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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

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.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we have CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS?

Christmas stockings come from one of the stories about the kindness of St Nicholas (see Father Christmas) who is said to have wanted to secretly provide the dowry for a poor girl to enable her to marry, and so threw a purse of money down a chimney...and it landed in a stocking hung up by the fire to dry!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Where did some of the well-known CHRISTMAS SONGS come from?

Jingle Bells was written in 1857! "White Christmas" was first sung by Bing Crosby in 1942, and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was recorded by Gene Autry in 1949.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Flames from the brandy symbolise the heat of the returning sun and the sprig of holly - with its unique winter berries - evokes the fruit of the harvest. Two of the Christian version of this is that it should be made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples and that a sprig of holly is used to top the pudding as a reminder of the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we eat CHRISTMAS PUDDING?

The Celts kept the harvest god Dagda happy by stirring a pot of porridge for him. This was later livened up with prunes to become plum porridge; then it turned into plum pudding, and finally today's Christmas pudding. In theory, the pudding should be stirred by each member of the family in turn to show that everyone has done their bit, and only in an east-to-west direction, to mimic the sun's path across the sky.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Prince Albert didn't introduce the Christmas Tree to Britain, but he was responsible for the mid-19th century onwards surge in popularity. The first manufactured Christmas tree ornaments were sold by Woolworths in 1880. Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison had his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. And in 1903 the Ever - Ready Company of New York began the mass production of stringed electric lights.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Christmas trees were decorated with apples, cakes and sweets for many centuries, and also decorated with candles, to remind children of the stars in the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus. Prince Albert didn't introduce the Christmas Tree to Britain, but he was responsible for the mid-19th century onwards surge in popularity.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

The "Jesse Tree" is a custom from the Middle Ages. It comes from the words 'A shoot shall come up from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a branch will bear fruit' (Isaiah 11. 1) Jesse was the father of King David and the Bible tells us that Jesus will be born 'of the house of David'. Pictures or symbols representing people and events in the Bible were hung from a bare branch to make up a sort of family tree of Jesus. Christmas trees were decorated with apples, cakes and sweets for many centuries, and also decorated with candles, to remind children of the stars in the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Christian missionaries transferred the focus to firs, whose triangular shape they linked to the Holy Trinity, and people merged the idea of this tree with the tree seen in the Garden of Eden in the medieval "paradise plays"- depicting the story of man from Adam and Eve to the birth of Jesus- which had baubel like fruit hanging off it. The Christmas tree points upwards to heaven reminding us of the Christ Child who pointed us to God.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we have CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS and CHRISTMAS TREES?

To appease the tree spirits, people in the Dark Ages attached painted stones and coloured cloth to oak branches in midwinter. The belief that bad luck will follow if you leave Christmas decorations up past Twelfth Night also has its origins here: if the spirits were not released once midwinter had passed, the forests and fields might not awaken again.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Who first pulled a CHRISTMAS CRACKER?

Crackers were invented by Thomas Smith in 1846 as a way of attractively wrapping French novelties he was trying to get people to buy as Christmas gifts! For the full story see www.absolutelycrackers.com/hist_evolved.html

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

It took some time for Henry Cole's Christmas card idea to take root with the wider public. In fact, until 1878, more Valentine’s cards were sent in the post each year than Christmas cards. However, just three years later in 1881, the Post Office issued its first public instruction to 'Post early for Christmas', to help manage the volume of festive mail. The growth of the postal service, and introduction of a flat rate for sending cards allowed this custom to spread, especially when steam trains speeded up the delivery of mail.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Who sent the first CHRISTMAS CARD?

Greeting cards were not new. Since Aloys Senefelder perfected lithography in 1796, merchants would send their customers best wishes for the new year. But in 1843 Henry Cole commissioned an artist friend to design the first Christmas card as a way of making his Christmas correspondance easier. It took some time for Henry Cole's Christmas card idea to take root with the wider public.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we eat CHRISTMAS CAKE?

These rich fruit cakes were a sensible celebratory food as they didn't spoil quickly, and could therefore be made in advance to have in ready for guests whenever they arrived, or could be taken on a journey to give as a gift, in days when travelling was a slow process. The fruitcake as we know it today evolved from plum cake recipes in England.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

A red ribbon is then tied around the centre of the orange as a reminder that Christ died for us all. Finally, a small lighted candle is placed on top to symbolise Jesus Christ, Light of the World.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Many churches and schools now hold Christingle services any time from Advent to the end of the Epiphany season. Each child is helped to take an orange (representing the World) and insert four cocktail sticks into it (representing the four seasons). Fruit, nuts and sweets can then be attached to the cocktail sticks to represent the fruits of the Earth.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

What is CHRISTINGLE?

The first Christingle service was held in Marienborn in Moravia in 1747, when the pastor, John de Wattville, wanting to find a new way of telling the Christmas story to children, gave each child a lighted candle tied with a red ribbon. He asked them to relight them at home and place them in their windows to show the Light of Christ to passers by. The tradition was kept alive by the Moravian church and in the United Kingdom was adopted by the Children's Society in the 1950s as a way of raising awareness of their work.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

By the late medieval period the singing of Christmas carols had become a tradition. St Francis of Assisi (around 1220AD) promoted the use of carols to spread the Christmas message by translating songs sung in Latin into languages spoken by ordinary people in Europe for use in formal church services.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why do we sing CAROLS at Christmas?

Singing to and about their gods was part of all pagan festivals, including the winter ones. When Christmas was established on the 25th December in the fourth century, the church initially tried to stop people singing these pagan songs, but then changed track, and decided to encourage the singing of Christian Christmas themed songs in their place.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why are CANDLES a Christmas symbol?

Because Jesus is the "light of the world"! In the pre-Christian mid-winter festivals sun gods were worshipped, and the candles were a symbol of the needed light of the sun.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

What is BOXING DAY?

In medieval times, the day after Christmas churches used to distribute the money that had been collected in the "almsbox" (charity box) to the poor and needy. This evolved into the tradition of giving tradesmen a "box", meaning a gift or money, on the first day of the week after Christmas.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

These candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. The rose candle, which symbolizes joy, is usually lit on the third Sunday. A fifth candle is placed inside the Advent wreath. This candle is lit on Christmas Day. It is white, the color associated with angels and the birth of Jesus.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.