Juanita's family were farmers and they were very poor.
As Christmas approached Juanita's mama and papa became sick and Juanita had to help care for her little brother and sister.  There was much work to be done and young Juanita did her best to cook and clean and help with the burro in the fields.   
All the people of the village were decorating the church and making special gifts to give to the Christ Child on Christmas Eve.  Everyone would take part in the Christmas Eve procession, singing and carrying candles. Then Padre Gonalez would place the figure of the Baby Jesus in the manger and the villagers would put their special gifts around the manger.

Juanita had tried to weave a colorful blanket for the Christ Child, but she was too little and the yarns became tangled.   She tried to sew little leather boots for her gift, but the leather was too tough and she was not strong enough to push the needle through.  She tried to think of something very special that her family could give to the Baby Jesus, but with mama and papa sick and her younger brother and sister too small to help, she could think of nothing.
At last it was Christmas Eve.   All of the village was ready to form the procession, the candles were lit, the singing began as the villagers walked through San Pancho carrying their gifts to place at the manger.  Juanita hid in the darkness, watching with tears in her eyes as the procession went to the church.

Suddenly an old man stepped from the shadows nearby.
"Little girl, are you Juanita?" he said.

"Si," answered Juanita, wondering who he could be.

"I have a message for you.  Your mama and papa are going to get well soon. So do not worry. Go to the church and celebrate Christmas with the other villagers. Your brother and sister are waiting for you."

"I can't," Juanita told him.   "I don't have a gift for the Baby Jesus.
I tried and tried to make something but I couldn't finish it."

"Ah, Juanita, don't you know that any gift is beautiful because it is given.
Whatever you give, the Baby Jesus will love, because it comes from you."

"But what can I give?"  Juanita began looking around. She saw a big patch of green weeds nearby.  Juanita rushed over and picked a huge armful, then turned to the old man. But he was gone.

Juanita walked into the church.   All of the candles were blazing, the children were singing as she walked down the aisle with her bundle of green weeds.

"What is Juanita carrying?" the villagers whispered.
"She's bringing weeds into the church!"

Juanita placed the green weeds all around the manger.  Then she bowed her head and prayed.

A hush fell over the church.  Voices whispered, "Look!, Look at the weeds!"
Juanita opened her eyes.  Each weed was topped with a flaming red star.
And when everyone went outside after the Mass, all the bunches of tall green weeds throughout the town were shining with red stars.   Juanita's simple gift had become beautiful.

And every Christmas to this day, the red stars shine on top of the branches in Mexico.  The people call the plants “la Flor de Nochebuena,”  the flower of the Holy Night - the poinsettia.

This Mexican wildflower is known by many names in Mexico:  fuego (fire flower), flor de Navidad (Christmas flower), and flor de la Noche buena (flower of the Holy Night.)

The poinsettia came to the United States through Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, who served as the nation's minister to Mexico from 1825 to 1830.   He was fascinated with its beauty and called the plant "painted leaves", because the part often thought of as the flower actually consists of leaves surrounding a smaller flower portion.  He took cuttings home to South Carolina when he returned from Mexico in 1830.

The Christmas plant, which we call poinsettia after Dr. Poinsett, found its way into our own Christmas traditions, and nothing seems to say "Merry Christmas" better than a beautiful red and green poinsettia.

(author unknown)

Kids Really DO Say the Darndest Things!  The late Art Linkletter had a real gem of a feature on his TV shows.  He would interview young children on his show and often would ask them a question such as, “What did your mother tell you not to say on TV?” and some of the funniest bits followed – in all innocence and to the everlasting embarrassment of Mom who was seated in the audience.
Well, these didn’t come from the Art Linkletter show … these are from real experiences, reported by friends and colleagues, and a couple of things from my own experiences.
The minister asked a Sunday School class the name of the angel who announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.  One little boy thought a minute, and said, “It was some guy named Harold.”
The Sunday School teacher asked the children to paint a picture about the birth of Jesus.  When he had finished, little Billy brought his picture to the teacher.  “I recognize Mary, Joseph, the Baby, and the animals,” said the teacher, “but what is this big blob in the corner.”   Billy said, “That’s Round John Virgin.”
In junior high, my good friend Jerry taught me a lot about his Jewish customs and traditions.  I was surprised to see a Christmas tree in his house.  He explained, “that’s not a Christmas tree – it’s a Hannukah bush.”
When I was a high school band director, it always seemed to be one fund-raising event after another.  One holiday season my students went door to door selling plastic, inflatable Santas and Rudolphs.  One student knocked on a door displaying a six-pointed star with an unfamiliar greeting.  He tried his best with the unknown word.  “Happy Cha-NOO-ka!”  he boomed to the startled homeowners.  “Wanta buy a Santa Claus?”

So-o-o-o-o … what we think of as “true” Christmas customs and rituals is really a hodge-podge of secular and sacred myths, legends, and traditions.  It’s fun time, it’s family time, it’s giving time, it’s celebration time – and I love it all, in all its craziness, its crassness, and its beauty.

Every family has its own special traditions and memories.  Ours includes watching the grandkids wreak havoc on beautifully wrapped presents; the 1947 movie, Miracle on 34th Street; singing songs around the piano;  a family dinner with turkey and “ook” gravy (giblet gravy that our kids always called “ook”);  phone calls to distant friends and relatives;  and precious time together with loved ones.  What are your Christmas traditions and memories?

It may not be politically correct, and it may not be inclusive to all customs and beliefs, but my wish to everyone is no less sincere and heartfelt.  To all, a very 
Merry Christmas!

Resources:

Christmas Traditions Around the World, www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm

Davis, Kenneth C., Don’t Know Much About Mythology (Harper-Collins)

Ehret & Evans, The International Book of Christmas Carols (Prentice-Hall)

Symbols, Customs, Traditions of Christmas, wilstar.com/xmas/xmasymb.htm

Winik. L.W., Intelligence Report, Parade magazine.

NEXT ISSUE:  PLAN AHEAD!  If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else.  What’s up for you in the New Year?

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