A Christmas Holiday Isn’t Complete Without Carols

A Christmas Holiday Isn’t Complete Without Carols

One of the many Christmas traditions people celebrate is caroling. This tradition is said to go back to centuries ago when people would gather and sing in a religious gathering while others say the history of caroling has nothing to do with religion and is instead given the outdated term of wassailing.
No one knows with one hundred per cent certainty but both sides agree it did involve a group of people known as carolers. Legend has it that this group of carolers gathered together and sang in order to be fed, hence the term, “sing for your supper.”  Whichever version is correct, as time passed, door to door caroling died down somewhat but is still very much a tradition especially in smaller towns with a close knit population. For many people, today’s modern caroling involves carolers singing in Christmas parades, at church functions and in private homes.

 

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The Christmas Tree

The tradition of Christmas trees as it exists today originated in  Germany and came to the USA by
way of immigrants. But it isn't clear how the tradition really gained a foothold
in Germany. One story is that Christians in Germany during the 16th century
started to bring trees into their homes and decorated them. Some of those
Christians would build pyramids for Christmas. The pyramids were made of wood
and would be decorated with evergreens and candles if wood was in short supply.
It is however Martin Luther, a Protestant reformer, who is said to have
been the first to add lighted candles as decoration to a tree based on his
inspiration from the brilliant light of twinkling stars that shone through
evergreen trees as he walked home one winter evening.
As the legend goes, Martin Luther placed a tree in a primary room of his
house and placed wires with small, lighted candles around the branches of the
tree. And that is how, as the tale goes, the Christmas tree as known today, was
started.

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Christmas

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The custom of exchanging presents on a 
certain day in the year is very much older than 
Christmas, and 
means very much less. It has ob- 
tained in almost all ages of the world, 
and among many different nations. 
It is a fine thing or a foolish thing, 
as the case may be; an encourage- 
ment to friendliness, or a tribute to 
fashion; an expression of good na- 
ture, or a bid for favour; an outgo- 
ing of generosity, or a disguise of 
greed; a cheerful old custom, or a 
futile old farce, according to the
spirit which animates it and the form 
which it takes.


Taken from "The Spirit of Christmas" by Henry Van Dyke published in 1905.