The Birth of Christmas Traditions
Throughout history, Christmas has been celebrated by different cultures in diverse ways. In ancient Babylon and Egypt, there were mid-winter festivals that honored the ancient gods. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty. During this festival, which ran from December 17th to December 24th, public gathering places were decorated with flowers and gifts and candies were exchanged amongst slaves and masters. In Scandinavia, a period of celebration known as Yule was held each winter at the end of the growing season. During this time, the population feasted on the summer’s bounty. The Celtic culture of the British Isles revered all green plants as symbols of fertility and contributed celebrations revolving around the decoration of homes with mistletoe and holly. New Christmas customs appeared in the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these was the carol. By the 14th Century, such Christmas songs had become associated with the religious observance of the birth of Christ. In Italy, a tradition developed of re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of nativity scenes. The tradition of celebrating Christmas by decorating an indoor tree was established by Queen Victoria of England, while the author Charles Dickens popularized the idea of having a Christmas feast through his writing.
Modern Customs – Christmas Photos and e-Cards
There are also many Christmas traditions that have developed in modern times. The modern American conception of Santa Claus as a secular figure was created by the writer Clement Moore in his poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas. The commercialization of Christmas started to take place around World War II when people had to shop far in advance to get gifts to soldiers overseas in time for the holiday. Thus, the extended Christmas shopping season was born. An even more modern tradition is sending Christmas e-Cards with Christmas photos of the family. This is a great way to reach out and communicate with friends about the changes in your family and spread holiday cheer from everyone. Some families even put humorous touches on the Christmas photos by dressing the family dog up in antlers!
The Latest Christmas Tradition – Ringtones Era
By far the most recent Christmas tradition is downloading Christmas ringtones to a cell phone. Whether you’re downloading a classic carol like “Deck the Halls” sung by The Platters or a more contemporary, funky piece like James Brown’s “Funky Christmas Millennium” you can’t help but feel festive every time you hear Christmas ringtones on your cell phone. Having Christmas ringtones on your cell phone is also a good reminder that you have a long Christmas list and need to get out there shopping. It’s also a great way to spread the spirit of the season amongst friends and co-workers and let them know that you are no Grinch!
Whatever Christmas traditions you choose to embrace, you can be content in the knowledge that each has a distinctive history and a special meaning to many people.
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Read about the History of Christmas - http://www.ez-tracks.com/History_of_Christmas.html
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