The Holiday Season is full of traditions, but have you ever wondered where some of our favorite traditions originated?
Poinsettias
Originally called Cuitlaxochitl, poinsettias are native to Mexico, where they have been used in Christmas celebrations since the 17th century. Mexican legend tells of a young girl, who had no money or gift for the celebration of Christmas. In the legend, an angel tells her to pick weeds and put them on the altar. Deep red flowers sprouted from the weeds and became the Poinsettia. Joel Poinsett, America’s first ambassador to Mexico, stumbled across the plant during his time in Mexico. An amateur botanist, he fell in love with the plant and sent cuttings back to his greenhouse in South Carolina. As it grew in popularity in the United States, it was given a new name to commemorate the man who brought it to America – the poinsettia.
Candy Canes
Soon after Christmas trees became popular in Europe, people began making their own decorations, usually cookies or candy. Straight white sticks of sugar were popular as Christmas tree decorations during this time. In 1670, the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral asked a local craftsman if he could make the white sticks with a crook in them, reminiscent of a Shepherd’s Crook. He handed these out to children who came to the cathedral to help keep them quiet during services. The trend caught on as it also made it easier to hang them on Christmas trees. The stripes weren’t added until hundreds of years later, when candy canes became popular in the United States.
Gingerbread
The history of gingerbread cookies, houses and whatnot at Christmas is murky since the ginger root is Asian and the Germans hold the cookies dear, but everyone knows that Christmas just isn’t the same without a house or a man or even some type of giraffe or something! Gingerbread people have been seen in historical texts as far back as 1598 in Shakespeare plays, but it was the Germans who created the houses we all have come to love.
From these humble beginnings, these and so many other traditions have become a huge part of holiday celebrations across America and around the world. No matter what your favorite holiday traditions are, I wish you a joyful holiday season, celebrating traditions with family and friends.