The Christmas Thread

[Hashtag]

Why do we decorate with EVERGREENS?
Holly, ivy and mistletoe are some of the few plants that keep their leaves during the European midwinter, and were revered as symbolising everlasting life. Sprigs of green leaves were brought inside to provide a temporary haven for the tree-dwelling spirits that were seen to have deserted the rest of the forest for the winter. Holly and ivy were also primitive symbols for male and female and therefore fertility. The Church injected Christian meaning into the use of holly, making it a symbol for Jesus' crown of thorns. One legend says holly berries used to be white but Christ's blood left them with a permanent crimson stain. To Christians, decorating with evergreens symbolises eternal life through Jesus.

Who is FATHER CHRISTMAS / SANTA CLAUS?
Our British Father Christmas is a combination of the Viking "Old Winter" and the legend of St Nicholas who became known as Santa Claus. The Vikings chose someone to represent Old Winter and he was dressed up, fed and made as welcome as possible in an attempt to appease the gods and bring on a mild winter. This figure later became confused with Santa Claus and they are now considered one and the same. Santa, however, came to Britain from America, where he was introduced by Dutch immigrants. Their "Sinter Klaas" was Saint Nicholas, a Bishop of Myra in fourth century Lycia (in Asia Minor), famed for acts of kindness. see http://www.stnicholascenter.org

Why do we eat MINCE PIES?
The mince pie goes back hundreds of years - England's King Henry V was a great fan of them and was served a mincemeat pie at his coronation in 1413. When the crusaders returned from the Holy Land with spices, and it was deemed appropriate to celebrate Christ's birthday with a pie containing spices from his native land. It was important to add three spices (cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg) for the three gifts given to the Christ child by the Magi. Originally the mince pie did contain meat - mincemeat was a way of preserving meat by mixing it with fruit, spices and alcohol. The initial mince pies were large rather than bite size. It is sometimes said that the large pies were cooked in an oblong dish and that the top often used to cave in. As a result the mince pie looked a little like a crib, in keeping with the Christian nativity story. Over time the amount of meat in mincemeat was gradually reduced until it became the fruit only substance we know today. In addition, the pies became smaller. Apparently they were sometimes called "wayfarers' pies" because they were given to visitors over the Christmas period.

Why do people kiss under the MISTLETOE?
The European mistletoe, as a parasitic plant growing on deciduous trees, was seen as a symbol of the continuing 'life-force' (and vitality/fertility) of the tree through the winter, and was sacred to the Celts. The fertility image was completed by European mistletoe's shape and form. Druids would hold a special ceremony for any mistletoe found growing on a similarly sacred oak. Such a plant could be cut only with a golden sickle on to a white sheet - if it touched either earth or iron the magic powers would be lost. Scandinavians regarded mistletoe as a peace plant and it was given to indicate a truce between warring nations or husband and wife. Its evergreen leaves and association with kissing meant it later got used as a symbol of Christian love and eternal life. The modern tradition of kissing under the mistletoe may be more to with 18th century fashions to promote druidic ideas than a genuine national tradition. It is a very British tradition, hardly practised abroad except for English-speaking countries, particularly North America.

Who put on the first NATIVITY PLAY?
The nativity play was created as a means of telling the Christmas story. Many people were unable to read or write so they couldn't read the Christmas story in the Bible themselves. Also many of the church services were in Latin which they didn't understand. There were generally two plays in the Christmas repertoire, one about shepherds, the other involving wise men. These plays merged and some details about Herod and the slaughter of the innocents were later added for dramatic effect. The telling of the Christmas story has been an important part of the Christianisation of Christmas. One way that the Christmas story has been maintained is through the crib, a model of the manger that Jesus was born in. The tradition of crib making dates back to at least 400 AD when Pope Sixtus III had one built in Rome. In many parts of Europe in the 18th century crib making was an important craft form. This was not the case in England until much later, suggesting that British Christmases were less Christian than those in other parts of Europe. St Francis of Assisi is credited with staging the first Nativity performance in Italy in about 1223.

