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article on what’s trending in both Christmas decorations and trees. Writer Dani Messick had the Did You Know? assignment this month and wrote an interesting piece on how the Christmas holiday evolved throughout history into what we celebrate today.
We take a look at what’s trending in exterior doors which is bold color. We also are covering what’s new in kitchens. All white
kitchens are slowly phasing out with deep colors such as forest green, navy or burgundy providing accents to brass fixtures and wood accents coming in to make the kitchen feel warm and welcoming.
And now, you’re probably wondering why there is a construction banner across my editor’s note. As we’ve celebrated our 20th anniversary this year, we decided to start our 21st with a bang by rebranding the publication complete with a new name and logo. The Michiana House & Home team has worked hard for months on this rebrand and we’re so excited to bring it to life.
Starting in January our new name will be HOME LIVING PLACES & SPACES. We’re going to remember our roots by continuing to focus on home construction, renovation and interior design, while at the same time expanding to cover more of what this area has to offer from day trips to take while on staycation, to interviewing interesting peo ple in our communities, to Do-It-Yourself projects you may want to tackle on a week
end and a whole lot more.
So if you’re a fan of this magazine, remember in 2025 we’ll have a new name on the cover: HOME LIVING PLACES & SPACES. And if you have an idea or topic you’d like us to cover, let me know. I can be reached at (800) 733-4111 ext. 2311 or at lzeugner@ the-papers.com
From all of us at
Lauren Zeugner, Editor
Email: Lzeugner@ the-papers. com
Exterior doors are bold and inviting Knock,, Knock
By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer
Everyone knows that first impressions are lasting impressions, especially when it comes to your home. That’s why exterior doors are so important. As the first element your guests see when they arrive, aesthetics matter and your exterior doors must pack a punch. Luckily today’s trends are skewing toward bold, sleek, sophisticated looks, plenty of accents, smart technology and sustainable solutions that can work in any home.
EXPRESS YOURSELF
When it comes to exterior doors, color is big for 2025. Forget the neutral shades of years gone by in favor of a splash of color such as bright reds, sunny yellows and vibrant greens to help your home stand out. For those not yet ready to embrace something bold and beautiful, a subtle color change such as charcoal grey and navy blue may be just what you need to create a refreshed look. Some homeowners are turning to black for a bit of drama. This is a great option for those who might want to coordinate your entry door with a side portal or their garage doors. Natural wood is also having a moment right now for those who embrace the grain work and various tones associated with different woods.
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE
Another trend destined to be big in 2025 are glass inserts which can not only add some natural light into the entry space, but also offers a sleek and modern touch. Some homeowners look to traditional frosted and stained glass to add interest to their door, but there really is no limit to what you can do whether it may be the utilization of large glass panes and installing backlighting, side lighting, or a transom to brighten the space and help everything look and feel bigger and better.
Smart technology, durability in design as well as sustainable choices are also popular right now. Steel and fiberglass couple strength with design for a high-performance doorway. Homeowners are also turning to double doors to make it easier to bring in those big items that do not always fit through a traditional doorway. Reclaimed wood and sustainably sourced materials not only look great, but also boost a home’s energy efficiency.
SETTING A TONE
Your exterior doorways do more than simply serve as a conduit to the rest of your abode. They are a beautiful space that not only reflect one’s style and values, but they are a functional channel that sets the tone for the interior spaces. Why not give your exterior doors some much needed TLC this year with a mini-makeover or a complete overhaul. Talk to your exterior door specialist to determine what style, color, and details you may want to include. Then, take advantage of the latest material and designs that will help you make a bold impression whether you are looking for something formal or festive! n
the heart of glass artistic glass trends vary depending on homeowner need
By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer
It’s no secret that interior design elements blend aesthetics and art and nowhere is this more apparent than in decorative glass. When Michiana House & Home was first published in 2004, glass artistry was having a moment and two decades later, it is still making waves in residential spaces. Homeowners are incorporating glass in ways that are visually appealing while adding depth and interest to various rooms.
Although it was once used primarily in churches or other ornate buildings, stained glass is experiencing a bit of a revival right now. According to Christine Doncaster of Doncaster Flooring & Design in Mishawaka, stained glass and lead glass are still popular options in vintage or period style homes. However, today’s homeowner is finding new ways to interpret these materials through the use of modern colors, patterns, and minimalist lines.
