The History of Christmas

Every year, on the 25th December, millions of people around the world celebrate Christmas Day. Whilst it may seem like a contemporary holiday, it actually dates back a few millennia.

So, how did Christmas start? Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem (modern day Palestine), to this day. But over time, it’s become an amalgamation of customs and traditions.

At Park Christmas Savings, we’ve taken a look at the history of Christmas. From kissing under mistletoes to creating lavish feasts - take a look at how Christmas was and still is celebrated today.

How was Christmas celebrated throughout the years ?

There are various accounts which state how Christmas first came to Britain. Let’s take a look at the background of Christmas and how it was celebrated throughout the years:

Middle Ages

It was recorded that St Augustine of Canterbury was the first person to spread celebrations of Christmas in Britain. In fact, he famously baptised 10,000 Saxons on Christmas Day, 597 AD.

Christianity was already in Britain at this point. However, Christians usually celebrated Easter over the birth of Jesus. Pope Gregory the Great was the one who advised St Augustine to combine existing mid-winter traditions with the idea of Christmas.

Medieval

During mediaeval times, people celebrated Christmas festivities for 12 days starting from the 25th December. On the ‘Twelfth Night’ (6th January), they exchanged presents and commemorated the birth of Jesus.

Just like the Romans, medievals still dwelled in Saturnalian traditions. Like, eating bountiful feasts or servants/masters swapping roles. The Yule Log was also a popular custom, where logs are burnt throughout the period.

Tudors

Festivities during Tudor times were arguably more elaborate than Mediaeval times. On the Twelfth Night (6th January), Queen Elizabeth I held energetic parties, filled with banquets of food and sugar sculptures.

It was customary for the Queen to receive lavish presents before New Year’s Day. People would give things she’d never seen before; presents that showed wealth and stature.

Georgian

During the Georgian era, the 12 Days of Christmas were also important. Feasts were extravagant; with foods like roast beef, mince pies, and Christmas pudding. In fact, savoury and sweet dishes were often served together so people could eat them simultaneously.

The Christmas tradition of kissing under the mistletoe dates to the Georgian period. It’s also said that the carol, ‘While Shepherds Watched’ was first sung during this era.

Victorian

During the Victorian times, people preferred to stay in with their families rather than party with the masses - Queen Victoria, too. Her husband, Prince Albert, popularised decorating Christmas trees with lighting and presents.

Servants and traders received ‘Christmas Box’ tips on the 26th December - thus leading to Boxing Day. They also sent Christmas cards; pulled crackers; and ate turkey and pudding. Many carols date back to this era; like, ‘Good King Wenceslas’, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, and ‘Once in Royal David’s City’.

World War I

During the First World War, British soldiers were able to receive Christmas cards and presents from loved ones whilst away. In fact, over the whole war, 114 million parcels and 2 billion letters were sent to war zones.

To lift spirits further, soldiers often decorated their trenches; the Germans even put up small trees near Ypres. In 1914, the ‘Christmas Truce’ took place, where both sides agreed not to fire at each other on Christmas Day. They took a moment of silence, lit candles, and sang carols.

Some soldiers went even further to honour the truce by allowing the dead to be buried. Some swapped presents (like tobacco and food) and even played football. After Christmas, the truce ended and both sides returned to fighting as usual.

World War II

During the Second World War, many families became separated as children were evacuated from their homes. Goods were rationed throughout the country; however, people learnt to  become frugal with what they had.

They made food from home-grown produce, like carrot cake and candied sweets. They also had rabbit instead of traditional turkey or goose. Decorations were made from old magazines, wallpaper, etc, as paper was rationed. And most toys were handmade, as it was hard to import them.

People also started to attend church at Christmas, as many looked for comfort and hope. Whilst most of these traditions seem familiar, Christmas only became a public holiday in 1958 for us Brits.

Is Christmas only synonymous with Christians?

Christmas is primarily synonymous with Christianity, even throughout their many sects.

However, the origins of Christmas can also be linked to the celebration of the midwinter - particularly, the winter solstice. Let’s take a look at a few examples:

Neolithic (New Stone Age)

During the New Stone Age, people held the winter solstice as an important festival. They built Stonehenge to resonate sunrise on the 21st December, the start of the mid-winter solstice.

They held great feasts; eating great quantities of meat (pork, beef), dairy (cheese milk), and fermented goods (beer, mead). During their festivals, they prayed for the sun in the hope of longer, warmer days.

Norse history

The Scandinavians celebrated Yule (their version of the winter solstice) from the 21st December. During this festival, families celebrate the return of the sun by setting logs on fire for 12 days.

They also shared communal feasts in December. That’s because many people chose to slaughter their livestock rather than keep feeding them throughout winter. Any food that was fermented, like vegetables or beer, were also usually ready for consumption, too.

Roman history

The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, which started on the 17th December and lasted for five days. During these mid-winter days, they praise their god Saturn, who is the chief of the Roman gods.

The festivities involved the disregard of rank and etiquette. People exchanged gifts, wore bright clothes, and allowed for gambling (which was previously banned). Slaves were even served by their masters as a joke for the day. They were even allowed time off (which only happened once a year).