Christmas Traditions

Updated: Dec 12, 2021

Christmas for many of us is literally the "most wonderful time of the year" and with it comes a lot of fun traditions.

Things that have been passed down from one generation to the next, to new traditions just being created.

Finding the perfect Christmas tree and cutting it down, trimming the tree, waiting for elves to arrive, and so many more examples come to mind.

It can also be the little things like favorite family recipes that come out only around the holidays, special Christmas songs, and even a silly gift that gets passed around year after year.

Here are 10 of some of the most famous traditions from around the world:

Oranges used to be stocking stuffers, a tradition that is believed to date back to the legend of St. Nicholas himself, when citrus was a luxury and as extravagant a gift as most families could afford. While some people still practice this Christmas custom (we do in our house and the kids look forward to it every year), it is less common than it once was. It's an easy, inexpensive, and healthy tradition worth keeping for sure.

Mistletoe: Kissing under the mistletoe is an old tradition that’s been used again and again in tons of songs and stories. However, hanging the pretty little plant over the doorway and actually smooching under its berries has faded from most people’s traditions.

The “12 Days of Christmas” song. Do you know the meaning? The 12 days begin on Christmas Day and run through Jan. 6, which marks the Feast of the Epiphany. This is when Western Christian churches mark as the day the Three Kings visited newborn baby Jesus. There are many ways people choose to celebrate this period. Some people open a small gift every day, while others choose a special family winter activity (sledding, caroling, snowmen-making) each day to keep the special season going.

Christmas Lights - Thomas Edison may be famous for the light bulb, but it was his partner and friend, Edward Johnson who had the bright idea of stringing bulbs around a Christmas tree in New York in 1882. By 1914, the lights were being mass produced and now some 150 million sets of lights are sold in the U.S. each year.

Yule Logs - Yule logs were part of ancient winter solstice celebrations and it was Americans who turned the wood burning into must-see TV. In 1966, a T.V. channel in New York City aired a continuous 17-second loop of a fireplace for three hours with holiday music in the background. That has led to better productions of it and years of annual viewing.

The actual tradition of the Yule log began in Norway, where a giant log was hoisted onto the hearth to celebrate the return of the sun each year. It is said that members of the family would write a wish on a piece of paper and stick it in/on the log and burn it so the wish would hopefully come true.

Advent Calendars - Several versions of this tradition actually started in Germany in 1903 by publisher Gerhard Land. It offered a way for children to count down to Christmas by opening one “door” or “window” a day that would reveal something like a Bible passage, poem or small gift. After gaining mass popularity by 1920, the calendars have evolved to calendars that include daily gifts of anything from mini bottles of wine to nail polish, chocolates, LEGO and so much more.

Ugly Christmas Sweaters - We have only ourselves to blame for this silly, ironic tradition that really started to gain steam in the 1980s. According to the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book, the sweaters first became a big trend in Vancouver, Canada in 2001. And it looks like this is one trend that is seemingly here to stay.

Cookies and Milk for Santa - Leaving treats for Santa and his reindeer is something that dates back to ancient Norse mythology, however, Americans began to sweeten the tradition a bit more during the 1930s, as a sign of showing gratitude during a time of struggle. These days depending on where you are in the world all sorts of things are left out for the big man on Christmas eve.

Door Wreaths - Wreaths have been around since the ancient Greek and Roman times. The evergreen Christmas wreath, often adorned with boughs of holly, eventually took on Christian meaning. The circular shape is representative of eternal life and the holly leaves and berries symbolic of Christ’s crown of thorns and blood, according to certain sources. Today’s wreaths come in all varieties, from the traditional evergreen kinds to ones with things like glass balls and ribbons, to artificial and even themed ones, are most often seen as a secular winter tradition.

Christmas Cards - The very first official Christmas cards appeared in 1843 England with the simple message, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” The idea of cards caught on in both Britain and the U.S. The company Kansas City-based Hall Brothers (now Hallmark) created a folded card sold with an envelope in 1915 and today there are cards that light up and play music. While the digital world is starting to take over according to the Greeting Card Association, more than 1 billion holiday cards are still sold annually.

Since I was a little girl we have always played the same Christmas album around the holidays: The Roger Whittaker Christmas Album. If you've never heard it I suggest you look it up!

The songs are classics for us and fun for both young and old.

We have always opened one special gift on Christmas eve, and gone to Christmas eve service. ( Until covid hit of course but we will get back to that once we can)

Sugar cookies from traditional family recipes are made and put out for Santa, along with some carrots for the reindeer.

Our family having Swedish background LOVES making Swedish biscuit as well every year for the holidays which is enjoyed at home as well as given as gifts.

It's a traditional recipe that takes hours to make. No bread machines here.

(This is one tradition I have yet to perfect in gluten free form so the kids and I miss out on this one for now!)

We put up lights and trim the find our perfect tree to chop and trim.

New traditions are being added as our family grows and changes and since becoming a mom a certain little elf (in fact 2 as of now) have joined our family every year for the holidays.

What are some of your favorite traditions around the holidays?

Chestnut roasting or Christmas caroling?

Whatever it is you do this time of year I hope it brings you the happiness and joy in the spirit of the season.