“Textures and frosted glass are being used for privacy, which is popular in residential and some commercial spaces,” she said. “It balances privacy (while allowing) natural light to come through, particularly in the bathroom.”
Painted thermal glass backsplashes are growing in popularity, especially in kitchens. These can be either hand-painted or digitally printed then sealed with a UV resistant coating and often feature personalized artwork to reflect landscape or abstract patterns. They can be topped off with a matte or gloss finish depending on whether the homeowner is looking for a soft contemporary look or something that will reflect light and open up a small space.
“These types of backsplashes can cost more due to the type of material homeowners are looking for, the colors they want to use, what it takes to cut the material and how many pieces it requires to put it all together,” Doncaster said. “But they can look really stunning in the home.”
REFLECTING ONE’S STYLE
Chris Kramer with C. Kramer Interiors in Granger said he is seeing artistic glass used in mirrors that are installed behind a bar space. He said homeowners are looking for something that will differentiate a bar from a sink backsplash and they are turning to bronzed mirrors or antique mirrors to reflect one’s style.
“Decorative glass has calmed down a little bit and we aren’t seeing it as much around here as we did before but some homeowners are using lead glass in their cabinet doors or stained glass in their bar cabinetry then back lighting them to get some color coming through,” he said. “We had one client who had stained glass in their previous home that he demolished in order to build new, but we salvaged the glass so that he could always have a piece of the old house with them.”
Glass is more than just a simple transparent material. Designers, artisans and homeowners are constantly looking for ways in which to innovate the substance and push its boundaries in terms of form, function and stability. From decorative panels to customizable patterns and sustainable practices, artistic glass has made the world beautiful for centuries and without a doubt, there is more beauty to come! n
Cozy and nostalgia trending in
C hristm as decorations
By BethAnne Brink-Cox House and Home Feature Writer
While you may have been seeing Christmas decorations and displays in the stores alongside back to school items, it’s pretty likely that you haven’t decorated quite that early in your own home (or have you? No judgment here.)
What’s big this year? Good Housekeeping lists obvious choices like wreaths, garland, snowflakes and pre-lit trees, from tabletop to towering. And House Beautiful says the top trends are what’s cozy and comfortable, such as velvet-flocked ornaments. New, too, are tree collars instead of tree skirts, and bows of every size and color are a big item this year. The Hygge influence calls for handmade ornaments, and patterns and materials for those are available everywhere.
Remember the Evergleam aluminum trees that were so popular in the 1960s, with or without a color wheel? Newer versions, including more colors than the original silver, are available these days. And because jewel toned ornaments are trendy this year, you can decorate a tree that will be breathtaking as well as unique. Speaking of trees, which do you suppose is better for the environment, real or artificial? The answer might surprise you: real trees help fight climate change, and they can be recycled in ways that artificial trees cannot. But there are good reasons for either choice, so go with what lifts your heart through the season.
When asked what’s new, Justin Bontrager of Superior Borders said, “Let’s see, how do I put this? I have been in business 10+ years, but this is the first year for Superior Christmas Lights. Down that line? The classics are always popular. Sure, we can come out with new stuff but the classic warm light is as popular as ever.” Bontrager said he doesn’t do much marketing at physical locations….so far! “We do online marketing, and lots of our leads come from that.” His business headquarters are in Middlebury, but they serve at least 23 locations in Indiana and Michigan.
And Clay Putnam has a three legged business, as he put it.
“My wife Tina manages the Christmas Decor by Serviscape. Decorations, garlands, ornaments, there are catalogs of all these things, and she has such great recall. She can go to someone’s home and can remember an item on page 78 in a specific catalog!” Putnam has been in business for more than 40 years, incorporating golf maintenance and construction. “In 2006 we leaped into the landscape business because the golf clients were asking us to do their homes.” And now, Christmas! ”We’re getting a lot of interest in permanent lights as opposed to temporary,” which is prob-
ably what most of us are familiar with if we do it all ourselves.
Both men agreed that you start doing this seasonal work the first week in September, so they’ve been hard at it for months. They’re definitely worth a call, even if they can’t fit you in for this Christmas. You won’t be sorry to leave your ideas in their hands. n
Photo courtesy of Superior Christmas Lights
Area historic homes are
RUTHMERE MANSION
Trains are the theme of this year’s Ruthmere mansion holiday.
