What's your favorite holiday tradition? How did it start? Take some time to find the origins of your favorite holiday tradition. Write about it as a comment to this post. Then read about other traditions. Reply to others' posts if you have a thought you'd like to share.
Your comment should look like this:
Tradition: Sending Christmas Cards
How it started: The tradition started in London, England in 1843. It had become a lot cheaper to send things in the post office at that time, and Sir Henry Cole hired and illustrator to make cards to send to his friends and family. He also sold them. Things have changed a bit since then, but that's where the tradition started.
Yes! We get to do christmas cards
ReplyDeleteTradition:Putting a pickle in the Christmas tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:This tradition started in the 1800's in Germany when the Woolworth store were selling ornaments that looked like vegetables and fruit. So, I guess the pickle was the ornament that was the most popular.And families in Germany started hanging on their tree. Now, it has turned into a old tradition where you put a pickle ornament on the tree last and the child who finds it first gets an extra present. Not much has changed since then but usually it only happens in houses that are German or have German heritage.
A tradition that my family does is going to my Grandpa's grave sight. We sing Christmas carols and usually say a prayer. All of the kids put little candles (not real ones) on his gravestone. We do this because he passed on Christmas day in 2009 from lung cancer.
ReplyDeleteTradition: Decorating the tree.
ReplyDeleteHow it started: The evergreen fir tree was traditionally used to celebrate winter festivals,for thousands of years. Pagans used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, it made them think of the spring to come. So over the years thedecorations started to evolve and progress in to what we have today
Tradition: Pickle on the tree
ReplyDeleteHow it Started: In Germany adults would hide a pickle on the Christmas tree. When the children were about to open they would try to find the ornament. Whoever found it gets a special treat or extra present.The tradition keeps changing and sometimes the prize is the honor to open up the first present.
Tradition:Opening one present on Christmas Eve
ReplyDeleteHow it started: I asked my mom about it before and she said that my older brother and sister could only open one present on Christmas Eve because they begged and cried for it so my mom says that's the deal and every year we have been doing that since the late 90s.
Tradition: Going to Church on Christmas Day
ReplyDeleteHow It Started: In many countries, especially Catholic ones such as Spain, Mexico, Poland and Italy, this is the most important Church service of the Christmas season. n some other countries, such as Belgium, Finland, Lithuania and Denmark the meal is eaten in the evening and you might go to a Midnight Service afterwards.
Tradition: Elf on the Shelf
ReplyDeleteHow it Started:Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell wrote the book "Elf on the Shelf". The story is that the elf watches over what happens that day and at night the elf reports to Santa what happened that day.
Tradition: Person who behaves the best gets to open the first present.
ReplyDeleteHow It Started: My tradition started when I was really little and my mom would bribe us and say whoever behaves the best on the way home gets to open the first present. So, we would all behave and she would take turns on saying who won. Now, that tradition has changed. Now, it's the youngest goes first and then the oldest, to me it doesn't matter because I'm the middle child so no matter what I get to go second. We have been doing this since I was about 6 years old, and it always worked.
Tradition:Making "Reindeer" food (carrot/oat balls) and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve
ReplyDeleteHow it started: For me, this started ever since my sister could help(she's older). Anyways Saint Nicholas(the real person) would give out food for poor people. After his death on December 6th, people would start putting out food on the eve of his death. Gradually it turned into sweets, then cookies, then people started putting the cookies out on Christmas Eve in rememberance of him.
ya i used to do that i don's no more now
DeleteTradition: Why having a tree in a house
ReplyDeleteHow it started: Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with trees.
i love doing trees
DeleteTradition: Elf on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteHow it started: The Elf on the Shelf explains that the elves get their magic by being named. In the back of each book families write the elf's name and the date. Once the elf is named the elf receives its special "Christmas magic". With their "Christmas magic" they fly to the North Pole.
That is really net and am going to start that now
DeleteGo and see beutiful lights in oshkosh the lights strech across 1000 miles and when people saw that they would been happy to see the lights.
ReplyDeleteTradition:The Pickle on the tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:The Pickle on the tree explains about that if you get the pickle on the tree you get a reward or get to open the tree first. It came from Germany for when they come to American there can have fun finding it
Tradition:The Pickle on the tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:The Pickle on the tree explains about that if you get the pickle on the tree you get a reward or get to open the tree first. It came from Germany for when they come to American there can have fun finding it
Tradition: The tree in the house
ReplyDeleteHow did it start was in the old times people would put the parts of trees on there windows to keep out witches, ghost, evil spirits, and illness.
Tradition: 25 days of Christmas
ReplyDeleteHow it started: in 1996 people started to countdown 25 days of Christmas starting at December 1st. Each day you would get a small present. On December 25th you would get to open your presents under the tree from family.
tradition: Pickle on the tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started: It came from a civil war soldier Private John C. Lower. He was captured and was at a prison camp. He begged for a pickle and the guard gave him one. The pickle ended up saving his life. So he started hiding the pickle on his tree.
