The Reasons for the Seasons

Every family has their own special Christmas traditions, and many times we even have the same commonly shared ones. But have you ever wondered why? We have grown up with family traditions and general traditions, but we never questioned them or thought about where they came from. Have you ever considered why we haul a tree into our homes every year and place it in our living room? Or maybe why we leave milk and cookies out for Santa by the fireplace?

Rumor has it that milk and cookies are left out for Santa Claus to eat because in Medieval times, in Western Germany, it was customary for the Christmas trees to be decorated with apples, wafers, and cookies. As Christmas time approached, “Santa” would often times snack on the decorations that were placed on the tree. The children started noticing the absence of their treats and began leaving them out on plates by the fire, and close to “Santa’s” entrance, partially to keep the mice away.

Christmas trees are traditionally brought into the home and decorated with lights, ornaments, garland, tinsel, and candy canes around Christmas. The Christmas tree was originally the Evergreen tree, which is the only living plant when all is dormant and dead. It is said to symbolize life in the dark, snowy time in the North. Around 1441-1442, the townspeople of Estonia would hold a celebration for the Christmas Season. On that night, the tree would be taken to Towns Hall Square where they would dance around it in merriment. In 1584, Balthasar Russow wrote of an established tradition of setting up a decorated spruce at the market square where the young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame”.

The tradition of decorating an Evergreen tree at Christmas is claimed to have started in Livonia and in Germany in the 16th century. As for the lights, several cultures that were weary of deep darkness and cold would light candles, fires, and bonfires to help light triumph over the darkness. They decided to hang light around their Christmas tree to help keep the darkness at bay. Fire was such a big part in the holiday season that even in Britain it was traditional for some to burn their Christmas letters on the fire so that they would be magically transported by the wind to the North Pole.

Of course who could forget the big guy? The modern figure of Santa came from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas which, in turn, may have part of its basis in the tales concerning the historical figure and gift giver Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a 4th century Greek Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia. He was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three penniless daughters with dowries so that they would be able to have a better life.

Saint Nicholas would place the coins inside the stockings that were hanging over the fireplace to dry, and leave them to be found by the women of the house. This would explain why today we place stockings over the fireplace to be filled with bright candies and tiny trinkets. Although, when Nicholas was not able to sneak into their homes, he would toss the coins through their windows, or drop the coins down a chimney when he finds the windows locked.  Thus, the myth of Santa coming down the chimney was born.

Today, Santa is portrayed in a big red suit with white trim, black boots, and a red Santa’s hat. I am sure some of you have heard this silly answer to why,

“Santa's sleigh has two runners, two tons of toys and eight reindeer
Two plus two plus eight makes twelve.
There are twelve inches in a foot.
Rulers are a foot long.
Queen Elizabeth II is a ruler and is also the name of the largest ship that sails the seven seas.
Seas have fish and fish have fins.
The Finns fought the Russians and the Russians are red.
Santa is always Russian (rushin') and that is why he is dressed in red!”

Obviously this is not the logically correct answer to why Santa wears red, but the reason also surprisingly did not come from candy canes, or Rudolph’s nose, but simply from an advertisement. Santa wears red because Coca Cola created an advertisement of him in red and white so that he was Coca Cola colors. The popularity of the image spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was invented by The Coca-Cola Company or that Santa wears red and white because they are the colors used to promote the Coca-Cola brand.

Whether Christmas is a big part in your life or not, I am sure you have heard many strange myths on the infamous Santa Claus. There are countless stories and versions about who Santa is or where he comes from, but no matter the roots or origins of Christmas, it’s not the facts that make the holiday, but the reason for the season.