The All About Christmas Guide to
Christmas History

So - Why December 25, Anyway?!

In the very beginning, the Christian church didn't even celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas history as such did not begin until late in the third century after the Crucifixion.

Nothing in writing has been found as to what possible Christmas observances were actually held, if any, during the first three hundred years of the church.

During the late second, and much of the third century after Christ's death, many prominent elders argued about the Nativity, and whether or not it should be observed. They argued about the date of the nativity, the method of observance, and just about everything else.

Some elders favored dates in spring, because of the references in the Bible to the shepherd's being in the fields with their flocks 'by night'. One Latin treatise written in 243 suggested March 21st, the date the church tells us that God created the Sun. April 18 and 19, as well as May 20 were favored dates by some.

Others favored the reputed date that the Three Kings arrived to honor the Christ Child at Bethlehem, which on today's calendar is January 6th - recognized as Epiphany. Christmas history was full of quarels and dissention for quite some time.

It was in the year 273 that December 25th was finally chosen as the official date of the Nativity of Christ. So, Christmas history records this as the date of the Nativity of Christ.

Origen, an early church leader, feared a celebration, as he felt that Christ should not be honored in the same way as Pharaoh and Herod were.

Thus, was to be a solemn day of thanksgiving in the very early church. There were no gifts exchanged, no carols, no Christmas trees. It was a day of prayer and introspection. Since these early days of Christmas history, we seem to have lost the religious significance of the holiday.

There was also the problem of bringing the pagan populations to Christianity. They were not likely to give up some of their most favored holidays. Even those who were beginning to look upon the Christian church with more curiosity were not willing to give up the feasting and other celebrations they'd grown up with.

Well, the church back then identified Christ with the celestial sun. Most of the pagan celebrations were held at and around the time of the winter solstice on December 21. The pagan festivities were loud, boisterous, and featured many of the traditions we currently consider as Christmas traditions.

Christmas history would change them, of course, and give them new meanings, but they are still very much a part of our celebrations, even today!

Part of the church leadership felt that by choosing the December 25 date, Christians could honor their savior without worry of persecution or other problem from the pagan populations. At the same time, some of the others who were curious about Christianity might just make the leap of faith required to convert.

December 25, incidentally, was also the reputed date of birth of the god Mithras, whose cult flourished in Rome at the time.

Another Roman celebration, Natalis Solis Invicti (the birth of the invincible sun) was also celebrated on December 25.

And, this was also the middle of the festival of Saturnalia, in which gift-giving and feasting were prominent features, as well as the lighting of candles and the decoration of the home with evergreens.

And finally, after all, December 25 is exactly nine months after the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th).

Gradually customs became increasingly mingled together... The first truly 'western' Christmas was celebrated in 336, once Constantine had declared Christianity to be the official religion of Rome.

By this time in Christmas history, lit candles and practical small gifts had become more acceptable to some Christians, though by no means were a major part of the occasion of observing Christ's birth.

The First Effort to Save Christmas

Perpetuus suggested fasting on each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Martinmas (November 11) until Christmas eve. These preparations were similar to the idea of Lent in the spring. Easter, at the time, was Christianity's biggest Holy Day, and he felt that Christmas should be honored in the same tradition.

The idea quickly spread throughout Europe, but crashed and burned when it came to Rome. There was no way that the newest converts to the religion were going to give up their feasting and other festivities - even if by now they had toned them down measurably.

Fasting did not enjoy popularity for very long among the peasant populations, though at first it was quite well-received. There are several reasons for this.

Winter is the traditional time of butchering livestock and of hunting. By doing this at the first of the winter weather, livestock would not be competing for the meager food supply needed to feed the people until the next harvest.

Since meat does not keep well, doing the butchering in the cold weather would prolong the supply of protein by keeping the meat cold, if not frozen.

Hunting - where it was allowed - would take place at the same time so as to consolidate the butchering chores. So - this was about the only time of the year that the people had a large and ready supply of fresh meat.

The wines and beers which had been prepared from the harvest were finally ready to drink at about this time of year as well.

