Gazing up at a glowing Christmas tree, the crisp smell of fresh snow in the air, the chatter of family and White Christmas humming in the background: everyone has their own nostalgic holiday traditions. Down to the food we eat, presents we receive and people we celebrate with, Christmas has constantly changed over time.
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, it’s easy to forget the historical and cultural meanings behind the traditions we celebrate.
In order to trace the roots of Christmas, we have to look long before Christianity, to old winter solstice festivals. The two most influential festivals were the Yule and Saturnalia. Yule was a festival in northern Europe and Scandinavian countries, celebrated with feasting and fires. Saturnalia, first celebrated in Rome in 497 B.C., was the source of many of the traditions we associate with Christmas. Candles, gift giving and wreaths were all a part of communal celebrations. Like Christmas, Saturnalia was also held on Dec. 25.
As Christianity spread, the Catholic Church decided to create a holiday to coincide with popular winter festivals. By the 4th century, Christmas had adopted many of the same practices as Saturnalia, but centered it around Jesus’s birth. Over the next thousand years, it spread all over the world, blending with regional festivals from Egypt to Britain.
The European Christmas was eventually brought over to America via British settlers. Despite being introduced in the 1600s, Christmas didn’t become popular until the early 19th century. Santa Claus, Christmas trees and lavish presents were all ideas introduced and solidified during this time. This was aided by classic media pieces like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” “Account of a Visit from St. Nickolas” by Clement Clarke Moore and illustrations of Santa done by Thomas Nas in the late 1800s. These artists heavily drew inspiration from Saint Nikolas in Turkey.
Even today, holidays and traditions are ever-changing for many people in America.
Dakota Starling, a sophomore at Tualatin High School, reflected on holiday traditions.
“My holiday traditions have changed a lot as I’ve gotten older. They’ve become less childlike as I’ve started to understand the meaning of Christmas. I travel a lot now, instead of how I used to for holidays. I do a lot more family-inclusive activities. I go out more, more than I did when I was younger. I think that holiday traditions have developed over time, and changed throughout history, too.”
Christmas is a prime example of how holidays change throughout time. From ancient bonfires to Christmas trees lit with twinkling lights, the festivities have never stopped evolving. Across a variety of centuries and cultures, few things remain constant. The holidays are truly a time that inspires love and community.