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Advent: means coming. Advent begins on 1 December. During this time people pray and fast while they remember the journey Mary and Joseph made while on their journey to Bethlehem. In many Christian churches candles are lit on each of the 4 Sundays preceding Christmas.

Advent  Calendar: A German tradition brought to America. Calendars have 24 small windows behind which a small present, sweet, or picture may be seen.

Advent  Wreath: A German tradition brought to America. Advent means coming. A wreath of evergreens is decorated with 4 candles. These candles are lit each of the 4 Sundays before Christmas.

Baba  Noel: Turkey. Father Christmas.        

Baboushka: Russian folk figure. Missed traveling with the three Wise Men on their journey to find the Christ Child, because she looked for gifts for Him. She tried to catch up but could not find their trail. She wanders the world leaving a gift at every house for children in the hope one of them will be the child.

Befana: An Italian witch who missed the birth of Jesus. She wanders the world leaving a present at every house in the hope He is there.

Bethlehem: In Hebrew it means, “ house of bread “. Many scholars say Jesus was born there in 6 BCE. Mary and Joseph would have wanted their Child to be born there as it had been predicted that Bethlehem would be the birth place of the Messiah.

Boxing  Day: 26 December. Originally a Roman custom during Saturnalia. A British tradition whereby church alms boxes were opened and the donations given to the poor. Widely practiced throughout the British Commonwealth. Employees given tips or gifts by their employers on this day. Over time it extended to tradesmen, milkmen, postal carriers, etc.

Candles/lights: Torches, candles, as well as bonfires were an integral part of the mid winter festivals long ago. Romans put lighted candles on trees during Saturnalia in honor of Saturn. Light meant life. During the Middle Ages people put lighted candles in their windows to guide the Christ Child on his way. Advent wreaths often have four candles to symbolize the four Sundays before Christmas. One candle is lit each Sunday. Electricity soon put paid to the practice of lighted candles on trees. Today, light abounds during the Christmas Season.

Candlemas: 2 February. Traditionally the end of Christmas and the time when decorations should be taken down.

Crackers: Initially it was a way to wrap sweets. Printed mottos, riddles, jokes were added by a Londoner, Tom Smith. Sales were slow until he added the cracker. First cracker factory opened in 1847.

Cranberries: Introduced to American settlers by native Americans as something good to eat. One of the few native American Christmas foods.  

Christkindl: The Christ Child. Germany. Introduced during the Reformation. Children get gifts from Him rather than St. Nicholas.

Christmas: 25 December. The day the Christian church celebrates as the birth date of Jesus Christ. Comes from Christ‘s Mass. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 6 January 

Christmas  Bells: All major religions except Islam use bells or cymbals. Bells appear in  Christian churches during the 6^th century. St. Nicholas carries a hand bell to drive away evil spirits. They peal forth at Christmas a  message of peace and joy.

Christmas  Cake: From the reign of Queen Victoria. Her Consort, Prince Albert wanted a cake especially baked for their children.

Christmas  Cards: First proper printed cards sent in 1846 in Great Britain. British school boys started the practice by sending drawn cards home to their parents at Christmas.

Christmas  Carol: Carol means ring dance. They were songs sung at all Religious festivals, not just at Christmas. The practice almost died out at one time, but by the late 1890’s was once again popular. Most of our carols are from that time. “ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen “, and   “ The First Nowell date back to the 1500’s, as does “ The Twelve Days of Christmas “ which was originally a counting rhyme for children. Oldest recognizable carol for many people would be “ O Come O Come Emmanuel “, which dates from the 12^th century.

Christmas  Rose: A true Christmas flower. It blooms in winter.       

Christmas  Star: The five pointed star of Christmas is unique. Guided by it’s light, the Magi traveled to see the Child. It is felt by many scholars that this star appeared in the springtime of 6 BC. The planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were close together and formed a triangle in the group of stars known as Pisces. These stars had appeared just before the birth of Moses and had great significance to the Jewish people.

Christmas  Tree: In pre-Christian times evergreens were thought to be a source of magic as they were green all year round. Pine trees were decorated with trinkets and candles by the Romans during Saturnalia. Over time the trees were gradually brought inside. Fir, and pine are the most popular types of Christmas trees. 1841 saw the Christmas tree introduced into Great Britain from Germany at the Court of Queen Victoria by her husband, Albert. The tree came to America by way of German and British immigrants.

Dun Che Lao Ren: China. Christmas Old Man.

Epiphany: 6 January. Jesus is shown to the Magi.

Father Christmas: One of the many names by which Santa Claus is called in different countries around the world. Gradually being replaced due to mass media. He was one of the folk figures who took over gift giving from St. Nicholas during the reformation. A pre-Christian character who descended from Saturn, Thor. Usually pictured as a giant with a scarlet robe trimmed in fur. On his head he wore a crown of ivy, holly, or mistletoe. A symbol of feasting and drinking.

