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The custom of hanging stockings comes from England. Father Christmas once dropped some gold coins while coming down the chimney. The coins would have fallen through the ash grate and been lost if they hadn't landed in a stocking that had been hung out to dry. Since that time children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled with gifts. Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their requests, but instead of dropping them in the mailbox, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke.
On Christmas Eve children leave out mince pies, brandy or some similar warming beverage for Father Christmas, and a carrot for the reindeer. Christmas crackers are a party favourite in England. Conceived in 1850 by a London confectioner called Tom Smith whilst sitting in front of his log fire. Today's crackers are short cardboard tubes wrapped in colourful paper and traditionally there will be one cracker next to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. When the crackers are pulled, out falls a colourful party hat, a toy or gift and a festive joke. The party hats look like crowns and we assume these symbolise the crowns worn by the three kings. Gifts are opened Christmas morning. The younger children will awake very early in the
morning to find a stocking at the end of their bed and some presents on the floor. Later, the family will gather together to open all the presents that have been left under the Christmas tree. The celebration of Boxing Day, which takes place on December 26 - the feast of St. Stephen, is a part of the holiday season unique to Great Britain. Traditionally, it is on this day that the alms box at every English church is opened and the contents are distributed to the poor. Also, this is the day that servants traditionally got the day off to celebrate with their families. It became traditional for working people to break open their tip boxes on this day.
Christmas has ancient pre-Roman origins dating back to Celtic and German beliefs. The early Chruistian Church as part of the Chritinization process adopted ptr-Chtostian celebrations abnd custopms to ease the process. And England's Celtic, Roman, and German foundation became part of early Christmas celebrations. Decorated homes with greeery (holly, ivy, and mistletoe)n is a tradition dating back to ancirnt times. The coming of the Romans meant the arrival of Christisnity (1st century AD). Chriustuanity had not made major enroads whbn the the Roman Legions withdrew from Britain. The Anglo-Saxons which followed were pagabs (5th cenyury). The Anglo-Saxons (Germanic people) called the winter celebration Yule. The old Saxon word Yule meant mid-winter. With conversion to Christianity Yule came to mean Christmas -- Jesus's birtday (7th century). The name Christmas did not appear until much later (11th century). For most of English history Christmas was just one of the many festivals celebrated during the year. As with Roman Saturnalia, Christmas celebrations until modern times could be rather raucous affairs. And tghere was no emphasis on childere. This us why the English Puritans (Polgrims) who srrled Massacghusetts actually banned the celebration of Christmas. All of this chabged with Queen Victoruia. Prince Albert was intebnt in making Chtistmas a sedate family affair focusedon the childrem. . He intriduced mahny popular German customs like the Chridtmas Tree ficused on family celevrations rathor than frinking and raucous public behavior. Until the 19th century Christmas was not an especually important important celevration. And it was not an especially religious one. An importsbt tradition dating back to the Anglo-Saxomn times was to burn a Yule log in the fireplace. By the 19th century, lighting a large Yule candle was popular. Our modern Christmas traditions appeared primnarily (19th century).
And cmich of it appearedduring vthe Victorian era (1837-1901). Most of the traditions that make up a 'traditional' English Christmas were imported into England from other countries). And Prince Albert was the orinary, but not vonly agent. We begin to Christmas trees, Christmas cards, Christmas crackers, paper decorations and Father Christmas with his white beard and red costume. Most of all, Albert wanted Christnmas to nbe a sedate famoly affair centered on the family, especially the children.
The custom of hanging stockings comes from England. Father Christmas once
dropped some gold coins while coming down the chimney. The coins would have fallen
through the ash grate and been lost if they hadn't landed in a stocking that had been hung out to dry. Since that time children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled with gifts.
Christnas trees are now a well-eatablished English tradition, but this was not the case as late as the early 1i9th century. It was Prince albert who brought the Christmas tree from Germany to England and gradually helped populariz it.
Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their requests, but instead of dropping them in the mailbox, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke. An English readeer writes, "This will sound awfully Hunbug-ish, but although your info on England is correct, I have never in my life heard of anyone actually sending a letter up the chimney - I've only ever read about it as a custom but without any evidence of it still in use. Kids do write letters to Santa which these days are put in mailboxes or - if the area and parents are more sensible--into special boxes set out in some schools and organisations."
The stockings and crackers are very much part of English Christmas culture, as is leaving
out a mince pie and cookies for Santa as well as some unspecified beverage. Sometimes it's milk, sometimes sherry, a glass of wine, a can of beer." There are many similarities between American and Englosh Christmases. But one definite difference is that Santa on his American stops would never be left a can of beer! Many American children would be shicked at the very idea. In America, Santa would be strictly limited to milk and cookies. We suspect in England the decline of the old tradition of sending the Chruistmas letters up in smoke has declined because fewer English himes have fire places and those that do have often placed gas or electric fires in them.
On Christmas Eve children leave out mince pies, brandy or some similar warming
beverage for Father Christmas, and a carrot for the reindeer.
Christmas crackers are a party favourite in England. Conceived in 1850 by a
London confectioner called Tom Smith whilst sitting in front of his log
fire. Today's crackers are short cardboard tubes
wrapped in colourful paper and traditionally there will be one cracker next
to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. When the crackers are pulled, out falls a
colourful party hat, a toy or gift and a festive joke. The party hats look like crowns and we assume these symbolise the crowns worn by the three kings.
Gifts are opened Christmas morning. The younger children will awake very early in the
morning to find a stocking at the end of their bed and some presents on the floor.
Later, the family will gather together to open all the presents that have been left under the Christmas tree.
The celebration of Boxing Day, which takes place on December 26 - the feast of St. Stephen, is a part of the holiday season unique to Great Britain. Traditionally, it is on this day that the alms box at every English church is opened and the contents are distributed to the poor. Also, this is the day that servants traditionally got the day off to celebrate with their families. It became traditional for working people to break open their tip boxes on this day.
Especially interesting are the Christmas memories submitted by readers. Philip tells us about his Christmas menories in the 1960s. Another English reader, Bill, tells us about Christmas with his grabdparents. He recalls ir because of a Christmas outfit grandmother got for him which included white knee socks--which he absolutely hated.
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