Christmas Traditions Q&A | For Kids

Tell us about your favorite holiday traditions!

With it being the holiday season and Christmas here in the United States and elsewhere around the world, we thought it would be fun to talk about some of the popular traditions and try and answer some of the questions we here at Bedtime History have had for a while now!

How did Santa get his name and why does he wear a red suit? 

Today, children know the traditional Santa Claus by his red suit, long white beard, and black boots – along his ability to perform amazing feats like sliding down chimneys and driving a sleigh through the sky.  The Santa Clause tradition we know today has its roots in the year 280 AD in the country of Turkey. At the time lived a man named Nicholas. Nicholas grew up to be a very sweet, gentle man who became a monk – meaning a man who is very religious and does not marry.  He was very kind and used to give secret gifts to children, the sick, poor and needy.  He was also called “Nicholas the Wonder Worker” for miracles he was believed to perform.  His popularity spread through the lands and, in time, he became the most popular saint in Europe.  He became known as the patron saint of children, students, singles, sailors, storekeepers, and others!  The Dutch called him Sint Nikolaas – or Sinter Klaas for short – and they honored him with a feast day every December 6th. This day also became a very lucky day to get married or buy gifts.  Through the centuries, Dutch immigrants arrived in the US and continued to celebrate Sinter Klaas, so other Americans started to do so, too!  Early paintings of Saint Nicholas show him in long red or burgundy robes with grey hair, a long beard, and a mustache.  The traditional modern-day Saint Nicholas – or Santa Claus – still loves wearing red clothes, a long beard, and mustache, performing miracles, and giving gifts to people around the world.  

What is a “manger?”  

Have you heard the Christmas carol “Away in a Manger”?  And did you ever wonder what they meant by the word “manger?” When I was a child, I used to see illustrations of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in a stable.  I thought a manager was another name for the stable, barn, stall or shed.  I was really surprised when I learned that the word “manger” in the bible actually meant an animal’s feeding box or trough!  I guess I thought “Away in a Manger” meant “Away in a Barn.”  I didn’t think it meant “Away in a feeding box!”  But I’ve also seen references to “manager” meaning an outside penned area attached to a house or inn which is filled with straw for animals.  So, who knows?  Maybe it can mean the feeding box OR the feeding area!

What is figgy pudding?  

Have you heard the popular Christmas carol “We wish you a Merry Christmas”?  One of the lines in that song says, “Now bring us some figgy pudding.”  So, what IS figgy pudding?  If you are like me, I thought it was a squishy pudding like chocolate pudding or rice pudding.  But it’s actually a cake – a steamed cake – and contains figs or raisins – plus honey, ginger, raw beef or sheep fat, and sometimes wine or rum!  It was very popular many years ago in Europe, but it’s not a popular dessert these days – at least not in the US.  Have you ever eaten figgy pudding?  If so, I’d love to hear from you and learn what you think about it!

What does “wassail” mean? 

Here in the US, some towns and cities hold a wassail celebration, involving parades with horse-drawn sleighs, marching bands, music, dancing elves, a visit from Santa, and lots of food.  But what does “wassail” mean? In the olden days in Europe, people used to say the greeting, “Waes hael,” meaning “Be well” while holding a cup of spiced apple cider.  This tradition started as a celebration of a good apple harvest.  Wassail also can mean the drink:  a mulled, spiced cider containing apples, eggs, brandy, sugar, and oranges – plus a slice of toast on top.  That sounds delicious!  Maybe our listeners can tell us if they have ever tasted wassail – and if it still comes with toast!  Also, let me know if you still greet friends saying, “Waes hael”!

What are sugar plums?

I’m sure most of us have heard of the famous poem and story called, “’Twas The Night Before Christmas.”  In that story, the children dream of delicious sugar plums while waiting for Santa.  And in the famous Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, there is the dance of the sugar plum fairies.  But what is a sugar plum?  If I had to guess, I would say that it is a plum sprinkled with sugar. But no – it is actually a nut, seed or kernel covered with layers of golden, hardened sugar – like our Tootsie Roll Pops without the stick – and with a nut inside instead of gooey chocolate.  Are sugar plums still popular where you live?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.

Why do we put up Christmas trees?

There are many stories about this tradition, which started in Europe centuries ago.  People would celebrate the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year – December 21 or 22-by putting evergreen boughs in their homes.  These were cheerful decorations during the long, winter days when they spent a lot of time inside.  They would use boughs from pine, spruce, or fir trees because they stay green all year long – plus they have a wonderful smell!  As the years went by, this tradition spread to more cities and became more popular.  Starting in the 1400’s in Germany, they put whole trees inside their homes instead of just boughs – and decorated them with apples, berries, gingerbread, pretzels, wool string, and straw decorations.  This tradition became so popular that by the 1500’s, one German city had to pass a law stating there could only be one Christmas tree in each house!  But the big moment that started the Christmas tree tradition around the world was when Queen Victoria of England and her husband, Prince Albert of Germany, put up a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle in 1848.  An artist captured this moment and made a sketch, which was then published in London papers.  This sketch soon spread across the globe and that is how people all over the world started putting up Christmas trees in their own homes. They saw the Queen do it and thought, “Hey, that looks like fun – and it’s pretty, too!” Immigrants from Europe also brought this custom to the US and helped it gain popularity through the years.  I know I love putting up a Christmas tree in my house every year.  What about you?

And here is another fun fact about Christmas trees:

Which do you think is more popular now – real Christmas trees or artificial – meaning fake – Christmas trees?  Where I live in Arizona, we see a lot of Christmas tree lots selling live trees.  We watch Christmas movies showing people looking for the perfect Christmas tree and the misadventures they have getting it on top of the car, driving it home, and lugging it into the house.  Maybe they smash a house window or find a live squirrel in their tree – or it bursts into flames!  And what a mess of sap and needles everywhere!!!  Did you know that as of 2018, there were around 95 million US homes putting up trees and only 18% of those were REAL trees?  That means 82% of US homes use artificial trees!  What about your home?  Do you put up a tree at Christmastime?  If so, do you use a real tree or an artificial one?

So, what do you think of those Christmas questions and answers.  Did you learn something new?  I know I sure did!  Who knew Christmas had so many special foods and amazing history?!  I wonder what Christmas will be like in the year 3,000?  Do you think we will still be putting up trees or will there be new traditions?  If you could start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?  

Whatever you do, and however you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends.  My family and I wish you the merriest of holidays and a happy new year!

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