“Usually our goal is to appeal to people who wouldn’t normally come to the museum, try to attract different crowds by having a different holiday theme every year,” said Andrea Hutslar, outreach curator for the Ruthmere.
Albert R. and Elizabeth Baldwin Beardsley commissioned architect E. Hill Turnock to design and build Ruthmere, 302 E. Beardsley Ave., Elkhart, in 1908. Their nephew, Arthur Beardsley, and his wife, Stella, lived in the home until their deaths in the 1940s. Sherill and Helen Deputy and their sons moved into Ruthmere in 1945, and in 1969 they sold it to the Beardsley Foundation, which restored the home to make it a museum.“Generally the house doesn’t really change throughout the year, but during the holidays it’s a complete transformation into something new and fresh and that is why Christmas time is always our absolute busiest time of the year,” Hutslar said.
By Dani Messick House and Home Feature Writer
Michiana House and Home’s region boasts a number of historic homes. While most are in private hands, a few are open to the public to see how Christmas was celebrated in a by-gone era.
With such a strong history in Elkhart of train usage and the Beardsley’s on prominent
All Aboard the Holiday Express
use of trains during their lives, Hutslar said the Ruthmere created an homage featuring model trains and toy trains loaned from 17 different organizations and information on the history of trains in the area and of railroads in
the United States as a whole. Holiday festivities also include a special tea with Mrs. Claus. If you’re looking for something more classical, check out the Ruthmere-owned Havilah Beardsley, 102 W. Beardsley Ave.
OLIVER MANSION
Photos provided by the Ruthmere Mansion
decked out for the holidays
WINCHESTER MANSION
Not open for regular business hours, but rather a unique lived-in historic home available for rent, the Winchester Mansion on South Second Street in Elkhart features a special opportunity for guests to visit during its Winterfest Market as part of downtown Elkhart’s Winterfest on Dec. 7.
The Winchester Mansion, 529 S. Second St., Elkhart was built in 1905 by Charles Winchester, the president of First National Bank, for his
daughter Nellie Knickerbocker and her husband, William “They lived here the duration of their lives,” co-owner Chris Baiker said. “They were a very prominent family here in Elkhart. They were friends with the Beardsleys, and very philanthropic. The house was designed by Turnock who also designed the courthouse and city hall.”
Nellie lived in the home until her death in 1947.
While the home did house some businesses over the years,
no one had lived in it since Nellie until Chris Baiker and his wife, Phalene Leitchman, bought it in 2021.
The couple brought the home back to its original glory and even added on a few bathrooms period-correct.
“Even though the house is not on the historical registry, that was important to us,” Baiker said.
During Christmas time, guests who visit the property will find period-correct garlands,
Christmas at Copshaholm will be from 4 - 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 15 at Oliver Mansion. Tickets are strongly recommended and can be purchased online at histdorymuseumSB.org.
Christmas trees, poinsettia, and a wood-burning fireplace.
“I’m obsessed with ceramic Christmas trees, the vintage ones, so they’re everywhere,” Baiker said. “I like real, authentic Christmas stuff.”
During Winterfest, vendors will be on-site from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Dec. 7 and entry to the property will be free. It’s the only time this holiday season the property and its vintage lights will be open to the public at no charge.
W. Washington St., South Bend, in 1897. The family owned the home for the next 75 years until it was donated to The History Museum.
The furnishings in the home are original, showcasing the home as it appeared when the family lived there. Tours during the event will be self-guided but there will be docents on each of the three floors to answer questions.
There will also be a live pianist and an “Elf-on-theCopsha-Shelf.”
J.D. and Anna Oliver and their four children moved into what would later be known as the Oliver Mansion, 808
“We have over 20 Christmas trees throughout our 38-room mansion, plus we also decorate fireplace mantels and tabletops, that sort of thing,” said Marilyn Thompson, director of marketing for The History Museum.
In the Carriage House, kids can decorate ornaments, create their own Christmas card, write a personal letter to Santa, and more. n
Photos provided by the Winchester Mansion
Photos provided by the Oliver Mansion
YEAR ROUND | MIDDLEBURY TRAIL TALES
aroundmichiana
Bring the family outdoors to read a children’s book while walking a short path at Riverbend Park; book pages are placed in special kiosks along the path. New books are installed monthly. Event partners are the Middlebury Public Library and Middlebury Parks Department.
