Christmas is so close you can hear bells jingling and smell the peppermint hot chocolate in the air. Families happily await the season throughout the year and create unique ways to celebrate the holiday all throughout the month of December, leading up to Christmas Day. Here are some classic traditions to incorporate into your holiday routine this year and for years to come.
- Putting up a Christmas tree
The holiday revolves around this one item— a good pine tree (artificial or real) is essential to the festivities. This tradition involves placing the tree in your living room, decorating it with all sorts of ornaments, and putting the presents that will be opened on Christmas Day under the tree. - Writing a letter to Santa
St. Nicholas was first portrayed as a disciplinarian who wrote letters to children. However, the tradition has progressed over the past 150 years to children writing letters to Santa Claus listing the presents they want on Christmas Day. - Singing Christmas Carols
Families gather around singing classic Christmas songs. Carols began as Pagan songs that people would sing while dancing around stone circles. They were written all throughout the year but were sung during Christmas. Later, Pagan songs progressed to Christian songs and choruses of Italian nativity plays were later added. - Placing stockings above the fireplace
This tradition consists of hanging a stocking (that represents the person’s personality) for each member of the family above the chimney and filling them with gifts. It began with the legend of a nobleman that couldn’t finance his daughter’s weddings. One night, after the family went to sleep, St. Nicholas threw three sacks of gold through the chimney and into stockings that had been left to dry and the daughters were able to marry. - Ringing Christmas bells
Bells are rung at sunset because that was when the church day would begin. The bells are rung at midnight because that is when it is believed that Jesus was born. In the past and present, handbells were taken to go carol singing. - Kissing under mistletoe
This plant is believed to bring good luck repel any bad energy. Ancient Greeks believed the Mistletoe had power. Now, tradition calls for people to kiss under mistletoe— it is said that if you are kissed under mistletoe, you will have a long-lasting relationship. - St. Nicholas
Santa Claus rides on a reindeer-driven sleigh to deliver gifts around the world in one night, however, St. Nicholas was a bishop whose parents left him a fortune when they passed away that he used to give back to others. He was known to help the poor and give gifts to those who needed them. - Secret Santa gift exchange
One way to give Christmas presents is to give a present to all your close loved ones. Another more fun and mysterious way is writing names on a paper, folding them up and placing them in a hat, and allowing each person to blindly pick a name from the hat. The name one gets is who they have to find a present for. - Eating Christmas pudding
The British plum pudding is now a very typical ending to Christmas dinner. King George I established it as a part of the Christmas meal and it has remained popular since. - Burning the Yule log
This Nordic tradition comes from the old Winter Solstice festivals that were called Yule. The longest part of the log is placed into the fire, where it gets lit by the remaining parts of the previous year’s log. The remains are carefully stored throughout the twelve days of Christmas. - Pantomimes
First a traditional Christmas play in England, it now acts as children’s entertainment. Men would sometimes take the role of playing women and women would take the role of playing men. - Taking and sending Christmas cards
Families take a holiday themed photo, usually printed with a decorative frame, and send them to family and friends, wishing them a Merry Christmas. Christmas cards were made popular by a British artist in the Victorian period in England. - Nativity scene
This might be the oldest tradition associated with Christmas. A small area is decorated as the setting of Jesus’ birth. His crib is surrounded by straw and an ox, a sheep, and a donkey. On Christmas day, a figure of baby Jesus is placed in the crib. - Jesse trees
The Jesse tree is an old tradition that started during the medieval times. It tells the story of the Bible from creation to the story of Christmas and was used for those who could not read, sometimes as a tapestry or stained glass window. The name comes from Jesse, the father of the Jewish King David. - Candy canes
These red and white striped canes were once straight sugar sticks. Different meanings are given to candy canes: The ‘J’ shape is said to signify Jesus or be part of an old story that said they were used to keep the children quiet at mass with the shape reminding them of a shepherd’s cane. The canes were manufactured by Bob McCormack whose brother-in-law ended up creating a device that curved the canes to the shape they are now known for. - Santa Claus’ Reindeer
Reindeer are associated Santa Claus because they are believed to pull his sleigh on Christmas. Christmas movies show reindeer flying through the sky, helping jolly old St. Nick deliver presents. There were originally eight: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder, and Blixem. Rudolph was later included. - Leaving out milk and cookies
Placing milk and cookies for Santa for when he comes down the chimney and places gifts under the tree is supposed to help him have enough energy to make it through all the other trips he has to make. This started around the time of the Great Depression and was supposed to encourage children to share. - The Twelve Days of Christmas
Spreading out from December 25 to January 5, this religious tradition celebrates the birth of Jesus. Each day celebrates different saints or events. Now, the twelve days are known because of a popular song that begins with, “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…” - Drinking hot chocolate
This drink is perfect for the cool temperatures that December brings and perfect for the Christmas festivities. - Drinking eggnog
Initially a wintertime drink for the British aristocracy, the beverage is made out of eggs with sugar and cream. - Advent calendars
Calendars contain pocket doors that go up to December 24, counting down the days to Christmas Eve. The Latin word “adventur,” meaning arrival, precedents the word advent. - Putting up Christmas lights
Originally people would hang white candles on their trees. The tradition took a turn when Edward H. Johnson invented the first independent string of electrical light bulbs in 1882. Later on, they were displayed on the White House. - Poinsettias
Poinsettias, which are native to Mexico, have star-shaped leaves, which are supposed to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. - Building gingerbread houses
These sweet houses are made out of gingerbread cookie and can be decorated with royal icing and different candies. They originated from England, becoming a popular Christmas tradition due to Queen Victoria and her husband. - Watching Christmas movies
Almost everyone watches Christmas movies during this season. The ongoing tradition of watching Christmas movies includes classics such as How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, and Elf.
