Christmastime is such a rich well-spring of tradition. Many of the customs we observe today are centuries old. Of course the origins of Christmas go way back to the birth of Jesus almost 2,000 years ago.
To be honest with you, I find it disturbing to consider how our culture seems to be moving away from any Christmas traditions that center around the glorious fact that "God so loved his world that he sent his one and only son." (John 3:16)
This tradition-drift in our culture led me to research other Christmas traditions that have come and gone. To say that I have unearthed some fascinating fact would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions (or something like that). So, without further adieu, the Christmas 2005 Edition of the Heavenly Top Ten is:
Top Ten Christmas Traditions
That Didn't Last
- The "Twelve Days of Christmas" started out as "The Seventeen-Days, Three-Hours of Christmas", but it was just way too obnoxious to sing!
- In an attempt to translate Santa and his reindeer into tropical cultures, the story of "Santa and his Rain Gear" began. Unfortunately, soggy presents were never a hit. Dry gifts and a healthy suspension of disbelief prevailed!
- During the Elizabethan era, people would decorate reindeer instead of trees; allowing them to freely wander through the house-and you thought cleaning up pine needles was a pain!
- For a brief period in England, Christmas carolers were replaced by Christmas hecklers. One of their oft' repeated phrases was, "You call that a gift?" This of course is the origin of the first snowball fight!
- Prior to the invention of "turkey and dressing" there was "cross-turkey dressing" when people dressed up as turkeys. Like most fads, it died a quick, uneventful death.
- Hoards of Scottish revelers were stunned the year that Haggis Cake was replaced by Fruit Cake. Everyone else was good with it, though.
- In Scandinavia, the Viking tradition of "hanging the skull" remained popular well into the 15th century. When someone walked under the skull, they would be clubbed to Valhalla. Luckily this tradition remained regional.
- The first version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was "Adolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." The name was changed in 1939 for obvious reasons.
- During the Dark Ages, the traditional pulling of Christmas Crackers found its inception in the pulling of the Christmas Finger. Eventually the age of enlightenment mostly prevailed.
- And the number one question about Christmas traditions that didn't last is:
- Will the next generation consider the celebration of Christ's birth a Christmas tradition that didn't last? To ensure that won't happen, it's up to those who know Christ to continue to show Christ!