NOW - DEC. 28 | ELKHART WONDERLAND HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Wellfield Botanical Gardens
5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 6-8; 13-15;18-23; and 26-28
The gardens are open Dec. 26-28 only for the lights, not for general admission. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children age 4 and up. Member adult tickets are $12. Member child/grandchild $8. Visit wellfieldgardens.org for more information.
DEC. 1-31 | SOUTH BEND SOUTH BEND FARMERS MARKET
Indoor market featuring homegrown produce, dairy products, meats, eggs, maple syrup, jams and jellies, handcrafts, artwork, jewelry and more 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
A host of local musicians and bands gather to pick, play and sing bluegrass, country and gospel in an informal jam session. Meets the first Thursday of the month. 6:30-9 p.m.
Doc Able Pavilion, 116 W. Waterford St. Downtown Wakarusa, 1 block west of stop light.
Free Admission, free will offering (574) 862-2200 wakarusabluegrassjam.com
DEC. 6-8 | GOSHEN FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
Goshen College
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6-7; 4 p.m. Dec. 8
Sauder Concert Hall
$20 Reserved seating. For tickets call (574) 535-7566
DEC. 6 | GOSHEN WIZARDS OF WINTER
Goshen Theater
216 S. Main St.
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$49
Visit www.onthestage.tickets/ show/goshen-theater-inc/6660b5b2f612700e41688330/tickets#/productions-view or call 574-312-3701.
DEC. 7-8 | WINONA LAKE CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS
4 p.m. Dec. 7; 4 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8
Winona Heritage Room, 901 Park Ave.
Adults $15; Students and seniors $12; Children 5 and under free
DEC 7-8 | SOUTH BEND THE NUTCRACKER
Morris Performing Arts Center 211 N. Michigan St. Performances are 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 2 p.m. Dec. 8
Tickets from $33.50 to $72.50 Call (574) 235-9190 or visit morriscenter.org/ event/southold-the-nutcracker
DEC. 8 | ELKHART HOLIDAY SPIRITS
Wellfield Botanical Garden with Dragon’s Mouth Distillery 4-5:30 p.m.
Make three holiday cocktails. Public admission $75 Wellfield member, $60.
Registration includes one free adult Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights ticket.
DEC. 11 | WARSAW HOLIDAY POPS AT WARSAW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
DEC. 14 | WAKARUSA WAKARUSA DIME STORE CHRISTMAS MARKET
103 E. Waterford St. 3-8 p.m.
DEC. 19 | WARSAW THEME SKATE NIGHT
Hansen Skating Center 3010 Frontage Road 6-8 p.m.
Admission and skate rental charged.
DEC. 28 | SOUTH BEND DINNER DETECTIVE
Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend at Notre Dame 1140 E. Angela Blvd. 6-9 p.m.
General admission $69.95 or suspect package $19.95
Visit www.thedinnerdetective.com/ south-bend/event/saturday-december28-2024-south-bend-in for more information. n
•
COOKING UP some color kitchen shades that make a statement
By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer
AUBERGINE — Aubergine blends the energy of a red with the coolness of a blue into a color that looks stunning when paired with brass hardware, oak finishes, and neutral fabrics. Aubergine offers an immediate warmth to any space and has been used in country kitchens for years. When used as a pop of color in an otherwise neutral space, it feels like a warm hug on a winter day.
RICH REDS — Everyone knows that red adds passion, energy, and intensity to any room, but when used in the kitchen, it actually has an effect on one’s appetite! An unexpected use of red will elevate your space, while cinnamon, burgundy, and paprika will make a bold statement when used alongside natural woods and materials. This is one pop of color that will not soon be forgotten!
Start spreading the hues – after years of embracing all white, monochromatic kitchenscapes, designers are turning to color in a big way! There are a number of surprising shades that are taking center stage in 2025 and are guaranteed to breathe new life into the heart of your home. These rich, dark shades have been overlooked in the past but when coupled with natural materials and a great neutral accent color, they offer dramatic contrast and will kick your style quotient up to the next level.