PANTOMIMES - why???
from www.hissboo.co.uk/pantomimes.html - Like Cricket, another venerated English institution, pantomime defies an easy and logical description. Why do men dress up as women and women with seemingly endless legs slap their thighs and pretend to be men - usually without the slightest glimmer of innuendo? Vast tomes have been written on the history of pantomime. It draws its origins from aspects of Commedia dell'arte, French ballets-pantomimes - which were themselves descended from a distant Roman tradition based on a dumb show performed by a single masked dancer called Pantomimus - and the 18th century Harlequinade. It was to be transformed in the early 19th century by the great clown Grimaldi who established many of its now established conventions.
see www.limelightscripts.co.uk/scripts/history.htm for more info!

Why do we give PRESENTS at Christmas?
One of the earliest known customs of giving presents around the time of the winter solstice was during the Roman festival of the Kalends, on the first day of January. Such gifts were known as "strenae" and were originally merely branches plucked from the grove of the goddess Strenia, probably with the aim of securing contact with this vegetation-spirit. High ranking officials of the Roman Administration were expected to present gifts to their Emperor during Kalends, and during Caligula's reign the gifts were changed to honey and cakes, as a symbol of their wish that the new year might be full of sweetness, and gold that it might bring prosperity, as Caligula was not impressed with olive branches. Sometime in the 1200's the custom of giving gifts during the mid-winter festival moved to the feast day of St Nicholas, the bringer of gifts. There was also a medieval legend that the baby Jesus GAVE presents ("Kriss Kringle", taken from the German "Christkindl ", little Christ child) and the part of the Christmas story where the wise men brought their three gifts to Jesus. The mainstream Christian view of present giving at Christmas today is that we give presents as a symbol and reminder that God gave the greatest gift of all - Jesus.

Why does Father Christmas have REINDEER? 
Reindeer have been domesticated and used for centuries to pull loads on sleds in snowy regions. The legend of eight flying reindeer was made popular by the 1822 poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore, and has its origins in an old northen European Lapp legend that says Old Man Winter brings his reindeer down from the mountains at the same time as the first snow. This got mixed in with the spread of the legend of St Nicholas to northen Russia and Finland. Reindeer made good animals to become part of the legend of Father Christmas, since they lived in very cold northern climates and were therefore unfamiliar to most people in the world.

[Hashtag]

What about RUDOLPH?
Rudolph - the red nosed reindeer was the creation of Robert May, an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. May, who was very imaginative, wanted to create a booklet to give to parents who shopped at Montgomery Ward and with the help of Denver Gillen, a friend who had artistic skills, they created a booklet about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. The story of how Rudolph lit the way through the fog to help Santa Claus deliver his toys was distributed for several years, with millions of booklets distributed at Montgomery Wards stores over the years. In 1947 the story of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was put to music by a friend of Robert Mays by the name of Johnny Marks. It was recorded and sung by Gene Autry, a famous TV star, and sold millions of copies of the song. Rudolph has had his own TV shows and movies and continues to grow in popularity with every passing year.

Why is the ROBIN a Christmas symbol?
The robin is a sedentary British garden bird. During winter they are often joined by migratory Scandinavian robins, making their appearance at this time more common. The birds often feature on Christmas cards, their red breasts a dash of colour in a white wonderland. According to a Christmas legend, a robin landed on the shoulder of Jesus when he was on the cross and sang in order to relieve his suffering. The blood from Jesus' crown of thorns stained the little bird's chest, and from then on, all robins were red breasted. Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was because their uniforms were red. Victorian Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas mail.

Who first decorated with TINSEL?
Tinsel was invented in Germany in 1610 and used to be made with real silver!

Why do we eat TURKEY at Christmas?
The tradition of eating turkey only at Christmas is a distant memory of the days when the principal dish on that day was something special. Before turkey took over, the popular Christmas delicacies were bustard, goose and cockerel, and in the houses of the rich, peacock and swan. The peacock was often skinned before roasting. For serving, it was re-clothed in its feathers and its beak was gilded. Sometimes the beak was propped open with a bit of bread soaked in spirit. This would then be set alight and the bird brought into the dining hall with the greatest pomp and ceremony. The turkey was introduced into Europe by one of Sebastian Cabot's officers on a return journey from the New World, which is where the birds came from. Strangely, they were called turkeys because of their similarity with another bird which was already established in England for human consumption. This was known as the turkey! Merchants from the Levant, or Turkey, first brought them to England, having originally imported them from West Africa. This soon created a lot of confusion. So, the first turkey was renamed the Guinea Fowl, as a reminder of its place of origin.