It was traditional to celebrate the last of the harvest work. Pagan celebrations also continued in the countryside. Sooner or later, something had to give. Much of the early parts of Christmas history have to do with the pastoral lifestyles of the people in the first centuries AD.

And - as you can see, we have been trying to "put Christ back into Christmas" throughout Christmas history!

Christmas History in the Early Second Millennia

The first is the origin of the word "Christmas" itself.

Sometime during the Norman Invasion of Britain in the 11th century, Christians in Britain were observing something called "Christes Maesse".

This was not the Christmas we know today. It was still the solemn, quiet observance first proposed 600 years previously by Perpetuus (and earlier by Origen).

Though it was now more common to have candles lit in the church, most homes sported little, if any, decoration. Music seems to have always enjoyed a large spot in Christmas history, though the "Christmas songs" of the time were the hymns sung in church, and were not the festive tunes we think of today.

Eventually, as often happens, Christes Maesse became shortened and popularized as the word "Christmas". So, it wasn't even until then that the word "Christmas" actually became a part of Christmas history!

During the time between the 11th and 14th centuries, Christmas was evolving. Through changes in politics, civil life, and church reforms, the holiday began to take on a more prominent air.

It became a more joyous affair, almost what we would consider a celebration. It was still very religious in tone, and primarily honored in church and privately in the home.

King Richard II of England would be the first to add a truly modern twist to Christmas history in 1377. In that year, the King hosted a lavish feast for Christmas.

There were carolers who sang and danced at the party. Gambling was allowed in public on Christmas. Role-reversals were common, and societal roles and positions were turned topsy-turvy on Christmas.

While this was fairly common in Britain from the fifth through the fourteenth century, it was first banned in 1431, and finally ended officially with Queen Mary I in 1555.

The writers throughout this time, being mainly clergy of course, condemned the practice.

Not only was this a hold-over from the old Roman Saturnalia and its Lord of Misrule who reigned from December 17th to the 23rd, but the drunkenness, "lewd dancing", gambling and other riotous activities were definitely not something that the church leaders approved of.

It is possible that vestiges of this remained in Christmas history with the tradition of wassailing. There are several wassailing songs that are still popular today, and this was the beginning of what we would now call caroling.

Wassailing

It became dangerous in cities like New York, and sparked major social and political reform as well as a popular re-structuring of the Christmas holiday in the United States.

A Late Renaissance View of Christmas

The Pope's new calendar was not widely accepted at first. The Eastern Orthodox churches, and the protestant church kept the old (Julian) calendar. Even today, the Greek Orthodox church celebrates Christmas 13 days after the 'official' Christmas - on January 6th (our Epiphany)!

The 17th century saw the first "Christkindlmarkts" (Christ Child Markets) in Germany. These markets centered around the Nativity which was set up in the middle of the market space. Around this, vendors of all sorts of Christmas wares would set up their tents and tables. These markets are still very popular today!

(For those who cannot get to Germany to see the spectacle of these wonderful markets, several major US cities have them, including Chicago!)

Also in 17th Century Christmas history... The Puritans arrived in New England in 1620. With them, they brought their very austere and strict religion. Puritans did not celebrate Christmas.

They saw the celebration as a vile pagan observance. Since Christmas meant dancing, feasting, gift-giving and other festive occupations, the Puritans began in earnest to pass laws against this pagan festival in the New World as well.

When Oliver Cromwell took the British throne in 1645, he had also outlawed Christmas celebrations in Britain. The Puritans vowed to remove the decadence from England.

In 1659 they succeeded in the New World, and in Boston, one found celebrating the Christmas holiday could be fined 5 shillings! Though by 1681 these laws were no longer strictly enforced, it was not until the 1850's that some places actually repealed these laws.

It was not this way everywhere in the Colonies, though... In Jamestown, Virginia, Captain John Smith recorded in his diary that Christmas passed without incident, and was enjoyed by all.

When Cromwell died in 1660, King Charles II was restored to the British throne, and with him came the celebration of Christmas, and the repeal of the ban.

