From its Puritan roots to today's commercialized version, Christmas in America has many traditions, old and new. Some traditions date back to ancient Greek and Roman times, while others were started in modern times.
Christmas Pickles
If there's a pickle among your traditional ornaments, you're likely taking part in an American tradition. The first child to find the pickle wings a gift or get to open the first present on Christmas morning.The origins of this ornament are a bit unknown, but it likely grew from an old F.W. Woolworth's marketing gimmick from the late 1800s. The retailer received German ornaments shaped like a pickle and need a way to get the public to buy in.
Advent Calendars
Early versions of this tradition started in Germany in 1903. A publisher wanted to offer a way for children to count down to Christmas. By opening one "door" or "window" a day to reveal a Bible passage, poem or small gift, he gave kids a way to get into the Christmas spirit very day of the month until the big day arrived.
Gingerbread Houses
Although Queen Elizabeth I gets all the credit for the early decorating of gingerbread
cookies, it was the Germans who lay claim to the start of the gingerbread house tradition.
When the Brothers Grimm wrote "Hansel and Gretel" a new holiday tradition was born. Today, the edible decorations come in many shapes and sizes and are designed for kids to be able to personalize their very own gingerbread house however they like.
Cookies and Milk for Santa
Leaving treats for Santa and his reindeer dates back to ancient Norse mythology. Americans began to warm to the tradition during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
As a sign of showing gratitude during a time of struggle, families would gather what little they had to give and would leave a little treat for Santa and his hardworking reindeer by the fireplace at night. By morning, the treats would be gone and in their place Santa could leave presents for the children.
Wreaths
Wreaths have been around a long time, dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times. But the evergreen Christmas wreath is fairly newer. Often adorned with boughs of holly, the evergreen wreath took on a Christian meaning.The circular shape represents eternal life, and the holly leaves and berries are symbolic of Christ's crown of thorns and blood.
Here's a picture of our wreath on our pantry door.
Christmas Cards
The concept of a mailed winter holiday greeting slowly caught on in both England and the U.S. The Kansas City-based Hall Brothers, now known as Hallmark, created a folded card sold with an envelope in 1915.
Fun Fact: More than 1.6 billion holiday cards are sold every year.
Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was erected in 1931, during the Depression-
era construction of Rockefeller Center. On Christmas Eve, Italian American workers decorated a smaller, 20-foot tree with "strings of cranberries, garlands of paper and even a few tin cans.
Department Store Santa
Children lining up to sit on Santa's lap dates back to 1890. Originally, James Edgar of Massachusetts had a Santa suit made for him and dressed as the jolly old Saint Nick at his dry goods store.
Just a year later, Santas could be found in many stores across the country. It is widely known that Edgar was the original store Santa, but Macy's in New York claims it has been hosting Santa since 1862. P.S. Taken in the early 1950s, this could have been me sitting on Santa's lap!Salvation Army Bell Ringers
Every December, bell-ringers are out in force to accept donations with their iconic red
kettles. Salvation Army bell-ringers have collected money for the needy since 1891. The tradition started with San Francisco Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee who wanted to raise money to offer a free Christmas dinner to 1,000 of the city's most needy.
He was inspired by a kettle he had seen in England that people tossed in coins for the poor and decided to set up his own version. The idea caught on and quickly spread across the country and the world.
Gabe Dawson didn't believe catastrophes came in threes. That is, until his grandfather died, a fire nearly destroyed his home, and his grandmother started showing signs of forgetfulness.
When Hope Brody discovers Nora Dawson wandering in a snowy field and learns of the family's loss, she sets out to recreate the quilt that was destroyed in the fire. But in order to present it to her at the Annual Christmas Eve Quilt gathering, that meant she'd have to get to know the taciturn Gabe Dawson.
Despite thwarting her efforts at friendship, Gabe finally acknowledges that Hope's visits are helping ease his grandmother's anxieties. Soon, he finds himself falling for the lovely quilter. But with only a small farm and almost constant care of his ailing grandmother, he has nothing to offer and would never be a woman's first choice. As Christmas approaches, will Hope look beyond his obligations and see a future blossom from a special, once-in-a-lifetime friendship?
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