Tree? Stockings? Old Saint Nick? Origins of Christmas Traditions Explained

The Tree

The Christmas tree originated in 15th century Germany, according to the History Channel website, though evergreen branches were used to decorate homes in winter since ancient times. The first known Christmas trees displayed in America belonged to German immigrants in the 1830s, but they were viewed as pagan symbols and did not become mainstream.

In 1846, the popular British Queen Victoria was depicted in a newspaper in front of a Christmas tree with her German husband, Prince Albert, and their children. After this, decorating a tree to celebrate Christmas became popular. Since 1850 Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States.

The history of the Christmas tree from History.com

Stockings

According to the Smithsonian Institution, hanging stockings has been a Christmas tradition for centuries, far before Christmas trees became popular. The most popular legend for the origin of Christmas stockings is about a poor man who lived on the southwestern coast of Turkey. He had with three daughters. Due to the local custom, he would need to provide money or property to get a suitor to marry one of his daughters. The father feared that his beautiful daughters would never get married because they had no money.

According to the legend, Saint Nicholas heard about the family's plight, slid down their chimney and put gold coins in stockings drying by the fireplace. The family was overjoyed by the random generosity.

The history of Christmas stockings by Geobeats.

Santa Claus

So who was Saint Nicholas? The real Saint Nicholas was a bishop in the early Christian church. According to the Saint Nicholas Center, the wealthy parents of Nicholas died in an epidemic and left him a large inheritance when he was young. "Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering," states an article on the center's website.

Saint Nicholas was remembered for his generosity and gift giving, but his image gradually changed into the now familiar Santa Claus. By the 1820s, children's books and poems depicted a jolly fur-wearing Saint Nicholas arriving by a reindeer-pulled sleigh.

Image at top via Shutterstock