However, popular opinion was not so quick to change. With the growing disparity between the classes, and the continuing popularity of the Puritan religion, Christmas celebrations would not return to the masses for another two centuries.

Christmas History was Not Always Joyful

In 1848, the Illustrated London News printed an engraving of the royal family around their Christmas tree. From then on, in England at least, Christmas began to move out of the dog-house.

In America, it took even longer for Christmas to come back into popular celebration. Congress was in session in 1789, and Christmas was not declared an official Federal holiday until 1870.

During the 19th century, Americans completely reinvented Christmas. Christmas history, too, would never be the same.

In 1819, Washington Irving wrote a series of short-stories about a wealthy British land-holder called "The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gentleman". These stories portrayed the fanciful Christmas celebrations of the English gentry.

They were purely fictional, and meant to show that the upper and lower classes could and should get along peacefully - especially at Christmas.

"An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore was published in England in 1823. This poem probably did more to popularize the celebration of Christmas than anything since the Illustrated London News printed their engraving of Queen Victoria. It has a page of its own in Christmas history, and is one of the most beloved and widely read poems about Christmas ever written.

It also introduced the modern version of Santa Claus.

Neither of these did much for the social problems surrounding the holiday, however, and in 1828, New York City instituted the first official police force in response to a Christmas riot.

The United States was as divided during the coming decades about Christmas as it was over the major political and social issues of the day.

Those in Northern States considered the celebration of Christmas sinful, the Thanksgiving holiday being more appropriate.

In the South, however, Christmas was one of the major highlights of the social calendar, and celebrations flourished with typical southern flair.

Perhaps, then, it is not so surprising to consider that the first three states to officially recognize Christmas as a holiday were: Alabama in 1836, as well as Arkansas and Louisiana, both in 1838.

Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol" in 1843 at London. His remarks on the first page are quite telling of the social feelings at the time:

"I have endeavored in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it."

It was in this same year that the first commercial Christmas card was published, also in London.

Christmas Warms the Heart

It was customary in those days to treat one's children as if they were merely small adults. This was the perfect family holiday!

New York made Christmas history when it opened its first Christmas tree market in 1851. It did not take long for the idea to spread, and before the end of the decade, several major cities boasted their own Christmas tree markets each year.

By 1860, 14 states had included Christmas in their list of official state holidays.

Macy's flagship store in New York City hosted the first in-store Santa in 1862. In 1864, they unveiled the first of their famous annual holiday window displays. It was also the first in the country. Macy's is noted for being the first to start several traditions in Christmas history.

By the first year of the Civil War (1861), 31 of the then 36 states had declared Christmas to be an official holiday. Though these were sad years, Christmas history was made several times.

Retailers, of course, helped this along, with the first wish books, and magazine articles described once again the methods of making many useful and practical gifts.

People needed a respite from the ravages of a war which tore the fiber out of both sides, and Christmas provided not only that respite, but also a perfect occasion for hosting fund-raisers for the armies.

After the Civil War, Christmas history begins its spiral into becoming a secular holiday, and major economic force in the United States.

Children's books were a vital force in bringing about the commercialization of Christmas. Beginning shortly after Thanksgiving (now an official Federal holiday), the children's books and magazines began to feature stories about Christmas, and pictures of decorated Christmas trees.

They told of presents being delivered by Santa, and even had simple crafts in them so that the children could make their own Christmas presents.

Women's magazines were not only becoming larger, but also more plentiful by the time the war ended. The "Cult of the Home" was being promoted heavily, and Christmas figured prominently into the idea of the Ideal Home.

It was the women's responsibility to make the home as perfect and inviting as possible, and to do this 'right' she must decorate and host lavishly at Christmas time!

Of course, just as today, we can blame the media for the commercialization of Christmas history!

Sunday schools even got into the promotion of Christmas. Of course, their primary focus was the Nativity of Christ and the Biblical stories surrounding his birth.

With even the sanction of the church, Congress had to act. In 1870, Christmas became a federally recognized holiday, and, of course, the politicians and their families were especially happy, because that meant that no longer would Congress be in session at Christmas!