Tradition: Getting a tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:The Germans started it in the 16th century when people would stack piles of wood into a pyramid and put evergreens on it.
Tradition : Putting a star on the tree
ReplyDeleteIt started when germany gave ordaments to us and that is when people started putting a star on the tree because we got ordaments .
Tradition Pickle on the tree
ReplyDeleteIt started in Germany and the parents would put the pickle ordment in the tree and what kid would find it first would get to open the present first or would get a treat.Also could get a extra present.
Tradition:Ornaments on the tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:It started in germany when queen victoria her husband.The prince put candles and bright ornaments on their tree.
Tradition: Decorating Gingerbread Men
ReplyDeleteHow did it start: Greeks and Egyptians ate these for ceremonial purposes. In the 16th century the Americans recreated the recipe to make it a hard cookie. Published in America in 1875.
Tradition: Kissing under the mistletoe
ReplyDeleteHow it started: The tradition started in Norse mythology. It was told that Odin's son, Baldur, was proposed to die, but his mother, Frigg, the goddess of love went to all the animals and plants to secure an oath not to harm him. Frigg neglected to consult with the unassuming mistletoe.The scheming god ,Loki, made an arrow out of the plant and saw that it was used to kill the otherwise invincible Baldur. They say that they brought him back from the dead and then the goddess made the mistletoe a sign of love and vowed to kiss anyone who went under it.
Tradition: The Origin of Santa Claus
ReplyDeleteHow It Started: It begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man. Then he died on 340 A.D.
Tradition: Opening Presents on Christmas Day
ReplyDeleteHow it started: The tradition started from Jews due in part to the Christian liturgical day starting at sunset a practice inherited from Jewish tradition.
Tradition: Christmas Caroling
ReplyDeleteStarted in the 19th century and caroling wasn't just for christmas it was for birthdays , valentine's day , and thanksgiving. It was even made before that when peasants and townsfolk went up to knight's houses and wished them to have a great holiday. It wasn't until the beginning of WW1 when the Germans and the british put down their arms for a day of sharpshooting, Great food and of course, singing
Shelbi Blau
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas pickle was a very old German tradition. The pickle was the supposed to be the last ornament on the Christmas tree. The first child to find the pickle got an extra present.
Tradition- ABC Family's 25 Of Christmas
ReplyDeleteHow It Started- It started as "Fox Family's 25 Days of Christmas." It was then changed to "ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas" 1996. It shows Christmas specials from the 1st to the 25th. Not only do they show Christmas shows, they show old/new Christmas movies- Like "A Christmas Story." ABC added in some Disney movies, like The Little Mermaid, or Mary Poppins!
Tradition: Secret Santa
ReplyDeleteHow it Started: It is a christian tradition starting in Europe when someone is chosen to do someone a good deed.
Tradition: Making lefse with my family.
ReplyDeleteHow it started: It started in Norway a little over 250 years ago.In winter months, women would go to house to house making lefse. But without potatoes, only flour, unlike now. Potatoes, went in the lefse because it was in many other foods.
Tradition:Putting a pickle in the Christmas tree
ReplyDeleteHow it started:This tradition started in the 1800's in Germany when the Woolworth store were selling ornaments that looked like vegetables and fruit. So, I guess the pickle was the ornament that was the most popular.And families in Germany started hanging on their tree. Now, it has turned into a old tradition where you put a pickle ornament on the tree last and the child who finds it first gets an extra present. Not much has changed since then but usually it only happens in houses that are German or have German heritage.
Candy Canes:
ReplyDeleteThe candy canes represent either 'J' for Jesus or the shepherd's crook.The white candy cane represents the purity of Jesus and the red stripes represent the blood Jesus shed on the cross.
The picke was an old German tradition that was started in the 19th century.The pickle was put on the tree and the first kid to find it got an extra present.
ReplyDeleteTradition:Leaving cookies and milk for Santa
ReplyDeleteHow it got started: This tradition was know before Norse mythology ( witch is when the vikings lived). When the kids heard that Santa was coming they whated Santa to not burn all the calories so next year her would be just as plump as he is now. They even can put Carrots out for all of his raindeer who are very tired so they get a treat too. Santa loves all kinds of milk. That is why kids leave milk, cookies and sometimes carrots for Santa and his raindeer
Tradition: Christmas Carols
ReplyDeleteHow it started: The carols were first sung in Europe a long time ago. However, the carols that were sung during that time weren't really about Christmas. But soon, people began to sing them through all seasons. Carols didn't really stick with any season other than winter, thus creating carols about Christmas and such.
Tradition: Why do we eat candy canes?
ReplyDeleteHow it started:A story says that a choirmaster, in 1670, was worried about the children sitting quietly all through the long Christmas nativity service. So he gave them something to eat to keep them quiet!