What's all the fuss about having a WHITE CHRISTMAS?
The interest in snowy Christmases has its origins in the colder climate of the period 1550-1850 when Britain was in the grip of a 'Little Ice Age'. Winters were particularly persistent and severe - 1813/14 was the last winter that a 'frost fair' was held on the River Thames in London. For most parts of the UK, Christmas comes at the beginning of the season for snow. Wintry weather is more likely early in the deepening cold of January. White Christmases were more frequent in the 18th and 19th centuries, even more so before the change of calendar in 1752 which effectively brought Christmas day back by 12 days. For many a White Christmas means a complete covering of snow, ideally falling between midnight and midday on the 25th. However, the definition used most widely, notably by those placing and taking bets, is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of rain and snow mixed) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th. The last time we had a White Christmas with snow falling across the UK was 2001, but this was mainly confined to high ground, 1995 was a good year for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and northern England.

Why is "Christmas" sometimes written as "XMAS"?
The word "Xmas" is sometimes used to stand in for "Christmas". This tradition began in the early Christian church; the first letter of Christ's name in Greek is X, and was frequently used at the time as a holy symbol. However, in modern days "Xmas" has been used as a way of avoiding writing or saying "CHRIST-mas".

[Milltown Row2]

And so it begins!! Kids are still awake, looks like a long night to get Santa work done

[Tony Baloney]

And so it begins!! Kids are still awake, looks like a long night to get Santa work done

We just had one arrive downstairs although luckily I caught him on the bottom step.

[Minder]

And so it begins!! Kids are still awake, looks like a long night to get Santa work done

We just had one arrive downstairs although luckily I caught him on the bottom step.

Santa is done and dusted, earliest ever. Usually in bed about 4am.

[Captain Obvious]

And so it begins!! Kids are still awake, looks like a long night to get Santa work done

We just had one arrive downstairs although luckily I caught him on the bottom step.

Too late to rush herself into hospital? good catch by the way.

[Tony Baloney]

And so it begins!! Kids are still awake, looks like a long night to get Santa work done

We just had one arrive downstairs although luckily I caught him on the bottom step.

Too late to rush herself into hospital? good catch by the way.

Calling him Jesus. Knob.

[Puckoon]

Rose a bit of a stink a few days ago about the lack of traditional Christmas dinner being served up (going to the inlaws for filet mignon tomorrow), so herself arrived home last night and fired a turkey and a bag of brussel sprouts at me. Needless to say I've been in the kitchen all day with this damn bird making Christmas eve dinner for the pair of us. First turkey I've ever done so will be interesting.

Did I mention it was a 15lb turkey she bought?

[Tony Baloney]

Rose a bit of a stink a few days ago about the lack of traditional Christmas dinner being served up (going to the inlaws for filet mignon tomorrow), so herself arrived home last night and fired a turkey and a bag of brussel sprouts at me. Needless to say I've been in the kitchen all day with this damn bird making Christmas eve dinner for the pair of us. First turkey I've ever done so will be interesting.

Did I mention it was a 15lb turkey she bought?

5 hours! We've a 22lber for tomorrow and it's only me, the missus and 3 kids. As well I like turkey!

[Puckoon]

I went with 20ins at 475f then 20mins/lb at 250f after that, just sent an emergency text for a meat thermometer (ooh er missus!) so I don't poison anyone.

I'll be poisoning anyone in a 10ft radius a few hours after the sprouts, but that's a different story

[Windmill abu]

5 hours! We've a 22lber for tomorrow and it's only me, the missus and 3 kids

Are you having Harry Enfield round for christmas

[Tony Baloney]

5 hours! We've a 22lber for tomorrow and it's only me, the missus and 3 kids

Are you having Harry Enfield round for christmas

That's a blast from the past!

[Milltown Row2]

My wife was telling me they didn't ask for much, happy days said I. There was more toys in their stockings than i had in all my years growing up. recession? someone forgot to tell my wife!!

The presents downstairs could have sorted out a village. No holidays next summer!

Ba hum bug

[leenie]

Well strangers,  long time...

Hope ye all are having a good christmas....

[Captain Obvious]

Glad it's all over, too much work & hassle for one day.