MOODY BLUES — Although it is rarely thought of as “rustic” compared to distressed browns, greys, and blacks, navy blue is an attractive alternative to the traditional and can highlight other details of a room that can use the boost such as brass hardware, artwork, or a natural stone island top. A moody blue offers elegant sophistication to a multi-functional room such as a kitchen without overkill. It also presents a warm and welcoming space for friends and families to gather.
FOREST GREEN — This timeless classic provides a richer tone than the sage and pistachio shades that were popular in years past. Designers say that forest green opens up creative possibilities in the kitchen without overwhelming the space and is a great choice for those who want to bring a sense of the outside indoors.
BLUE-GREENS — Those homeowners looking to give their kitchens a mini-makeover should look to the wide range of bluegreen tones for inspiration. You may choose something in the teal, turquoise, or seafoam family to give your space an airy, updated look, or turn to a billiard green, which offers an alternative to basic grey and black for added depth.
EARTHY BROWNS — An earthy palette of rich, warm browns will provide your space with a soothing atmosphere whether you choose a wall color such as a light almond or something on the putty spectrum, there are several great tones that will balance out the whites and off-whites while offering an intense contrast to the room.
Deep rich colors are on trend for kitchens in 2025 so don’t be afraid to play with your palette and see which tones are right for you! n
For the lemon almond cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, almond meal, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, baking soda and zest in a medium bowl. Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice in a separate small bowl until very smooth. Whisk together the granulated sugar and olive oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs to the olive oil mixture, one at a time, whisking very well after each, then stir in the almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and yogurt
mixture to the olive oil mixture in three alternating additions, whisking after each until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cranberry glaze, combine the cranberries with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the cranberries start to break down and release their juices (You can help the process by smashing them with a rubber spatula), 5-10 minutes. Pour the cranberries and their juices into a fine-
Welsh Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
cold and diced, plus more for cooking
3/4 cup currants
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2-3 tablespoons buttermilk
Melted butter for cooking
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, zest, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy. Stir in the currants. Beat the eggs and 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk together. Stir into the dry ingredients to make a shaggy
mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Press the mixture through the sieve with a spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve and adding that to the bowl as well. Add the powdered sugar and salt to the bowl and mix until it comes together into a spreadable glaze. It will seem like a lot of sugar at first, but it will incorporate. If the glaze is too thick, add a couple of drops of water until it’s thin enough to spread. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
To decorate, spread the glaze over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with sliced almonds, rose petals, fresh thyme leaves, sliced cranberries and sprinkles.
dough, add more buttermilk if the dough is dry. Gather the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll the dough on a floured workspace into a piece about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 2 to 3-inch rounds Heat the griddle or frying pan over
medium low heat. Brush the pan surface with butter. Cook the cookies until slightly brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a rack, sprinkle with sugar and cool. Store in a cookie tin. n
By Dani Messick House and Home Feature Writer
The Parade of Homes by the Builders Association of Elkhart County brought forth the realization for builders that folks are tired of cookie-cutter homes. They want a home uniquely usable to them.
People just want to live in their homes
“I think that’s part of what drives these trends, people start realizing and get kind of a better understanding of how they want their life to function,” said James Byars, president/owner of Fireside Homes Inc.
Byars discussed some of the interesting ways that builders are offering a custom experience for families looking to build.
“It’s kind of assumed now that you’re going to have a covered porch,” Byars presented as an example.
Byars said up until a few years ago, most homes would have small concrete patio space, but the space wasn’t necessarily meant to be used, nor did it matter. It was just there.
“I would say the vast majority of homes you’re seeing built today especially presolds have some kind of living space off the back of the home via a covered porch,” Byar said. “It allows you to put a table and chairs, it allows to you make an outdoor living space, it gives you a lot of flexibility with your space and it turns into an extension of the main living space, it’s just you’re living outside instead of inside.”
Another trend is the idea of working pantries.
“Walk-in pantries have been around for a while,” Byars said. “Now we’re doing larger pantries that have counter space in them, that have some cabinets in them, it’s common to have an additional fridge in it, some of them have an additional sink in them and it’s a space that you can prep and work in your pantry.”
The working pantry concept also creates a space for those with small kitchens to put small frequently-used appliances like the coffee pot, or places the shelves closer to offload groceries as you put them away.
“We’re putting a lot more counter space in the pantries now so that we can free up counter space in the kitchen,” he said.