Father Frost: Russia. Replaced Nikolai Chudovorits as the gift giver. His home is far beyond the Arctic Circle. He comes on New Year‘s Day with his daughter, the Snow Maiden, to deliver presents. They come on a reindeer drawn sleigh. He is dressed in furs. She is dressed in white and carries a wand.                                                                     

Glastonbury Thorn: England. Hawthorn tree that grew from a staff Joseph of Arimathea, planted in the soil at Glastonbury Abbey. It blooms at Christmas. Trees grown from it’s cuttings are supposed to heal people who touch them on Christmas day. The change to the Gregorian Calendar in 1752 stopped this tradition as the date for Christmas changed by 11 days.

Handels’s Messiah: First performed in 1741. He finished it in 24 days at his London residence. Over 256 pages of manuscript including rough work. Words to the Messiah were written by Charles Jennings. Handel wrote the Messiah for the benefit of Irish charities.

Holly: Well known to the Romans and Celts as an evergreen. It was thought to have special power. Used to ward off evil spells, lighting, and was thought to be protection against poison. Holly was exchanged between friends during Saturnalia. It came to represent Christ‘s crowns of thorns. The red berries came to symbolize the blood of Christ.

Ivy: A symbol of happiness and honor. Its black berries were considered a cure for the Black Death. Used as decoration in homes and churches, but only on the exterior because of its pagan associations.

Irving, Washinton: The author of, “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow “. Joined the New York Historical Society in 1908 and in 1909 wrote, “ Diedrich Knickerbocker’s History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty “. Among other topics about the Dutch, he describes their tradition of Christmas. His book helped to popularize Christmas in America.

Jacapone Da Todi: Christians consider him the father of the modern Christmas carol. He encouraged the singing of simple songs in praise of Christ’s birth, rather than the serious Latin hymns.

Julecake: Norwegian bread filled with raisins, candied peel, and spices.

Kris Kringle: An anglisization of the German Gift Giver, Christkindl, the Christ Child. He left gifts in the branches of people’s Christmas trees rather than their stockings.

Lang Khoeng: China. Good Old Father.

Laurel: Heroes wore crowns of laurel leaves. When young doctors graduated they wore laurel at the berry stage (bacca). From this practice comes the terms baccalaureate and bachelor. Used to decorate homes and churches. It was thought to protect against thunder and evil forces. It’s leaves (bay) are used in cooking.

Letterbanket: Dutch. Made from marzipan and pastry and rolled into the letters of the alphabet corresponding to people’s names.

Magi: The three Wise Men who followed the Star of Bethlehem and  attended the birth of Christ. They were astrologers who studied the motion of stars and planets. Gave the Christ Child gifts of  frankincense, myrrh, and gold. The position of the three planets  grouping together in Pisces and radiating a light for an extended period of time must have excited them. They deliver gifts in Spain on 5 January.

Mincemeat: Initially it did contain meat. Once made of chopped partridge, pheasant, hare, chopped beef. It was a way to enhance the taste of spoiled meat in those pre-refridgeration days. Over time the meat was replaced by fruits and nuts. Banned by the Puritans because of it’s religious connotations.

Mistletoe: Legends surrounding mistletoe extend back to the Norse period in Northern Europe. It came to symbolize purity, strength, and was hung in houses to bring happiness, enforce  peace, promote romance, and ward off evil spirits. The church banned it because of its pagan associations. In Europe it grows on oak trees. In America, it grows on maple and black gum trees. If you stand under it you cannot refuse a kiss.

Nast, Thomas: He portrayed Santa Claus in a new way for Harper’s Weekly from 1863 until 1886. The Santa he drew was the Weihnachtmann, the Christmas Man from his native Germany. Over the years, the figure he drew began to resemble the Santa of today. Among other concepts, he had Santa living at the North Pole, making toys in his workshop, keeping records of good and bad boys and girls; answering mail from children.

Nativity Cribs: First used by St. Francis of Assissi in the 12^th century.

Nativity Plays: Began in the 13^th century as part of the Miracle plays.

Nikolai Chudovorits: Russia. St. Nicholas. Replaced the shamans of the reindeer people of Lapland and Siberia.    

Oak: Mistletoe comes from the oak. In Europe most Yule logs were oak. Considered holy by Jews, Greeks, Romans and Celts. 

Panetone: Italian cake often eaten after mid-night services.

Papa Noel: Brazil. Father Christmas.

Pere Noel: Father Christmas in France.

Pere Fouettard: France. Introduced in the 17^th century. He role was to punish bad boys and girls.

Pinatas: Mexico. Small clay jars are filled with sweets and gifts and hung  from trees. Children try to break the  Pinatas and gather up the presents and sweets.

Pintard, John: A founder of the New York Historical society who persuaded that august group in 1810 to conduct an annual dinner in honor of St. Nicholas. Still going on as far as I know.

Piragi: Continental Europe. Turnovers, rolls, filled with potatoes, cheese, bacon, etc. Spread throughout North America.

Poinsettia: Mexico. Legend says a little girl with no gift for the Child on Christmas Eve was instructed by an angel to pick some weeds at the side of the road. A miracle occurred when the leaves turned red. A new tradition in the Christmas family of plants. Brought back to America by Jack Poinsett, Minister to Mexico.

