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Christmas traditions are as much a part of the geography and climate of a particular region as anything else. There are an abundance of unique Christmas traditions, and one that I find particularly fascinating is the Misa de Gallo that occurs in Guatemala.
Christmas music certainly provides a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday season. The Christmas season just wouldn’t be the same without Christmas music. Try to incorporate Christmas music into your life every day from now until Christmas.
Continue reading "The Christmas Countdown Has Begun, So, Don’t Forget the Christmas Music!" »
Christmas is an incredibly popular holiday in England and in all of Britain, in fact. In England, they celebrate Christmas somewhat differently than in the U.S., and many Christmas traditions that are an integral part of Christmas celebrations in England never quite made it to the United States.
If you love the great beverage options that are a part of the Christmas season, you might be wondering about the history of eggnog. There are many beverages associated with the winter months, particularly during the holiday season. During December many of us enjoy hot apple cider, hot cocoa, and, of course, eggnog. Below you’ll find some interesting information about the history of eggnog during the Christmas season.
Consider how many Christmas traditions are closely linked to one major character in our annual Christmas celebrations: Santa. There are so many traditions that are linked to Santa Claus, and these traditions only came about as the popularity of Santa Claus grew. Christmas is a magical time of year, and try to consider for a moment just how many annual traditions go hand in hand with the role of Santa Claus.
Continue reading "Many Annual Traditions Rely on Santa Claus" »
Sometime during the last 2,000 years Christmas became a very commercialized holiday. The face of Christmas has changed. Christmas used to be a more festive and warm holiday. Nowadays, Christmas is highly commercialized. What ever happened to the days when children received just a gift or two? Currently, most children have grand expectations of receiving a tree full of gifts. With all the hustle and bustle, the spirit of the Christmas season has been lost.
Continue reading "The Way We Celebrate Christmas Has Changed" »
Even those individuals who don’t know much about the history of Christmas presents realize that the importance of Christmas presents has changed over the centuries. It was once common even in wealthy families for children to get just one Christmas present. The emphasis many Americans put on lots of presents is incredibly common.
The Christmas Eve Holy Supper is a central part of holiday celebrations for some families, and how it is celebrated varies depending on country, specific religious affiliation, and even family. Some countries have a much more elaborate fast in addition to Christmas Eve Holy Supper, and one such lengthy fast is called the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ.
Continue reading "Christmas Eve Holy Supper and the Christmas Season" »
There is something fascinating about Christmas trains. Not that many homes display Christmas trains anymore. It used to be that a prominent train was displayed underneath the Christmas tree. Nowadays, you really only see Christmas trains in homes where someone is a train collector or enthusiast.
There are two Christmas food customs that originated in England are almost always associated with the Christmas season: mince meat and fruitcake. If you live in the U.S. you’re acquainted with eating pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or perhaps pear pie or apple pie at Christmas, but you might have never heard of mince pies. In England, mince pies are a regular part of the annual Christmas celebrations. Curious about what mince pies are and how they play into the Christmas tradition? Well I'm happy to share that with you!
Continue reading "The History of Christmas Fruitcake and Mince Pies" »
The Gubas performance is a century-long tradition that is still celebrated in certain parts of our nation. The Gubas performance is comprised of male parishioners of an Orthodox Christian church. They travel to the homes of members of their parish on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which for some remaining Orthodox churches still following the Julian calendar occurs on January 6th and January 7th. So what do they do when they're there? Read on to find out.
Continue reading "Gubas Tradition Declining, but Fascinating Nonetheless" »
Many people abbreviate Christmas by writing “Xmas.” However, some people consider using an abbreviated form of Christmas to be offensive. These two conflicting viewpoints can be resolved when we learn more about the history of using Xmas as an abbreviation for Christmas.