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Christmas Traditions Origins! 

I'm always curious about the origins of traditions and customs. These pages describe the traditions underlying Christmas. .

Who Was Good King Wenceslas?~On a cold winter’s night a page traveling with his king begins to freeze. The king tells the page to step into his footprints, and as he does the footprints give off enough heat to warm the page. Who was the king of this miracle? submitted by The Reverend Ed Hird - Rector, St. Simon’s Anglican Church, North Vancouver
The History of the Candy Cane~The candy cane did not start out in the form we are familiar with today. Learn of its origins and the symbolism that is said to be associated with it. submitted by Laura Witcher Goldstein

The Timeless Tradition of Decorating the Christmas Tree~Bringing in the evergreens to dress up a drab winter home has been a practice that dates back ages. But so-called modern times has taken the process a step further. Not only do we use trees to dress up houses, we make things to dress up the trees in the houses. submitted by Amy S. Jorgensen

Making Merry with Christmas Cards~One of the newest of holiday traditions has experienced an explosion in acceptance -- the sending and receiving of Christmas cards. This article explains where this practice came from and why the Internet continues to grow the phenomenon. submitted by Sarita Mehra

How December 25th Became Christmas~December 25th is widely accepted by most as the actual birthday of Jesus Christ. We wonder how many will be surprised to learn that not only is that date clearly off the mark, it is in reality a date celebrated in pagan practices.
submitted by Ryan Crosby

The Yule Log~It's both a legend and a tradition. In fact, it's older even the the story of the first Christmas. The ancient rite of the Yule log was practiced by ancient peoples seeking warmth and light during a season of darkness -- and good luck in the year ahead. Today, the tradition of the Yule log continues with new variations on the ancient theme. submitted by Tomm Larson

The Story of "Silent Night, Holy Night"~This story comes in many different versions and all of them are equally intriguing! submitted by Janice Hayen

The Twelve Days of Christmas~Take a look at the meanings behind the twelve days of Christmas.

Wreaths: Eternity's Decoration~A Christmas wreath has neither beginning or end -- it is eternal. This is the story of the wreath -- and the symbolism of it that has survived to our day and in our holiday celebrations. submitted by Patricia Bhatia

The Art of Wassail~Here we come a-wassailing --- a time honored tradition that has survived centuries and heartily survives today. This is the story of how it has been enjoyed through the years and just what it means to "wassail". submitted by Jeff Westover

Celebrating with Christmas Candles~The magic of light at Christmas would lose a little of it's luster if it were not for candles. This article tells of why we use candles so much during the season and how in times past they were much more than decoration and mood-setters. submitted by Sarita Mehra

Christmas Bells~The origin of the use of bells during the holidays is explored and explained in this article.. submitted by Abby Westover

Why We Use Red and Green at Christmas~Young writer Brenna Hall, through her story of Clara and Maria, explains why red and green are the dominate colors of Christmas. submitted by Brenna Hall.

The Legend of the Christmas Rose~The Legend of the Christmas Rose speaks of a young girl named Madelon who wanted to come worship the Christ Child. Seeing the gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by others who were drawn to the humble birthplace, she despaired that she had no gift to bring, for Madelon was poor indeed. 

Christmas Around The World

Christmas in Iceland In Iceland, Christmas is a festival of light in two senses. It is a religious holiday celebrating the triumph of the spirit over what darkness symbolizes, and it also ushers in a season of gradually lengthening days.  The Icelandic Foreign Service provides a glimpse at Iceland's unique Christmas customs.  View photos here.

Christmas in Provence The celebration of Christ's birth  in Provence, France  lasts 3 days, and the season is filled with joy.  FranceWay takes us on a tour of this beautiful region during the Christmas holiday.  Learn about Christmas Traditions in France and Canada by working your way up the Christmas tree.

Feliz Navidad -- Making Merry in Mexico This article by freelance writer Dale Hoyt Palfrey makes you want to forget about a white Christmas and head for the border.  Learn more about la Navidad en Méjico at this site.

Christmas in Germany is beautifully depicted in photographs at this site's gallery, and this is also a good place to find German Christmas markets.  Sankt Nikolaus or Sinterklaas is fully explained here.

Christmas In Poland Did you know that the main Polish Christmas supper consists of 12 courses?  Polish Christmas traditions are fascinating and this site presents them very nicely.

Christmas World by Christmas historian Bill Egan is the starting point for a trip around the globe with a Christmas celebration at every stop.

Christmas in Ireland is filled with religious and family traditions that are unique to the Emerald Isle.

Christmas Traditions of Ukraine When Ukraine under King Volodymyr (St. Vladimir) accepted Christianity from Byzantium in 988 A.D. many pagan traditions were in existence which were adapted by the Church to the new religion. Some of those traditions have survived a thousand years and now form a part of today s Christmas celebrations.

Christmas in Salzburg Everybody knows Salzburg to be a most benign and civilized place awash with music, history and architectural splendor. But it celebrates Christmas with a vengeance. Although the fabled summer music season is crafted for visitors, Salzburg does Christmas for itself. If tourists choose to share, that's fine, but Christmas celebrations are really organized for locals, by locals.

Island Christmas Christmas is a magical time of year on Prince Edward Island, Canada.  The snow has begun to fall, homes are ablaze with the lights of the season, and at schools and churches across the Island, children and adults alike are preparing for the many choirs, plays, and other events that will soon come to life.

Christmas and New Year Traditions in the UK Mince pies, Christmas crackers, wassailing, and Father Christmas are a few of the things that make up a traditional Christmas celebration in the United Kingdom.

Carrie's Christmas Around the World Xmas customs from around the world 

Christmas foods

All images and text © Copyright JB Slemmer 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 - email me at 

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