Eumundi Voice - Issue 108, 12 December 2024

DOWN MEMORY LANE

Christmas Traditions

Most Australians follow a blend of British and European traditional Christmas customs, although recent ones have appeared through advertising promotions telling us we must have an “Elf on the Shelf” or dress like the “Grinch”. However, traditional customs did not need money tinkling through cash registers or crashing the internet with expensive online orders.

In pagan days, the winter solstice meant freezing weather, and food was limited to what could be pickled until spring. Ancient Romans gathered evergreen branches to cheer up their homes and adorn temples honouring Saturn. Vikings and Anglo Saxons dragged a massive log indoors at Yuletide, hoping it would burn throughout the freezing days and nights. The French Christmas cake – Bûche de Noël or Yule log – and the Swiss roll, decorated with chocolate icing and

imitation snow, holly and bells, symbolise the tradition of the Yule log.

In Medieval Europe, a living fir tree at Christmas symbolised everlasting life. On Christmas Eve –not a day before – people would add presents or a lighted candle. The tree must be removed on Twelfth Night (6 January) or bad luck followed. Brilliant green holly bushes with their bright red berries added colour to dark winter months and green and red came to symbolise Christmas.

Queen Victoria’s husband German-born Prince Albert introduced the tradition to England of beautifully decorating a Christmas fir tree, after he started the practice in Buckingham Palace for their children to enjoy. Fortunately, artificial lights and baubles have since replaced flaming candles.

Mistletoe is one tradition fast fading in Australia. This parasite plant has a profusion of white berries during winter. The Norse Goddess of Love Frigg, promised to kiss any man passing underneath mistletoe if her dead son Baldur was resurrected. In 18th century England a man could kiss any girl he caught underneath a branch of mistletoe. If she refused, she would have bad luck. Obviously, a man-made rule!

Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) is responsible for gift stockings. A poor father was selling his daughters into prostitution, so Nick crept in at night and filled their stockings with gold coins to use as dowries so they could get husbands instead.

Elves have always helped Santa but that “Elf on the Shelf” only emerged in 2005 due to a massive advertising campaign based on a children’s book. It succeeded! Eileen Walder