Has There Always Been a Christmas?

HAS THERE ALWAYS BEEN A CHRISTMAS?

Sights and Sounds of Christmas

For several years I collected books about Christmas. I enjoyed learning about cultural traditions around the world and reading a variety of Christmas stories and folklore.

My favorite book is Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. On the cover the author is listed as Ace Collins, but I’ll give you the inside scoop. The publisher is Zondervan of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the copyright date is 2003 by Andrew Collins.

The Introduction shares a short history of how Christmas came to be on December 25^th. That is followed by information on twenty-six Christmas traditions from Advent to Yule Logs.

I found many surprises. For example, in 320 A.D Pope Julius 1 declared December 25th to be celebrated as Christ Mass. Prior to that, churches celebrated Christ’s birth on any day they chose.

December 25th gained acceptance when Constantine The Great, a Roman Emperor, declared it the official day to celebrate the birth of Christ. He also declared Sunday as a holy day on the first day of a newly-created seven-day week.

Candles Add Christmas Cheer

Prior to this, almost every culture had festivals to celebrate the rebirth of the sun during the shortest days of the year. December was the month for these Mardi-Gras-like celebrations.

Have you ever wondered why We Wish You A Merry Christmas contains the line “oh, bring us some figgy pudding” and “we won’t go until we get some?” Commoners in England would go to palatial homes, stand outside and sing. The owners knew if they did not respond, the singers would riot and break in, taking what they wanted.

Even in America “The Lords of Disorder” took over the streets of New York in the early 1800’s. Germany was the first country to honor December 25th as the second most holy day in the year, after Easter.

When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Germany, he brought the reverent and German-oriented family traditions with him. English citizens started to copy the royal family, but Christmas as a holy day was still not established worldwide for many more years.

St. Nick Has Helpers

Two authors had a great influence on December 25^th traditions. In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, minister and educator, wrote a poem for his children called “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” now known as The Night Before Christmas. Printed the next year in The New York Sentinel, it reshaped the holiday as one for children to enjoy.

In 1843, the already famous author, Charles Dickens, penned A Christmas Carol. Written during the Industrial Age, when men worked twelve hours six days a week and children were put to work for long hours at age eight or nine, it made people take another look at their values. It still does.

Celebrate The Holiday & Holy Day

In the next twenty to thirty years in America, states gradually declared December 25th a holiday. Moore’s poem started a commercial tradition, but churches also began to celebrate it as a holy day in honor of Christ’s birth.

Christmas has now become a season. It’s easy to become jaded by all the sights and sounds so many weeks before December 25^th. This year don’t just grit your teeth and wish it were over. I challenge you to be purposeful in your celebration of both the holiday and the holy day.