Thomas Nast published his first cartoon of Santa in the year 1863, for Harper's Weekly. In 1881 his famous Santa charicature was published - also in Harper's. In 1890, he published "Thomas Nast's Christmas Drawings for the Human Race".

This German immigrant and political satirist/cartoonist probably did more than any other single human being to develop the Santa we all know and love to this very day!

The last major Christmas history milestone of the 19th century came, not from New York, but from Chicago. This was the first year that the Marshall Field flagship store on State Street hosted its annual Christmas window displays. Over the years, they became as well-known as those of Macy's, and equally as popular.

20th Century Christmas History

Most of the ornaments for those trees were home-made, coming from patterns in women's and children's magazines. The wealthier people in the cities bought all of the imported German ornaments they could get their hands on, decorated with expensive fruits and flowers, and also made some of their own ornaments.

During World War I, however, the United States and Great Britain stopped all importation from Germany. For the duration of the war it was difficult to find Christmas items to purchase, as British and American companies had been restructured toward the war effort, and very few companies could devote time to the production of Christmas items.

One thing that was manufactured here in the U. S. was electric Christmas lights. At the turn of the century, electric Christmas lights were being commercially produced, but they were very expensive, and most people could not afford them.

I could not talk about Christmas history during World War I without mentioning a curious and blessed event that happened on the battlefields of France and Belgium, in 1914. But, rather than try to tell the story myself, I'll refer you to Mr. Tom Morgan.

Tom Morgan's site about World War I is incredible. His record of the event and his resources are great - the photos and drawings are worth the trip all by themselves! Be sure to check out the rest of the site while you are there, it is equally amazing!

Please go to The Christmas Truce, 1914 to learn more about this amazing event in world history!

After a 1917 fire in New York City was caused by the candles burning on a Christmas tree, Albert Sadacca and his family began to manufacture electric Christmas lights. Later, his company would merge with several others, and eventually became the NOMA company.

These were sad years in Christmas history.

Commercial Christmas History

Macy's Department Store in New York was among the first to realize that America's children were also a quite lucrative consumer market.

In 1924 they again made Christmas history, when they held the first "Christmas Day Parade" (Later re-named as the Macy's "Thanksgiving Day Parade"). There were floats and balloons, and of course Santa Claus arrived with the end of the parade!

This first parade was the marketing ploy of the century so far as Christmas history is concerned. The balloons, floats and many other of the parade entrants showcased everything new and wonderful in Christmas gifts - but were especially geared to the much younger crowd. Toys and all of the favorite characters associated with Christmas were and continue to be a major part of Macy's parade.

The idea caught on quickly, and by the end of WWII, most major and many minor cities hosted their own Christmas parades. The window displays were slowly becoming less religious in nature as well, and more geared to Santa and the festive side of the holiday. Christmas history was again made, as everyone began to jump on the bandwagon.

All of the major trade magazines touted Christmas as the best time of the year to move merchandise, and offered advice on everything from store displays to hosting office parties.

Women's magazines were beginning to expound on the luxury of purchasing rather than making gifts - although they continued to offer patterns and instructions for crafts of this nature.

Coca-Cola began a major national advertising campaign in 1931, featuring Santa Claus drinking a bottle of Coke. The image has become ingrained in our collective imaginations, and many published images of Santa are fairly close to this, even today.

The 1931 Coca-Cola Santa was created by Haddon Sundblum. This picture was featured in every holiday ad in many, many magazines. He has evolved very little from the original, and even today, the Coca-cola company employs Santa every year. In fact, they employ him all year! The Coca-Cola*reg; Santa has made Christmas history books many times.

There is a "Coca Cola Santa Store" on the web! Until I receive specific permission from the company to post a link, you'll have to do a google search to find it, though.

In 1936 Disney made Christmas history as character Christmas lights were first licensed, manufactured and distributed by the NOMA company. In the late 1930's, a man named Carl Otis designed what in 1945 would become the ever-popular Christmas bubble lights. Christmas history contains many firsts, in many fields - not just in retail!