Tradition:Putting a pickle on a Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteIt starting in the 1800s by people thinking that it was an old german tradition but is wasn't. Parents hide the pickle and the first child to find it gets an
extra present.
Tradition: Krampus
ReplyDeletestarted in the 1600's and in Germany Krampus accompanies Santa he punishes the bed ones and Santa rewards the good ones
Tradition: Singing Christmas Carols
ReplyDeleteIt first started thousands of years ago at the winter solstace then they started ing them in every season but now the only one to survive is the Christmas one.
Tradition: Critmas cards
ReplyDeleteIt srted in London England on 1843. The card along time ago costed alot more money then we found a way to make it a lot more cheapper to send Crismas crads.
Tradition:Hiding the Christmas Pickle
ReplyDeleteThis tradition was first made when a store started selling glass ornaments of various vegetables and a pickle was one of those ornaments. The store said that it was an ancient tradition in Germany, but it turns out that was a myth. The store just made up the tradition to sell them and it has been a tradition ever since!
Tradition: Mistletoe at Christmas
ReplyDeleteHow it started: Mistletoe came from the Western Europe, although the idea of kissing under the mistletoe came from England. The main concept of the mistletoe was to bring good luck to you, and to keep the evil spirits away.
Tradition: Giving gifts to each other
ReplyDeleteHow it started: Giving gifts started when the wise men gave Jesus gold,myrrh, and frankincense on the day Jesus was born. It comes from Jewish worship.
Tradition: Christmas Carols
ReplyDeleteChristmas Carols we originated in Europe and that is where the songs were first sang. Noel is French word which is like Christmas Carols.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas"
ReplyDeleteCounting song of magical or pagan origin
Santa's helpers as "menehunes
Tradition: leaving cookies and milk out
ReplyDeleteIt started during the great depression. People started putting cookies and milk out to show the appreciation to Santa for every thing they were getting. So people gave something in return back, cookies and milk.
Tradition:christmas cards
ReplyDeleteit started in London England in 1843. Along time ago Christmas cards costed a lot so that would be there Christmas present and now people get cards and presents. To me why would it be so expensive back then when they don't have tons of money now people have more money and they are less expensive i don't get it.
Tradition:Getting a Tree
ReplyDeleteHow it Started: In ancient times they use to put pine,spruce, and fir trees in their home. They cut them down and put them in buckets. This continued and is still going on now.
Giving gifts
ReplyDeleteOne of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men
Tradition- Why do we put up a Christmas Tree?
ReplyDeleteThe evergreen tree was an ancient symbol of life in the midst of winter.The Christmas Tree was something there was at Christmas "Practices". Later on the legend that Christ was born at the end of winter, and in the end of the Winter Forest, so there then The evergreen tree was a symbol of Christ.That is the real version, but some bad legends say there was a myth called the Pagan Gods.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas"
ReplyDeleteCounting song of magical or pagan origin
Santa's helpers as "menehunes
Tradition: 25 days of Christmas
ReplyDeleteHow it started: in 1996 people started to countdown 25 days of Christmas starting at December 1st. Each day you would get a small present. On December 25th you would get to open your presents under the tree.
Leaving food for Santa started in 1930s kids put the food out the day before Christmas to thank him for the presents and the presents.
ReplyDeleteTradition: Christmas Trees
ReplyDeleteHow it started: It started long before the advent of Christianity. Plants and trees reminded people of green all year and had a very special meaning to people around this time.
Tradition: Kissing under the mistletoe
ReplyDeleteHow it started: It started thousand of years ago. They used them to cure cramps, so this guy wanted to show them that he would not hurt them. So then he kissed someone under the mistletoe. People are starting to "pluck" a berry from the mistletoe.
Tradition: Giving Gifts
ReplyDeleteHow It Started: It all started when families would give each other presents to remind us of the way the Three Wise Men gave their thanks, love, and gifts to Jesus.
Tradition: Hanging stockings
ReplyDeleteHow It Started: The tradition started when a man who was poor couldn't afford to have his daughters married. Word was spread through town and Santa Claus heard. He came down the chimney, on Christmas eve night, and wanted to leave some gold coins. He saw the girls drying stockings and put the gold inside.
Tradition: Making Christmas cookies.
ReplyDeleteHow it was started: The Tradition of making Christmas cookies originated in the 1800's. During this time cookies were often used to tell stories. This was called "mumming". And was very popular during this time. Many Dutch children started using this cookies to decorate their windows during Christmas time. It was until many years later that the cookies were not used to tell stories envolving figures like baby Jesus and were used to decorate figures like Santa Claus. It still took several years after that for people to just make the cookies for eating and not story telling. And it also took several years for people to adjust to the fact that the cookies would be made unreligious figures.
Tradition: Pickle In The Christmas Tree
ReplyDeleteHow it was started: They started making ornaments in the 1880's. They would hide a fake pickle in the Christmas Tree. Who ever finds it, get a reward. Usually an extra present.