Posada: Spanish word for inn. Children in Mexico conduct a procession from 16 December to Christmas Eve. They carry a board with figures of Mary and Joseph on it. They sing carols outside houses and ask for shelter. On successive nights more figures are added to the board, until a stable, manger, and animals are present. At midnight on Christmas Eve, the Child is the final addition. Gifts are taken to church and given away.

Prang, Louis: Known as the father of the American Christmas card.

Presents: Given at Christmas remind us of Christ’s birthday. It also is a  way to show family and friends we love them. In pre–historic times people gave gifts to celebrate the winter solstice, the time of the year when days become longer and nights shorter. Christianity gradually incorporated the practice of the midwinter festival into Christmas.

Reformation: Mid 1500’s. Brought reform to the Christian church in Europe. Saint’s feast days were banned and St. Nicholas was no exception. The practice of giving gifts on his day was moved to Christmas. Other figures were introduced throughout Europe to give gifts, and by the 1600’s most children had never heard of St. Nicholas. Only Holland, a seafaring nation, kept the tradition of St. Nicholas, the patron of sailors.

Reindeer: Popularized in Clement Moore’s poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" . Prior to this time, Santa Claus went on his Christmas Eve rounds in a horse drawn sleigh. Concept may have come from the shamans of Lapland who had a supernatural reindeer help them fight against rival shamans.

Rosemary: Now used to season food was once a Christmas plant. Housewives spread it on the 
floor during Christmas. 

Rudolph: The laughing stock of all the other reindeer because of his large shining nose. One 
Christmas, Santa Claus enlisted his help to guide the sleigh through a dense fog, and he’s been a member of the team since then.

San Nicola: Italy. St. Nicholas.

Saturn: The god of agriculture. The ancestor of Father Christmas.

Saturnalia: The festival (1728 December) honoring the god of the harvest, Saturn; and Mithra, the god of light. This event was celebrated throughout Roman occupied Europe. Gifts were exchanged, homes decorated with greenery and candles. Singing, dancing, feasting, drinking major components of the festivities.

Schimmelreiter: The rider of the white horse. Reference to St. Nicholas.

Silent Night: Written on Christmas Eve in 1818, by Joseph Mohr, parish priest in Obendorf, Austria. The church organ broke and they needed music that could be accompanied by a guitar.

Sinter Klaas: The Dutch name for Santa Claus. Sinter Klaas dresses as a bishop. He rides a white horse and comes to Holland from Spain in a ship.

Sundblom, Haddon: As part of the Coca Cola ad campaign starting in 1931 . He drew the Santa Claus we know today. He painted Santa Claus’ suit in Coca Cola red, made him large, jolly, and more human than any artist to that point. 

Thomas Smith: A Londoner who invented the Christmas cracker in 1849.

St. Knute: Sweden. Forbade people to fast in the period from Christmas and the Octave of Epiphany.

St. Lucia: Sweden. 13 December. Marks the start of the Christmas season there. The youngest girl in the house wears a white dress and a crown of candles on her head. She serves coffee and cake to family members to commemorate the time when Christians in hiding relied on the saint to provide food. She was caught and executed.

St. Nicholas: Born in Asia Minor during the 4th century. He was renowned for his gift giving and miracles and soon supplanted Odin, Thor, and other pagan gods as the bringer of presents. Lost favor during the Reformation in Europe, and in the 1960’s was struck from the Calendar of Saints by the Catholic Church. Still revered in many countries.

Star of Bethlehem: Studies by astronomers and historians along with the bible suggest Jesus was born in the spring of 6 BCE. The planets, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are close together in the heavens at this time. They form a triangle in a group of stars known as Pisces. This may have been the star of Bethlehem. 

Waits: Originally the town watch who patrolled to make sure all was well. Later some of the waits formed musical groups who strolled about playing music for money. They began the tradition of caroling at doors.

Wassail: An alcoholic drink consumed at Christmas. Spiced beer or mulled wine. Wassailing means to go carol singing during Christmas.

Weihnachtsmann: Germany. Christmas Man.

Wenceslas: First Christian king of Bohemia. Known for his kindness. We all know the song, "Good King Wenceslas".

Winter Solstice: 22 December. The time of year when we have our shortest day. Midwinter rituals were held in ages past to help the sun return. These festivals are the fore-runner of the Christmas season today. Most famous of the festivals was Saturnalia, a  time of gift giving, feasting, drinking, and masked revelers.

Xmas: First letter of the Greek word for Christ. Xristos.

Yule: Origin of the word in debate. The Norse word, yol, means a pagan feast lasting 12 days. Also means wheel and may refer to the revolution of the sun.

Yule Log: Northern Europe. A tradition whereby a large oak log was brought home and decorated with greenery and ribbons. It was kept burning for days. It was thought to have the magic to bring back the sun and longer days. The ashes were put on the fields to protect crops from disease. We often see a chocolate Yule Log at the Christmas table. English settlers brought the Yule log to America.

Zwart Piet: A Moorish assistant to Sinter Klaas. He is the one who punishes bad boys and girls; and went down the chimney to drop off presents. Does not seem to have come to America with the Dutch in the 1620’s.