HamilTEN: The Ultimate Christmas List

1. Presents
   1. With the dawn of Black Friday, Christmas shopping is in full swing, which will soon beg the question, ‘why is this a thing?’ Some believe that the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas came from the acts of the Three Wise Men after the birth of baby Jesus. However, the practice is actually believed to originate much earlier than that, with an old Pagan winter festival called Saturnalia, previously celebrated in Europe and the Middle East before it was phased out and replaced with Christmas.
2. Christmas Tree
   1. Prior to the existence of Christmas, people used evergreen branches to decorate their homes, to remind them through the cold winters that the plant life would be back soon. As Christianity grew in Europe, people began decorating their trees with apples to signify the Garden of Eden. Eventually, the decorating of Christmas trees became a practice in Germany, and when Queen Victoria decorated her tree in honor of her German husband, the trend spread like wildfire into the tradition it is now.
3. Lights
   1. As one of the city’s most prominent holiday features, Christmas lights have a special place in the hearts of Hamiltonian’s. But where exactly does the tradition come from? Legend has it that decorating Christmas trees with lights goes all the way back to Martin Luther, a German theologian responsible for the start of the Protestant Reformation. Stories say he was strolling through the woods, and when he peered up, he saw the stars twinkling through the trees. He was so impressed by the sight that he recreated it for his family when he returned home right in the middle of his living room by placing candles on the branches of a tree.
4. Carols
   1. In the 12^th and 13^th century had nothing to do with Christmas. Prior to the late 1800s, carols were used primarily for church processionals. Once the Victorian era began, caroling had become a regular part of celebrating holidays. When Christmas became a more commercialized occasion, caroling became a much more popular way to celebrate. In fact, the first Christmas carols were published in 1881, namely Silent Night.
5. Stockings
   1. The tradition of hanging stockings by the fire originated from a story about an old widower with three daughters. It is said that this man could not afford a dowry (wealth transferred from the bride’s family to her husband) for his daughters. St. Nicholas heard of this misfortune, and secretly gifted the dowry to the widower by dropping gold down the chimney, some landing in a stocking hung on the fireplace to dry. Since the deed was done in secret, it wasn’t too long before the news spread and the tradition took form.
6. Eggnog
   1. Eggnog was first made in a Jamestown settlement in the 18^th century. First called “egg and grog”, the eggnog is made with milk, sugar, eggs, spices, and liquor. After a while, the name was shortened to “egg’n’grog” until eventually it became simply eggnog. This creamy holiday beverage was inspired by a British drink called a posset, which is generally the same thing, but without eggs. It became a Christmas beverage due to its creamy warm texture and the spices, which many believe embody the winter season.
7. Mistletoe
   1. According to Celtic legends, mistletoe has the power to bring good luck, increase fertility, and fend off evil spirits. While the proof of that is not exactly considered scientific, the spirit of that power has stood the test of time, since kissing under the mistletoe has been a long-standing tradition during the Christmas season.
8. Milk and Cookies
   1. Every year, thousands of Christmas cookies are baked and left out for Santa on Christmas Eve with a nice tall glass of milk. Where did that tradition come from? Who started it? There are many theories floating around. One such theory links back to Norse mythology. Odin was a Norse god who was known to visit homes in the night during Yule season and leave presents in the boots of children. On the eve of his return, the children would leave treats in their boots for Odin’s horse, Sleipnir. This tradition became popular in the United States during the Great Depression, when parents wanted to teach their children to share what they could with others.
9. Christmas Cards
   1. During the holiday season, it’s not uncommon to open up your mail and see a multitude of cards wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Today, Americans alone send more than 2 billion cards per year, but it wasn’t always like that. The very first Christmas card was released in 1843. The card was so popular that year that it’s been a tradition ever since.
10. Santa Claus
    1. The real story of Santa has been traced all the way back to 280 A.D. and a monk named St. Nicholas. As the story goes, Nicholas gave away all he had inherited to help the poor and the sick. Years later, he was recognized for all he had done and he is celebrated every year by the Dutch on the anniversary of his death. In the 19^th century, modern Santa was introduced to the United States by Thomas Nast, who drew a picture  of ‘Santa’ right around the same time the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was released.