The real Saint Nicholas was a bishop born in what is now Turkey in 270 AD, and was said to have done frequent charitable deeds for others, which earned him widespread acclaim. ![]() While the jolly, big-bellied version of Santa may be a relatively modern tradition, the story of Saint Nicholas dates back to 3rd century Turkey. The British candy maker is credited with inventing the modern day Christmas cracker in 1847 when trying to devise new packaging for some of his holiday sweets. If you’ve ever opened a Christmas cracker and donned its paper crown for the holidays, you have Tom Smith to thank for that tradition. For customs that are out of date, check out 15 Weird, Forgotten Christmas Traditions Nobody Does Anymore. According to Ronald Hutton, author of the 2009 book Blood and Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain, mistletoe was believed to have fertility-restoring properties for barren animals-perhaps the reason the parasitic plant is associated with love and romance today. ![]() At the time, instead of singing, Anglo-Saxons would go from door to door wishing their neighbors good health-or “waes hael” in Anglo-Saxon, according to Andy Thomas, author of the 2019 book Christmas: A Short History from Solstice to Santa.Įver gotten smooched under a sprig of mistletoe during the holidays? You’ve got the Druids to thank for that. While there’s no clear answer as to when the first songs about Jesus’ birth were written, the origin of caroling as we know it dates back to 13th century Britain. However, the lights back then were a lot less safe than the LED ones we string today-at the time, celebrants would simply attach candles to their trees and light them. While Thomas Edison’s colleague Edward Hibberd Johnson is credited as the inventor of Christmas lights connected on strands, the tradition of illuminating Christmas trees comes from Germany, where it was being practiced as early as the 17th century, according to the Library of Congress. For more holiday trivia sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. The modern Christmas tree, however, was popularized in the UK in the 1840s, when German-born Prince Albert displayed the first known British Christmas tree in Windsor Castle. While using trees in holiday celebrations is believed to originally be a pagan tradition, more recognizable iterations of the Christmas tree hail from Germany, and date as far back as the 16th century. According to the Victoria & Albert Museum, the institution’s founding director, Henry Cole, sent the first known Christmas card, which included a drawing of a family gathering and the words “a merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you” in 1843. While holiday greetings have been around since time immemorial, the first Christmas card was British in origin. If you’re looking to take your tree to the next level, check out 20 Genius Christmas Tree Decorating Tips, According to Experts. The tradition gained popularity in America during the Great Depression, when parents tried to make children understand the importance of being grateful for anything they might receive on Christmas. ![]() According to, the legend is that the Norse god Odin had an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir, who kids would leave treats for in hopes that Odin would favor them with gifts in return.
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