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The History Of Traditions
They seem mere age-old practice followed till date, only because they need to be... have you ever wondered why and how they came into existence? In tune with the christmas season, here are two traditions along with their history.
Gift Giving - In the Dec 17th Roman festival of Saturnalia and Jan. 1st Roman New Year holidays, gifts were given as good luck emblems and houses were decorated with greenery. The early Christians frowned on this pagan ritual, and wouldn't have any part of it. For years though, many of the converts wouldn't part with the practice of giving gifts and related it to the Magi's giving of gifts and later to St Nicholas' (Santa Clause) gift giving. Gift giving became widely accepted by the middle ages.
The most popular gift requests of boys & girls are of toys, but in the 19th and early 20th century it was fruit, nuts and candy and for many of the early letters to Santa printed in newspapers would include this.
Beginning in early 1900's teddy bears became the most requested gift by boys and girls and still is the most popular stuffed toy of all time. Many churches to this day make up sacks of fruit, nuts and candy to pass out to everyone on the Sunday before Christmas.
Mistletoe – Around the time of New Year ancient Celtic priests would collect mistletoe from their holy oak tree and offer some as a sacrifice to the Gods. Some would be hung up during a ceremony, during which people would stand under it and kiss showing an end to their old grievances with each other. To this day people follow this tradition.
They seem mere age-old practice followed till date, only because they need to be... have you ever wondered why and how they came into existence? In tune with the christmas season, here are two traditions along with their history.
Gift Giving - In the Dec 17th Roman festival of Saturnalia and Jan. 1st Roman New Year holidays, gifts were given as good luck emblems and houses were decorated with greenery. The early Christians frowned on this pagan ritual, and wouldn't have any part of it. For years though, many of the converts wouldn't part with the practice of giving gifts and related it to the Magi's giving of gifts and later to St Nicholas' (Santa Clause) gift giving. Gift giving became widely accepted by the middle ages.
The most popular gift requests of boys & girls are of toys, but in the 19th and early 20th century it was fruit, nuts and candy and for many of the early letters to Santa printed in newspapers would include this.
Beginning in early 1900's teddy bears became the most requested gift by boys and girls and still is the most popular stuffed toy of all time. Many churches to this day make up sacks of fruit, nuts and candy to pass out to everyone on the Sunday before Christmas.
Mistletoe – Around the time of New Year ancient Celtic priests would collect mistletoe from their holy oak tree and offer some as a sacrifice to the Gods. Some would be hung up during a ceremony, during which people would stand under it and kiss showing an end to their old grievances with each other. To this day people follow this tradition.
Anupamaa