Just prior to the start of World War II, Hollywood helped to make Christmas the commercial, secular holiday it is today. Several movies came out just prior to and during the war.

One of more than a dozen versions of "A Christmas Carol" was released in 1938, featuring Reginald Owen as Ebenezer Scrooge, Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit, Kathleen Lockhart as Mrs. Cratchit and Ann Rutherford as the Spirit of Christmas Past.

In 1939 Robert L. May, a copy-writer for the Montgomery Ward chain of department stores in Chicago, created Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The story was a series of rhyming couplets designed to fill a small give-away booklet for Ward's Christmas shoppers. He then took a friend from Ward's art department, Denver Gillen, to the Lincoln Park Zoo to sketch some deer for the illustrations.

In the first year of its publication, the Montgomery Ward stores distributed over 2.4 million copies of the booklet to their holiday shoppers.

Due to the second World War, Macy's did not hold its annual Christmas parades from 1942 through 1944.

They deflated their gigantic balloons, and donated over 650 pounds of scrap rubber to the war effort. Shortages in metals meant that ornaments were no longer silvered, and the transparent glass balls were all the rage. War, once again, made its mark on Christmas history.

Of course, once again, all imports from Germany were banned, and Japan began to take over the market. However, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 effectively stopped all imports from this country as well.

United States and British companies did the best they could in trying to keep up with the demand for Christmas decorations.

Hollywood again helped to lift some of the despair of war-time Christmases. In 1942, they released the perennially popular "Holiday Inn", starring two of the biggest names of the era:

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.

Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale and Shelby Bacon were among the other notable cast. General Douglas MacArthur portrayed himself in an uncredited montage in the movie. And Kitty Kelly had a bit part as a drunk. Jane Novak, Robert Porter and Barbara Slater also contributed in uncredited roles.

The following year, "Christmas in Connecticut" was released. Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet and Reginald Gardiner, it was a box-office smash from its first release.

Christmas celebrations were discouraged in British cities during most of the war. It was considered too dangerous to bring the children back home to the cities, and many of them were far out in the country.

Most parents could not afford to go out to visit their children in their foster homes, but many sent packages with what presents they could, and special home-made treats.

Christmas History After the War

Fairies, elves, unicorns and other fanciful creatures graced the Christmas tree and have made their own way into Christmas history. Even the trees had changed. Advances in manufacturing produced more realistic trees to be sure, but this decade saw the introduction of something entirely new... This was the decade of the silver Christmas tree!

By the middle of the decade things were starting a little more back to normal. More and more retailers were starting to sell Christmas goods earlier and earlier in the year.

1956 was a big year for new commercial Christmas displays, especially with the rise of the American institution of the shopping mall.

Santa was everywhere, from department stores to huge and intricately decorated annexes created especially for him at the center of the indoor malls.

During the turbulent 1960's, Christmas history made another statement as many small stores started to mimic Fields, Macy's and Wannamaker's. All the latest in Christmas merchandise was showcased in every window, and the facades of stores were decorated as well.

A big part of my own personal Christmas history includes the Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Wards, J. C. Penney 500+ page "Wish Books" to their mailings in December (I remember my Dad, who was a mail carrier at the time, complaining about the Thanksgiving mail, more than the Christmas mail back then!)

These books had color pictures on every single page, and were filled to the brim with everything one could imagine for gift-giving during the holidays.

The largest section, of course, was the toy section. Many stores that never sold a toy all the rest of the year had a special toy section at Christmas time - even the local hardware store got into the act!

Another personal bright spot in Christmas history during the 1960's - the popular Rankin Bass Christmas movies came out!! There was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1964, featuring the voices of Burl Ives as the narrator (Sam, the snowman).

In 1968, Greer Garson narrated for "The Little Drummer Boy". Jimmy Durante sung in and narrated for "Frosty the Snowman", who's voice was done by Jackie Vernon.

