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Forgotten Christmas Traditions From History
Unknown Christmas traditions and their fascinating origins
Christmas traditions have become beloved hallmarks of the annual holiday. Candy canes, caroling, putting cookies out for Santa Claus and opening bright presents all connote Christmas.
Many of these North American traditions are from Victorian England, when Queen Victoria’s beloved husband Prince Albert brought German Christmas customs to the United Kingdom, which were then transported to other parts of the English-speaking world.
For example, the popularity of the Christmas tree—which was then dangerously lit with candles — was because of Prince Albert’s influence. Before the nineteenth century, historians believe the Christmas tree tradition belonged exclusively to the Germanic world and originated from pagan beliefs. Only after the young royal family was sketched standing next to a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1848 did other Britons follow suit.
Like the wildly popular Christmas tree, most of these traditions survived the chaos of the twentieth century. However, others, from both England and around the world, have been almost completely erased from the popular…
