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Christmas
Traditions
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 Christmas
Stockings - Once
upon a time, in the days of old
Saint Nicholas, people,
especially children used to hang
their stockings on the chimney
after they washed them so they
would dry.
It is believed that Saint
Nicolas would come and throw
coins down the chimney aiming
for the stockings.
The children would get up
the next morning and gleefully
would find the coins. It is said that Saint Nicholas did this for the children who
were poor and he knew that with
these coins they could buy them
food in the town.
Read
More...
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 Christmas
Music - Does
anyone remember when there were
three network channels, a PBS
station and then the voided
wasteland of UHF? Yes, in the
days before cable television
there was more emphasis on big
“event” television
particularly around the holiday
season. During Christmas there
were a great variety of specials
that were holiday themed and one
of the most memorable was a Bing
Crosby special that featured a
duet between him and David Bowie
where they sang and incredibly
moving version of The Little
Drummer Boy. Even though three
decades have past since that
famous episode aired, it still
remains an incredibly memorable
and moving duet. In fact, there
are a number of moving and
interesting versions of
Christmas songs and Christmas
music because it more than just
a way of emoting lyrics
indicative of the time of the
year, they are passionate moving
songs that truly reflect the
spirit of the Christmas season.
While most people are familiar
with Christmas songs (how can
you not miss hearing them on the
radio during December?) most
people are not familiar with
their origins. Where did
Christmas songs originate and
how did they start? Read
More...
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 Mistletoe
- “Oh,
ho, the mistletoe, Hung where
you can see…” With these
lyrics, Burl Ives immortalized
the symbol of the mistletoe in
popular culture with the song
“Holly, Jolly Christmas.”
However, when one looks at the
tradition of kissing under the
mistletoe seems somewhat
curiously removed from other
Christmas traditions and this is
why looking at the origins of
the Mistletoe tradition can be
enlightening.
Read
More... |
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 Christmas
Decorations
- If anything were quite
noticeable during the Christmas
holiday season it would be all the
incredible holiday decorations
that are on display during the
month of December. While most
people can identify these symbols
of Christmas, most people are not
familiar with the origin of many
of these decorations. Considering
the fact that many of these
decorations come from a great
variety of time periods and
cultures it is somewhat
understandable that most people
are not familiar with these
voluminous convergences of
history. So, to shed a little
light on the history of Christmas
decorations a brief overview of
the origins of some of these
decorations will be presented.
Read
More ...
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 A
Traditional American Christmas
- Not
every family celebrates the
holiday season in the same way.
Everyone has different traditions
whether this may involve dinner on
Christmas
Eve or a relative dressed as
Santa. There are some traditions
that have been handed down as
people like to replicate the Christmas
of their childhood. Sometimes new
traditions are invented to keep up
with the changing times and
changes in the family and family
life. It is impossible to
catalogue what a traditional Christmas
means to most people but we can
put together a list of things that
are generally done.
Shopping:
Christmas
shopping can be done at any time
but the period after Thanksgiving
is officially shopping season.
While most people will vouch for
shopping being one of the best
things some regard it as a bore
and a necessary headache to
endure. Internet shopping has
changed the intrinsic experience
that holiday shopping is and
people (ok, men mostly) have found
it to be a lifesaver. However
nothing can compare with the
traditional rush to the shops, the
feel of buying things and seeing
the Santas at the stores, the
lights, smells and sound that
accompany such trips. Read
More...
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 Holly
- A Christmas Tradition
- It is said
that
the concept of Christmas
decorations first started from a
practice of Romans to send boughs
and also other gifts to their
family and friends during the
festival of the Saturnalia, which
was a custom which the early
Christians too up. In verification
of this idea, the Church of
Bracara had issued an edict later
which forbade Christians from
decorating their homes with green
boughs at the same time as the
pagans did, as the period of the
Saturnalia was approximately a
week before Christmas. The source
of Christmas decorations and gifts
has also been attributed to the
Druids, who adorned their huts
with evergreens during the winter
as a home for sylvan spirits.
Christmas Eve is marked as templa
exornantur (churches are
decked) in old church calendars,
as just as these customs were
deeply ingrained into the people
in the early Christian and pagan
days, so it is even today. Read
More...
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 Traditional
Christmas
Foods
- The holiday season families
coming together and family
get-togethers are incomplete without
great food. Christmas
has always been traditionally a
time for family and great food. In
fact, some foods have become
synonymous with the holiday and
families would never imagine
celebrating Christmas
without certain dishes on the
table. If you are going to do your
family dinner you could use some
of these ideas.
Christmas traditions differ from place to
place. In the same way Christmas
food, especially Christmas
dinner is never the same in
different geographical locations.
The families of the south have
traditionally enjoyed turkey or
ham on Christmas.
But some families tend to eat
turkey on Thanksgiving and ham on
Easter. A prime rib can be enjoyed
for Christmas
as well. No matter what the main
dish is it is bound to have gravy
on the side and be accompanied by
potatoes, dinner rolls, corn,
beets or fruits. Read
More...
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 Poinsettias
- Christmas cactus
- Poinsettias
were first introduced into the
United States by Joel Robert
Poinsett in 1825. Poinsettias are
actually native to Mexico, where
they grow wild. Poinsett was an
amateur botanist and the first
ambassador to Mexico. He
introduced poinsettias to the
United States when he first
brought some cuttings to his
plantation in Greenwood, South
Carolina. National Poinsettia Day
is on December 12, and it honors
Poinsett and the plant which he
made famous on his death
anniversary in 1851.
