It seems the holiday of Christmas is a combination of many different cultures and many different rituals that have come together over the last 2000 years. The curiosity of the holiday is something that has always interested me.
It was last year that I showed a film about the history of Christmas to my World History students and since then, I've had a fascination with its history. Here's the post I wrote last year about the Americanization of Christmas, with the video in full.
http://ushistorysite.blogspot.com/2008/12/brief-history-of-americanization-of.html
Happy Holidays!
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Friday, December 25, 2009
USHistoryBlog Rewind: The Americanization of Christmas
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Naughty & Nice: A History of The Holiday Season - BackStoryRadio.org
The American History Guys of BackStoryRadio.org make history accessible... they talk in common terms and interview pertinent guests that help bring out the story of their discussion.
The History Guys, examine the history of the “holiday season” in America. Is Christmas more less religious then it used to be? How has Christmas evolved or changed? Is it true that Hanukkah was born as a reaction to Christmas? And how have American Jews helped to shape the winter holiday?
The conversation is laid back, informative and perfect for that long drive to the in-laws on Christmas afternoon.
So go to BackStoryRadio.org and download the show for yourself.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
A Brief History of the "Americanization" of Christmas
I think we can all agree that the modern day Christmas holiday is a far cry from the true meaning of celebration of the nativity. And though there are still many Americans who do celebrate the birth of Christ. Those that do break bread and un-wrap gifts with visions of wise man dancing in their heads, still have a lot owed to the minds behind the Americanization of Christmas.
Let's start with Santa Claus. The name Santa Claus is derived from St. Nicklaus. Nicholas lived sometime during the 3rd century in what is now the southern coast of Turkey. Nicholas was known for his generosity and his patronage to the poor, so the idea of Santa Claus is no stretch. And holidays celebrating St. Nicholas.
But what's the deal with the flying reindeer? And what's with the sneakiness through the chimney? These things, along with idea for Rudolph are pure 19th and 20th century American adaptations.
The image of the jolly old elf was developed from the 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," better known now as "The Night Before Christmas." The poem's authorship has been disputed over the years, but what is truly remarkable is the imagination to turn St. Nick into a sleigh riding elf who used magical flying reindeer to descend onto the roofs of good girls and boys.
The 8 tiny reindeer were purely a product of the author's imagination. Regardless of whether the author is Clement C. Moore or Henry Livingston, millions of kids still check the weather reports and check the night sky to make sure Ol' St. Nick can get to their house safely.
Here's the vision of St. Nicholas from the poem.
"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. . ."
But these were just words, the true look of Santa came from the famous political cartoonist, Thomas Nast. In 1863 Nast was commissioned to draw a series of annual drawings of the Santa Claus in Harper's Weekly. His drawings, based on the descriptions from the poem and an earlier Dutch representation of the character. The drawings continued through 1886 and helped to shape the Santa Claus we know and love today.
For a more robust story of the history of St. Nicholas, click on the link below. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=35
And then there's Rudolph. Believe it or not, Rudolph came to be as a marketing ploy to entice people to shop at Montgomery Ward. The departments store would release an annual coloring book as a gimmick to promote holiday shopping. In 1939, one of Montgomery Ward's copywriters, Robert L. May, came up with the idea for an ostracized reindeer with whom it would be easy to sympathize. The story was a hit, and thus a promotion to sell more toys has turned into an American holiday icon.
Even Snopes is on the great Rudolph caper: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/rudolph.asp
Leave it to the great United States to everything bigger, better and brighter!
If you've got some time, here's a pretty informational video about the History of Christmas.
The history of Santa starts at 28:26 into the video, and Rudolph starts at 34.56
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Further reading:
Santa Claus: A Biography
Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
I'm Dreaming of a White House Christmas
Whether its by an expedition through the woods to chop down a spruce, or a last-minute run to the trailer in the parking lot; the Christmas tree, no matter how it's brought home has become an American tradition. And like any other Americans, the family living in the big white house on Pennsylvania avenue has tradition surrounding their holiday evergreen as well.
The tradition of a placing a decorated tree in the White House began in 1889 during the Presidency of Benjamin Harrison. Harrison, who gave turkeys and gloves to his employees for Christmas was the first president to have a tree.
And what began as a family gathering has become a national tradition. Through the years, the White House Christmas tree has personified the First Family, and has been an inspiration in representing both the times and tastes of the country.
In 1895, for example, Grover Cleveland's First Lady Frances Cleveland created a "technology savvy" tree, which donned electric lights (a white house first).
Thee ever-fashionable Jackie Onassis, started the tradition of Christmas tree themes in 1961 when her tree was decorated with toys from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.
Today the tradition continues as each first lady selects her own theme which is usually a sign of the times. In 2001, current First lady Laura Bush chose "Home for the Holidays" which represented the family homes of many of the past Presidents.
In 1998 Hillary Clinton themed her tree a "Winter Wonderland" and trimmed the tree with snowmen, mittens and hats.
Pictured above, the Nixon's tree represented each of the 50 states with ornaments made by disabled workers in Florida.
So, don't be afraid to go all out on your Christmas tree theme. It is after all, an American tradition.
Merry Christmas!
For more information about Christmas at the White House and to see more Christmas tree pictures, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/holiday/whtree/
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