In 1970, my personal favorite of the Rankin-Bass Christmas specials was created. "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" was narrated by S. D. (Special Delivery) Kruger - aka Fred Astaire.

Kris Kringle's voice was Mickey Rooney (another one of my favorites). Paul Frees was the voice of Burghermeister MeisterBurgher, and Robie Lester did the voice over for Miss Jessica (later, Mrs. Claus). There were even more titles that showed up during the late '70's and well into the '80's.

By the 1970's, with the advent of the out-door Christmas displays for home-owners, Christmas was a run-away best seller.

Each year for the rest of the century and beyond became more secular, more commercial, and more expensive. Christmas history has been making the secular leaps since the beginning. You could even buy kits to decorate not only the outside of the house, but the entire yard, walkway, driveway and even the trees!

By the 1980's, the Christmas season started the day after Halloween. "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving, was already well-known as being the biggest selling day in retail throughout the country.

It was also already a household fact that retailers could figure on literally making half of their yearly sales during the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas - if you didn't do well, there wouldn't be profit for your store in that year. Christmas history, and the term "Black Friday" are now nearly synonymous...

Radio stations strictly dedicated to Christmas music hit some of the major market areas, and most stations played nothing but Christmas songs - both old and new - on Christmas day, and sometimes Christmas eve as well.

There were several dozen lines of 'collector' ornaments, as well as a few dozen different lines of miniature ceramic Christmas village sets.

Whole companies were created to manufacture just one line! Of course, throughout the 90's, even these small companies expanded and added even more new lines to their Christmas merchandise.

It was during the 1980's that Marshall Fields windows lost their religious overtones, and became nearly strictly secular in nature. Cinderella, a toy shop, a candy shop and Snow White each had their year as Field's Christmas theme.

No Field's window was ever so controversial as when, during the 1990's, they chose Harry Potter as their theme. Harry was everywhere that year, but Field's got the most publicity...

Some people even claimed that they had become Satanic! The annual window-shoppers and the children didn't care, though - Harry was a major hit and there were record numbers of visitors that year.

Icicle lights came on to the scene in the 90's, and so did inflatable outdoor decorations - some of which were nearly as big as Macy's famed balloons! Animated outdoor deer, santas, snowmen and angels also became popular.

Fiber optics were all the rage, and one could find everything from angels with animated fiber-optic wings to entire fiber-optic Christmas trees.

The outcry was still getting louder against the commercialism of Christmas history, but more and more money was spent each year.

There were news specials about dealing with holiday depression, talk shows invited experts on getting out of debt. And, retail began to start building their Christmas displays in early October.

Christmas in the 21st Century

Every retailer has something to offer that is geared specifically to Christmas - even my hair-stylist!

The classic holiday movies are played four times a week or more on cable, as well as at least once on network TV, beginning in early November.

The major stores announce the date their holiday windows will be unveiled in September. The radio stations play an occasional Christmas song in October.

Several cable stations devote entire blocks of time to shows airing the most elegant, or the most outrageous decorations.

Several more host dozens of hours of crafts and cooking specifically for the holidays. Still others host the ever popular "get-out-of-debt" shows, the info-mercials for Prozac (tr), etc.

And still, the outcry grows. Yet, still the bottom line grows proportionately. (Christmas) history remains the same, lol!

Alas, a sad part of Christmas history for me, as of May 2005, Marshall Field's will be no more. They were purchased by Federated Department Stores, the parent company of - you guessed it! - MACY'S.

It now has the Macy's name, but we are assured that the tradition of holiday windows to delight both young and old will remain - as will the 40 foot Christmas tree in the Walnut Room. We shall see. I will miss Field's - not their prices, to be sure - but it just won't be the same now...

The shock to end all shocks occurred a few weeks ago, when I was visiting the local Home-Depot store trying to find a part for an old sink.

It was the first week of October, and guess what.... Three lines of fully decorated, lit Christmas trees graced the center of the store!

Menard's got my money that day - at least their trees were still being built.....

As we move forward through the 21st century, I'm sure there will be many many more pages to add into our Christmas history book. I look forward to watching them happen!

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