You
can trace the legend of the
poinsettia to a Christmas Eve a
few centuries ago. A little girl
called Pepita did not have any
presents to give to the Christ
child. So, she gathered up some
weeds from the road while she was
on her way to the church. It was
then that a miracle happened. As
she was approaching the altar, the
weeds in her hands bloomed into
beautiful flowers - Flowers of the
Holy Night or Flores de Noche
Buena. Read
More...
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 Traditional
Christmas Treats
- Perhaps one of the most joyful
periods of celebration is heralded
by the arrival of Christmas time.
It comes as no surprise then that
kids are always superbly excited
as soon as December arrives and
the wonderful day begins to draw
nearer.
There
is nothing that children love more
than being actively involved and
playing at being grown-up. And you
can increase their pleasure by
allowing the children to prepare
treats and food items during this
time of merriment. This would also
educate them more about food in
general, how recipes work wonders
and even where the food is from.
You can involve your tiny tots and
keep the safe by simply doing the
slicing yourself or picking an
item which can be prepared without
a knife. They can then be allowed
to determine how much to use and
mixing of the ingredients, which
they are sure to enjoy. Since it
is almost Christmas time let us
provide those of you who haven’t
finished their baking as yet with
some simple recipes which your
loved one are sure to love and are
just right for the budding festive
chefs of your household. Read
More...
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Main
Christmas Reference Page
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Main
Christmas Gift Page |
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Gift
Ideas by Recipient
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 Buy
her something Unique and Unusual
Choose
from our selection of unique and
unusual handcrafted arts and
crafts from the Far East. We
have Silk Scarves and Shawls
from Thailand. Exotic Jewelry
from Bali, Thailand, and Russia;
and a great assortment of Home
Decor items.
Click
Here for Gifts Ideas for Her |
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 Buy
Him something Out of the
Ordinary.
Men
are always difficult to shop
for. Choose from our selection
of over 7,000 different unique
and unusual handcrafted arts and
crafts from the Far East and
South of the Border. We
have Dragons and Foo Lions in
Brass and Jade, Tribal Masks
from Bali, Chinese Snuff
Bottles, and many other unusual
items.
Click
Here for Gift Ideas for Him
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 Show
that special Employee or
Customer how much you appreciate
them.
Choose
from our selection of unique and
unusual handcrafted arts and
crafts from the Far East and
Latin America. We
have Silk Scarves and Shawls
from Thailand. Exotic Jewelry
from Bali, Thailand, and Russia;
and a great assortment of Home
Decor items.
Click
Here for Corporate Gift Ideas |
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Other
Gift Idea Tools
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 Chinese
Zodiac Chart -
Select a gift according to the
Chinese Zodiac based on the year
they were born. Year of the
Dragon, etc.
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 Standard
Zodiac Gemstone Chart -
Select a stone carving or
jewelry based on the standard
Zodiac Gemstone chart. Each sign
lists several alternatives.
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 Birthstone
Chart - The old standby,
traditional and modern
birthstones. Our list includes
many alternatives to the more
expensive gemstones the jewelry
stores recommend.
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Gifts
For the Entertainer
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 Japanese
Sushi Sets
- Add an Asian flare to
you next dinner of Sushi
or Chinese food. These
complete sets include
everything you need.
Plates, Sauce Dishes, and
Chopsticks |
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Sushi
for 2 from $26.95 to
$54.95
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 Japanese
Sake Sets
- The finest traditional glazes
are used to create these sake
sets that are as much art as
they are functional. We offer
one of the largest selection
available. |
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Priced
from $19.95 to $71.95 |
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Gifts
For the Tea Lover
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 Tea
Sets -
Enjoy your next pot of tea
in the tradition style
with one of our hand
crafted tea sets. Imported
from Japan, China, and
Vietnam. |
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Priced
from $24.95 to $64.95
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 Asian
Teas -
Select from over 30
varieties of the finest
teas available. Our teas
are imported from Japan,
China, Ceylon, and India
and include Green, Oolong,
Black, and flavored teas. |
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Priced
from $5.95 to $27.95
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 Tetsubin
Teapots -
All of our Tetsubin
teapots are handcrafted
and imported from Japan.
Each pot is lined with a
baked enamel finish to
provide years of use. A
stainless steel mesh
infuser filter is included
with each teapot. Each pot
comes in a sturdy box,
ready to giftwrap. |
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Priced
from $40.00 to $70.00
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 Yixing
Teapots
- The tiny air pockets in
the fired clay provide
insulation and enrich the
aroma and taste of the
tea. With continued use
the yixing tea pot will
absorb the flavor of the
tea… again enhancing the
aroma and taste. Yixing
tea pots date back to the
Sung Dynasty. Each piece
is individually
handcrafted in China. |
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Priced
from $22.95 to $56.95
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 Tea
Cups -
Beautiful handcrafted tea
cups imported from Japan
and China in a wide
variety of designs. |
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Priced
from $9.95 to $22.95
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Gifts
For the Decorator
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 Decorative
Vases - Choose
from 100 different vases from
around the world. Our selection
includes vases from China,
Vietnam, Japan, Peru, Nicaragua,
and Mexico. |
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 Sculptures
- Ceramic, Jade, Brass,
Bronze, Wood, and more from over
a dozen different countries.
Something to fit any decor or
taste. |
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Christmas
Holiday Traditions and Where they Came From
