Did You Know The Following Legends?
Why we decorate our Christmas trees with tinsel?
This is explained by the charming legend of the Christmas spider. A poor widow was determined to give her family a good Christmas. She spent hours decorating a tree before falling into bed exhausted. During the night, spiders scurried all over the tree, leaving dusty grey webs. Jesus knew the mother would be brokenhearted so, as a reward for her unselfish behaviour, turned the webs into silver threads.
Why we have Yule logs?
In Scandinavian pagan festivals, a log, said to have magical powers, was part of a winter solstice ceremony where revelers ushered in the power of the sun. With time, the tradition spread and evolved. The log had to be a gift, or come from a tree grown on your own land. The wood was set alight on Christmas Eve using a scrap of the previous year’s log and was kept smouldering for days. The remains were said to protect against fire and lightning.
Why we put coins in the Christmas pudding…and set it on fire?
Traditionally everyone in the family stirs the pudding mix and makes a wish. Some say this should be done from east to west to copy the Three Kings’ approach route and with a wooden spoon to represent the manger. Coins are added to the pudding and whoever finds one gets wealth, health and happiness. This may be a throwback to the tradition of Twelfth Cake, which was eaten on Twelfth Night (6th January) and contained a dried bean. Whoever found the bean was ‘King’ for the day.
‘Firing’ the pudding has connections with the winter solstice, when bonfires were lit and prayers said to welcome back the sun. But the flame is also said to represent Christ’s passion, and a garnish of holly stands for his crown of thorns.
Why is Santa’s sleigh pulled by reindeer…and why does he come down the chimney?
In America in 1822 Dr. Clement Clarke Moore wrote a Christmas poem for his children. "A Visit From St. Nicholas’ told the story of a cheery, chubby Santa who traveled through the skies on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and came into the house down the chimney. His poem was published in a newspaper in 1823 and later reprinted elsewhere. It grew in popularity, and the magic of the sleigh and eight flying reindeer took hold. But there may be more ancient links. It’s said that the shamans, spiritual leaders of reindeer herders, went into trances (aided by magic mushrooms) and ‘flew’. In flight they were said to enter and exit huts through smoke holes.
Why we decorate our homes with poinsettias at Christmas?
This comes from a Mexican legend. A peasant girl desperately wanted to take a gift to the village church in honour of baby Jesus. But having no money she set off for the Christmas Eve Service empty-handed. On the way she met an angel, who told her to pick some weeds. In shame she presented her straggly bouquet at the altar, but a miracle happened right before her eyes as the green leaves changed into bright red ‘flowers’.
