Christmas brings a whole aura of festivities and a spirit of joy that spreads across all barriers of religion, caste or creed. Along with festivals, numerous traditions have been passed on for generations. Let’s take a look at the top 15 Christmas Traditions that will always be passed down:
1. Choosing and Decorating the Christmas Tree
The preparation for Christmas always begins with a tree. The Norway Spruce tree is the quintessential beginning of Christmas preparations that follow. Choosing the right tree for the spot in the house was one of the traditions where everyone gathers. Slowly, as time has passed, a natural tree is replaced by synthetic ones, which can folded up and stowed away until Christmas comes around again.
Decorating the tree with all the ornaments is also considered a family tradition where all the kids and elders gather around to put all the mistletoes, tinsels, ornaments and the essential “Christmas Star.” The whole act brings the family together; each family member may have an ornament they want to see on the tree. However, the critical part of the Christmas tree is putting up the star, usually done on Christmas Eve, or in some households, an Angel replaces the star.
2. Stockings Over the Fireplace:
Red stockings placed over the fireplace are a long-followed tradition. It goes back to the myth that Santa Claus stuffed the stockings of three little girls with gold coins and left them over the fire pit to dry. To date, that tradition has been replaced by filling the stockings with small gifts and candy canes. The stockings have also become an ornament of decoration spread across the house and the Christmas tree.
It is a way to make things fun by gathering around the fireplace and seeing what Santa has left in the stockings for the family members. Stockings are also decorative ornaments that are seen all over.
3. Leaving Cookies and Milk for Santa Claus
Santa Claus is believed always to appreciate cookies and milk as a snack while going around house to house and giving presents to the good kids. On Christmas Eve, kids leave out a plate of cookies and milk so he isn’t famished. Seeing some of the cookies being eaten the next day generates a sense of happiness and joy among the kids. Chunky Chocolate chip cookies are considered to be Santa’s favourite.
4. Eggnog
This concoction of egg yolks, cream, sugar, milk and nutmeg will surely give you the Christmas feel. To zing it up and bring in the “Holiday cheer,” bourbon, rum, or cognac is usually added. Up next to the fireplace and sipping on some eggnog will bring Christmas warmth to your heart. It is generally made in enormous quantities and enjoyed by all the adult members of the house. The cinnamon, bourbon combination, and cream give a specific Christmas flavour that warms your body on a cold Christmas day.
5. Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner is usually the day’s highlight, with family from all over getting together to bake bread across the table. A stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce, mashed potato, maple glazed ham, and Brussels sprouts are usually the staples on a table for the whole family to feed on. An apple pie with a butter crust and rich, sweet filling is what follows after such a decadent meal. It is a tradition amongst most families to get together and spend Christmas dinner together, talking about all the years that have passed. It’s a no-holds-bar dinner where the spread is filled with delicious dishes, one after another.
The head of the family usually carries the turkey. Another small tradition is about splitting the turkey’s wishbone among two family members, and they are made to make a wish. The family member that gets the most significant part of the wishbone gets his wish/her fulfilled. Every family member will indeed have their favourite dish in the Christmas spread. Getting the whole family involved during the entire cooking process for dinner creates a great family bonding atmosphere.
6. Midnight Church Service
The midnight church service or the midnight mass starts the Christmas festival. Christian and Catholic people congregate at the Church, where a church priest usually has sermons depicting how Jesus was born on the day, followed by songs and hymns by the choir. Families get dressed in their best attire and head to Church. Observing the Christmas service, all the hymns and songs, and seeing the Church lit up with Christmas decorations will surely make anyone feel warm.
7. Christmas Carols
Christmas Carols are songs written around Christmas or all the entities involved in the festival. Groups from the same neighbourhood, Church, family, or organization rehearse songs. The group then proceeds to go door to door, singing these songs and collecting alms in return to donate to the poor or pay towards an organization that helps people experiencing poverty. It’s a great way to bring a smile to your community and get to know each other. There are carol competitions in Churches and neighbourhoods wherein several groups get together and perform a performance of singing the best in-tune Christmas Carol.
10. Christmas Family Picture
With the advancement of technology, it is a new tradition to send a Christmas picture with your whole family to all your near and dear ones, expressing your greetings for the season. This is also done to tell each other they are thinking of each other while showing themselves together as a family. Hearing or seeing pictures of family that is far away always brings Joy. With communication being so quick, it is almost instantaneous to see your family worldwide at the click of a button.
11. Secret Santa
Since Christmas is known as the season of giving, schools and office spaces have adopted this new tradition, which acts as an icebreaker for different individuals. Usually, chits or lots are handed to all the people, and they buy gifts for each other without disclosing who the gift is from. The fun part lies in discovering who the gift has come from and who it has gone to. It makes it an inclusive tradition and generates a sense of togetherness. It is also a great way to have fun in a formal atmosphere.
12. Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards are an excellent way for kids to express their creativity and show their love through their art. It focuses on their imagination as making Christmas Cards for Santa is considered a norm. Christmas Cards are also a formal norm for companies and organizations to express their seasonal greetings to all their employees.
13. Decorating the House with Lights and Ornaments
No Christmas feels real unless the house is lit with lights and ornaments on the outside and inside. Lights, streamers, and ornaments. Recently, people have started replicating the North Pole with snowmen, Santa’s sleigh, elves and even artificial snow in places where it doesn’t snow. Observing houses lit up on a particular street is quite a spectacle. It is also taken as a sense of competition to have your house decorated better than your neighbours. In some communities, even award the best-decorated house during Christmas
14. Christmas Movies
When the family meal is done, and all the dishes are washed, the family winds down in front of the TV to watch their favourite Christmas movie together. There are some staples like The Grinch, Polar Express or Home Alone. These movies bring joy and cheer among kids and adults alike. Even though it may be the same movie played yearly, it is a diligent tradition. Snuggling in your pyjamas with a big bowl of popcorn when it’s cold outside is the perfect way to spend Christmas with your family. Local Cable networks also show movies that are centred around the Christmas theme.
15. Christmas Nativity Scene or Crib
No Christmas decoration is complete without making a crib in the house. A crib usually depicts the birth of Jesus and how all the Saints, Kings and animals got together to witness the birth of Christ. The Crib is generally set up a few days before Christmas, and baby Jesus is placed on the day of Christmas. It is usually done with small figures at home. But in Churches, the Christmas Nativity scene is reenacted and usually gets the kids excited to play a part in it and replicate the birth of Jesus.
In short, traditions make a festival and give it meaning and culture. Apart from the traditions mentioned above, plenty are out there, and some may be unique to a particular family, like how the movie Die Hard is considered a famous Christmas movie. Even work environments promote a sense of giving by helping with local charities and organizations that support the poor and sick. Christmas is meant to bring families together and spread joy, and traditions are a simple way of getting the whole festival together.
Last Updated on by Anoushka