Colored cabinets, earth-toned cabinets and a shift away from the cooler-toned whites of the world is also becoming popular. Openconcept homes remain popular.
Byar recalled in 2022 a three-season room off the master suite in a Parade of Homes property.
“That has always shown really really
well,” he said. “A lot of people just want their own space where they can just sit down and read. We’re doing a hearth room right now in a build. It’s off the kitchen, it’s got a little fireplace and a couple of chairs. It almost feels like a hybrid formal living room, at least taking the place of that.”
Byars said it’s evident people still want clean spaces to entertain the public, but they also understand with family comes mess. Despite that, having a home that works for their unique situation is significant.
“I see a focus on functionality and being willing to spend a little bit more to make homes functional,” Byars said. “Like it’s not necessarily uncommon anymore for us to put a stacked washer dryer unit in a master suite, like in a closet…and still have a regular washer and dryer across the house so you can do all your changing of clothes in the closet and the clothes never really have to leave the closet.”
Byars said with people starting to prioritize their health more, he’s also seeing an uptick in workout rooms, saunas and even a cold plunge room. n
Photos provided by Fireside Homes
Did You Know?
By Dani Messick House and Home Feature Writer
Arguably the most celebrated holiday of the year, Christmas is a worldwide tradition, with varia tions across culture, religion and region, but some of the traditions associated with the popular gift-giving celebration date back thousands of years be fore the birth of Christ.
The Ancient Egyptians are known to have decorated their homes with green plants around the winter solstice to celebrate the return of the sun and the triumph of life over death as far back as 3100 BC.
The Egyptians used green palms. Later on, the Romans would celebrate Saturnalia (Dec. 17–23) with evergreen boughs, symbolizing everlasting life and the promise of spring.
The first Christmas trees as we know them today came from medieval Germany.
The story goes that the Christmas tree came about in Germany in the 1500s from the mind of Martin Luther. Legend has it that on a winter’s night in 1536, Luther was walking through a pine forest near his home in Wittenburg and looked up to see thousands of stars glinting across the branches of the trees, which inspired him to set up a candle-lit fir tree in his home to remind his children of the starry heavens where Jesus Christ came from.
The decorated trees became common enough for writers to record them into the annals of history by 1605 when a now-unknown author wrote ‘set up fir trees in the parlours ... and hang thereon roses cut out of many-coloured paper, apples, wafers, gold-foil, sweets, etc.’ German immigrants to America also brought their tradition across the ocean, and the English Queen Charlotte, who was born in England, was also known to have a Christmas tree at Queen’s Lodge in Windsor as early as 1800.
But it was the imagery of Victoria and Alfred in 1848 that led to the Christmas tree becoming a major part of Christmas celebrations worldwide today.
Prince Albert, English Queen Victoria’s consort, would send decorated trees across the region of Windsor.
But it was an engraving of Victoria, Albert and their children published in the Illustrated London News (1842-2003) in 1848 that lent itself to the Christmas trees’ expansive growth in popularity.
Indeed, many of Christmas’ most significant traditions harken back to historical times. During Saturnalia, the Romans would give offerings to the gods in the same way that Christians today give gifts to represent the gifts of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus.
And Christmas wreaths, too, come from the medieval period. In fact, they come from the 16th-century German practice of reusing the trimmed-off pieces of the evergreen trees. After families cleaned up the tree into the shape they wanted, they’d weave the excess branches together into wreaths. The circular pattern of the wreath, having no beginning or end symbolizes the eternity of God, immortality of the soul and everlasting life found through Christ.
Even our most edgy traditions actually date back to a much earlier world. Xmas, while today widely believed as an attempt to remove “Christ” from Christmas, could arguably be viewed as a rightful return to the original spelling. Roman Emporer Constantine the Great in the 4th century often used the Greek “X” as a shorthand for the Greek “Chi,” as it is derived from and pronounced the same way. Christ in Greek was Χριστός (pronounced Christos). Xianity and XPmas date back to around the 11th century and according to Dictionary.com, by the 1500s, Xmas was commonplace, although the first known usage of Xmas is in a letter by Josiah Wedgwood in 1764.
A quick note about Christmas trees: they’re known for sparking around 260 fires in the U.S. every year as a result of neglect or being dried out, and an additional 150 fires are caused by lights and other decorations, so always take property safety measures with your holiday decorating. n
