American Christmas traditions

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American Christmas traditions range from religious symbols to the mythos of Santa Claus. Their origins are both Christian and pagan.

Introduction

The Christmas holiday is a very popular staple in American culture. With over 96% of Americans—Christian and non-Christian alike—claiming to celebrate Christmas, it is one of the most cherished holidays on the calendar. [1] Many American Christmas traditions exist, some exclusive to the US and some that are shared around the world.

Christmas traditions in the United States encompass the customs, history, folklore, family practices, interior and exterior decorations, religious and secular symbols, and perennial television shows and movies connected with this holiday. Many American Christmas traditions originated as Germanic Christmas traditions.

Christmas tree

The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of the ancient pagan idea that the evergreen tree represents a celebration of the renewal of life. In Roman mosaics from what is today Tunisia, showing the mythic triumphant return from India of the Greek god of wine and male fertility, Dionysus (dubbed by some modern scholars as a life-death-rebirth deity), the god carries a tapering coniferous tree. Medieval legends, nevertheless, tended to concentrate more on the miraculous "flowering" of trees at Christmas time. A branch of flowering Glastonbury thorn is still sent annually for the Queen's Christmas table in the United Kingdom.

Patron trees (for example, the Irminsul, Thor's Oak and the figurative Yggdrasil) held special significance for the ancient Germanic tribes, appearing throughout historic accounts as sacred symbols and objects. Among early Germanic tribes the Yule tradition was celebrated by sacrificing male animals and slaves by suspending them on the branches of trees. According to Adam of Bremen, in Scandinavia the pagan kings sacrificed nine males of each species at the sacred groves every ninth year. According to one legend, Saint Boniface attempted to introduce the idea of trinity to the pagan tribes using the cone-shaped evergreen trees because of their triangular appearance.

Santa Claus

The name Santa Claus is derived from Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for the mythical character based on St. Nicholas. He is also known there by the name of Saint Nicolaas which explains the use of the two fairly dissimilar names Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas or St. Nick.

Sinterklaas wears clothing similar to a bishop's. He wears a red miter (a liturgical headdress worn by bishops and abbots) with a 'golden' cross and carries a bishop's staff. The connection with the original bishop of Myra is still evident here. He rides a white horse over rooftops and his helpers climb down chimneys to deposit gifts (sometimes in children's shoes by the fireplace). Sinterklaas arrives from Spain on a steamboat and is accompanied by 'Zwarte Piet', his negroid helpers.

Presents given during this feast are often accompanied by poems, sometimes fairly basic, sometimes quite elaborate pieces of art that mock events in the past year relating to the recipient (who is thus at the receiving end in more than one sense). The gifts themselves may be just an excuse for the wrapping, which can also be quite elaborate. The more serious gifts may be reserved for the next morning. Since the giving of presents is Sinterklaas's job presents are traditionally not given at Christmas in the Netherlands, but commercialism is starting to tap into this market.

In other countries, the figure of Saint Nicholas was also blended with local folklore. As an example of the still surviving pagan imagery, in Nordic countries there was the Yule Goat (Danish julebuk, Swedish julbock, Norwegian "julebukk", Finnish joulupukki), a somewhat startling figure with horns which delivered the presents on Christmas Eve. A straw goat is still a common Christmas decoration in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. In the 1840's, the farm gnome in Nordic folklore started to deliver the Christmas presents in Denmark, but was then called the "Julenisse", dressed in gray clothes and a red hat. By the end of the 19th century this tradition had also spread to Norway and Sweden (where the "nisse" is called Tomte), replacing the Yule Goat. The same thing happened in Finland, but there the more human figure retained the Yule Goat name.

Nativity scene

A nativity scene, also called a crèche (meaning crib in French), refers to a depiction of the birthplace of Jesus. These are generally either life-size or near life-size outdoor displays situated in yards or public squares, or small miniature scenes placed in homes. At the very least it includes the figures of Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus situated in the manger. They are somtimes supplemented by the Three Wise Men, the stable boy, the innkeeper, and other characters involved in the story of Christ's birth.

Christmas card

A Christmas card is a greeting card that is decorated in a manner that celebrates Christmas. Typical content ranges from purely Christian symbols such as nativity scenes and the Star of Bethlehem to more general Christmas images such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, snowmen, and similar themes.

Christmas carol

A Christmas carol is a song whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas. A Christmas song is often only considered a carol after it has been in existence for many years. The tradition of Christmas carols dates back to the 13th century A.D.

Christmas gift

In the United States, children receive their gifts from "Santa Claus." Christmas presents are usually opened on Christmas Day, but some people open their gifts on Christmas Eve. To many other children around the world as well recieve gifts from Santa Claus.

In the Christian sense, gifts are exchanged in the spirit of the Magi bringing gifts to the Baby Jesus.

Christmas lights

Christmas lights are strands of electric lights used to decorate Christmas trees, homes, and other buildings during the Christmas season.

Television and movies

A popular tradition of the entertainment establishment in the United States is to produce films, television specials and episodes of established television series generally set during the Christmas season. Some of the most notable of these include:

• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• A Christmas Carol (1951 film)
• A Christmas Story
• Frosty the Snowman
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
• It's a Wonderful Life
• Miracle on 34th Street
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town
• Jingle All the Way

Sources

• Hal Siemer (June 2006). Celebrating an American Christmas: Traditions, Customs and History. Quest Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2006.

See also

• Christmas worldwide
• German Christmas traditions
• Hal Siemer
• Yule
• Yule log