The Meaning Behind Christmas Mistletoe

Christmas comes with many different traditions, each celebrated around the world. While many nationalities carry their own tradition, there are several that have become universal. The first instance of these traditions is all folklore, often relating to the British immigration to North America and the Pagan festivities of the season. While we may not know exactly where each of these traditions came from, we know they are synonymous with the Christmas season. Let’s take a look at some of the most common traditions:

The Tradition Of Mistletoe

The history of the mistletoe actually comes from the Druid people. This plant, although known in the wild as a weed, is said to bring good luck to couples who kiss underneath the bushel. As the tradition goes, each couple takes a berry from the leaves. Once there are no berries left, there is no need to kiss underneath the leaves. As long as there are still berries, there are still wishes for good luck in the future. In current tradition, mistletoe is made of plastic so there aren’t any berries to pick. It’s more of a fun thing for couples to do than actually following the traditions. If you’d like to follow the tradition this year, try and pick yourself a real mistletoe and use it in the doorway of your home.

The First Gingerbread Man

It is said the first Gingerbread Man was created by Queen Elizabeth (the first). The spice trade had started booming in the UK and these spices came over from the Middle East. In an attempt to impress visitors, the Queen baked cookies that were shaped in the likeness of her guests. This sparked the interest of the people and eventually became a tradition for the holiday season. Gingerbread houses are a whole other mystery, with no real description of where they came from, say the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel. Either way, the smell of gingerbread cookies is synonymous with Christmas cheer.

Gift Giving

For those who have read through the Christian Bible, presents were given to the baby Jesus by three wise men. This is the first notable instance of gift giving on record. For those unfamiliar with the story, this happened on what we now call Christmas Eve. These gifts were presented, each representing something different to the future of the blessed baby Jesus. Today, we practice this tradition by purchasing gifts for the people in our lives and placing them under the tree. This action comes from the Pagan rituals of blessing for the upcoming years.

The Christmas Tree

The tradition of a Christmas tree has a rich history. There are many different associations with the first Christmas tree. Most notably is the Riga tree, which may have been the first instance of celebrating around a tree. It is a common practice in Pagan festivals during the winter months and has been for many years. Today, Christmas trees are put up inside of homes and decorated to show off to guests and visiting family members. This is often more of a bonding tradition than actually praising or celebrating the season.