Holiday
Traditions
The Many Faces
of Christmas
Many people prepare for the arrival of Christmas months in
advance. The first traces of wrapping paper and decorations
arrive in stores as early as September, transforming the
holiday into a much more secular celebration than its
modest Christian beginnings. Despite Christmas being an
important date in the lives of today’s Christians, the holiday
failed to gain prominent status until relatively recently.
Research indicates that as late as the 19th century,
Christmas was not even a legal holiday requiring a day off
from work. That’s why 19th century readers of the classic
Christmas tale, “A Christmas Carol,” were not shocked at
Bob Cratchit having to work on Christmas Day. The United
States Congress used to meet on Christmas Day because
it was not a national holiday. In 1836, Alabama became the
first state to officially recognize Christmas, but it didn’t
become a legal holiday across the country until June 26,
1970.
Today’s Christmas celebrations include traditions from
around the world. Some ascertain that it was the Church’s
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Asheboro Magazine, Issue 51
doing to schedule Christmas at a similar time to the pagan
festivals, such as Saturnalia, that took place during the
winter months. But many biblical scholars argue that this
was not the case. Some pagan influences, such as holly and
mistletoe as well as the burning of a yule log, have long been
a part of Christmas traditions.
Santa Claus is one of the more recognizable symbols of
Christmas. He is based on St. Nikolas of Myrna, an area
that is part of modern-day Turkey. St. Nikolas is the world’s
most popular non-Biblical saint and is one of the saints most
portrayed by artists. Early depictions of St. Nikolas show
him as a stern man who delivered his share of discipline.
Eventually, those depictions changed to show a figure more
associated with generosity. Throughout history there have
been characters from around the globe, such as the Viking
deity Odin, who were precursors to Santa Claus. Myth
states that Odin rode his eight-legged flying horse in the
winter. Odin gave out gifts to well-behaved children and
punishments to those who misbehaved. Children would fill
boots or stockings with treats for the flying horse.