The All About Christmas Guide to
Christmas History

Of course, Christmas history spans over two millennia, and covers all viewpoints from solemn thanksgiving to the commercial enterprise that Christmas has become today.

In the beginning, there was no celebration of Christmas. However, pagan populations were not wont to give up their frequent celebrations. In order to bring these people into the Christian fold, once Constantine recognized the Christian religion, church celebrations began to displace the traditional pagan ones.

The Church decision to celebrate Christ's birth on December 25th had little to do with the time of year. Since there are few lambs born in December, the best guess is that the Church decided to move Christ's birthday closer to the celebrations of the birth of the sun practiced by their pagan counterparts.

Christmas past is full of compromise. Around 490, the Church still felt there were too many boisterous and raucus pagan celebrations going on. Further, the idea of conversion was still strong, and the Church set about to remedy the situation.

The origins of Advent begin when Perpetuus decided that fasting and preparation for Christmas were necessary, as was already customary with Lent being the preparation for Christianity's holiest day of Easter.

Given the time of year chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ, the idea of fasting did not sit well for long with the local pagan population, nor even with some of the early Christian adherants.

As with all celebrations, Advent has morphed somewhat, though has kept much of its original meaning as a time of preparation and remembrance leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

This is one part of Christmas history that is probably more popular today than it was when it was first created.

There is little to find written about Christmas between the beginning of the 2nd Millennium and the Renaissance. Christians were celebrating a solemn occasion called "Christes Maesse" - which seems to later have been shortened to "Christmas." Over the first centuries after 1000 AD, celebrations continued to evolve closer to the way we celebrate today.

It was at this time that some very familiar symbols developed. More candles and decorations began to be used. Christmas history is further heightened by the development of a tradition we call Wassailing. And, several more traditions became established during this time.

One of the biggest developments of Christmas history came with the introduction of an entirely new calendar to the world. Pope Gregory changed the Renaissance Christmas when he changed the calendar.

Several more traditions we associate with modern Christmas arrived during the Renaissance. One of the most endearing and familiar is the development during this time of "Christkindle Markts" - or Christmas Markets.

Also during this time of Christmas history, a second major attempt to stamp out the entire Christmas celebration was mounted by the Puritan church.

The 17th and 18th centuries saw the development of the early modern Christmas celebration. During this time, the first Christmas tree made the tradition popular, the first Christmas card was published, and many more "firsts" occurred.

Dicken's wrote his famous "Christmas Carol," Washington Irving wrote his endearing stories, and Christmas became much the celebration it is today. Also in England, Clement C. Moore published his "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" to rave reviews.

Still, Christmas history was not completely free from its strife and dark hours. Congress did not declare it a holiday until late in the 19th century, and riots were sparked in New York, prompting the city to develop its first official police force.

The Victorian era, roughtly corresponding to the Civil War years in the United States, saw many firsts. Now that Christmas trees had become popular, and nostalgia rather than Christ's birth were the central themes of the holiday - commericalism began to show blatantly.

The first in-store Santas arrived during this time, as well as Christmas parades, decorated store windows and wish-book catalogs. Magazines, both children's and women's were loaded with ideas, crafts and admonishments about perfect holiday celebrations.

The Christmas traditions we know and love today, largely sprang from the Victorian era Christmas celebrations, with all its glitter, finery and extravagance.

Though marred by a World War, more firsts were to be had for Christmas during the early 1900's. Commercial ornaments, electric lights and a Christmas tree for nearly every home were highlights of the early 20th century Christmas celebrations.

One notable, and remarkable event associated with the Christmas holidays during WWI was something that has come down to us known as the "Christmas Truce." Weapons were laid down against commander's orders, and a peaceful night was had by all...

Despite the lean times and danger surrounding the celebration of much of anything during the 40's, retailers made sure a lavish Christmas season was always available. With Hollywood creating some of our all-time best loved Christmas movies during this time as well, even theaters got to join in the profits of celebrating a commercial Christmas

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Once again we have seen a series of firsts for Christmas celebrations. The introduction of fairies, mythical creatures and even icicle lights mark the new commercialization for Post WWII Christmas retailers. Homes with outdoor displays, huge blow-up and light-up santas and a host of new gadgets, trinkets and other items make one wonder the purpose of the holiday.

The end of the 20th century has not come without its Christmas controversies, either... One of the last years when Marshall Fields was still Marshall Fields, they chose Harry Potter as the theme for their holiday window display. Not only had they changed officially from "Christmas" to "Holiday," but there was also the charge that Harry Potter was a pagan theme...

We have come full circle once again.

Earlier and earlier, more extravagant, more gaudy and more secular - this seems to be the direction we are headed as we write the first chapters on 21st century Christmas history.

A sad ending or two (Marshall Fields has become Macy's) and more commercialism are being offset by a growing number of people interested in returning to the real reason for celebration. More and more, people are coming to the realization that peace and goodness are not only possible but desireable! Through the din of the chiming cash registers, there is still a glimmer of hope and a wish for peace on earth, good will toward men.