Christmas Traditions: Where Did They Come From?

Posted by on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015 at 12:48pm.

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

Is it the stockings above the fire, the endless array of candy canes? 

Or maybe you're more of a Santa fan and you love setting out cookies and milk every year, taking your kids to see Santa and cozying up to your significant other for a night of old timey Christmas movies. 

Or may your favorites are more of a heavenly bent and you love the candlelight service at your church on Christmas Eve. 

We became curious about where these traditions came from, so we did some digging and found some very interesting holiday lore. So sit back, relax, grab your moose mug and fill it up with egg nog. 

Three Christmas Traditions and How They (Supposedly) Started

Why stockings, and why over the fireplace?

Legend has it that long ago Saint Nicholas, the real-life fellow to whom we ascribe Santa Claus status, was traipsing the countryside bringing gifts and merriment to all. He happened across a grieving widower who couldn't afford presents for his kids. Knowing the old chap would be too proud for cheery charity, Saint Nick tossed a couple of gold coins down the chimney. 

And guess what? The guilded money tumbled down that sooty shaft and landed in the socks of the widower's daugher, which were drying by the fire. 

Who invented eggnog?

For those of you who are skeptical about the origins of the stocking, your fact-driven conscience will find its holiday rest withing the historically-accurate tale of the birth of egg nog.

So, long ago when America was first colonized (we're talking 1607, or thereabouts), the settlers of Jamestown and their mighty Captain John Smith had a hankering for something creamy (and boozy). So, they whipped together a few ingredients and came up with the first official batch of egg nog. 

Now, back then it contained rum and carried the name given to any rum-based quaffer; grogg. So, they called their eggy drink egg 'n' grogg, and eventually the name was cut down to "eggnog."

Gettin' friendly under the mistletoe...

This tradition certainly is a strange one - a chunk of shrub is hung in a doorway and when two people pass underneath it, there's an unspoken mandate to kiss. If you happen to accidentally (read -- purposely) pass below the branch when your crush is also passing through, all is well. If you're stuck under the leafy bits with a weird stranger, not so much. 

There are a few different origins to this tradition. Some say it dates back to Celtic customs in which certain plants were tacked to doorways to ward off evil spirits, heal wounds and give a zing to your fertility. Most likely, the misteltoe tradition started in the Victorian era (you can thank that time period for many of our Christmas carols, too) where it was seen as a sure sign of marriage if you kissed a fair lady or dapper lad under its watchful eye. 

More Holiday Goodness...

 We've got more Christmas cheer on our blog this year, so for more Xmas fun just click here. 

 

*Thanks to TIME Magazine for their article on Christmas traditions

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