Have you ever wondered why we associate popcorn garlands, caroling and gingerbread houses with Christmas? All these various Christmas traditions have a fun history, with the popcorn garland having perhaps the most American tradition of them all.
Decorating evergreen trees as a celebration of the Christmas and Yuletide traditions began in the 1500s, and while candles and tinsel were the typical decorations, these were not always available for American colonists in Williamsburg, Virginia. In the 1840s, when expensive decorations were not available, they had to be creative with their solutions. They used corn kernels, something they had on hand, and popped them on their stovetops, waiting for them to harden before threading them on a string to hang up on the tree. They also used dried fruits or dyed the popcorn different colors on occasion for more festive colorings. You can even learn to make your own!
Caroling has even earlier origins, dating to the 1200s in Medieval England, where the tradition of wassailing, otherwise known as singing and well-wishing people door to door during the colder months, was quite popular. This tradition later became associated with Christmas when St. Francis of Assisi began incorporating the well-wishes and songs used by wassailers during his Christmas services, thus connecting the two. People enjoyed the Christmas tunes and the new way of adding Christmas cheer, resulting in its continuance to this day and its addition as a Christmas tradition to the list!
Perhaps one of the most beloved traditions around Christmas, at least in the United States, is the gingerbread house. But where did that come from? With origins from Medieval Europe, gingerbread was originally very different from how we know it today. A combination of spices, honey and breadcrumbs, it was a way for wealthy hosts to parade their riches to guests, as spices were very expensive. Gingerbread in particular was used at the end of a meal, as ginger was found to aid in digestion as well as to sweeten breath. With time, however, the ingredients for gingerbread became more accessible to the populace, and soon it became a prominent part of country fairs. It was actually considered to be good luck to eat gingerbread at the fair, and since it was associated with festive times, it was only natural that gingerbread soon became associated with Christmas as well. The origin of gingerbread houses, however, lies in more murky waters, with most pointing to the famous Brothers Grimm tale of Hansel and Gretel, a story in which the witch in the woods lives in a gingerbread house. However, that story later acquired the term gingerbread house in subsequent adaptations, while the original tale said it was a house of bread with sugar windows. Although the origins of gingerbread houses date back to the 16th and 18th centuries in Germany, they are still used today as Christmas decorations that also serve as a fun treat during the holidays.
So whether making popcorn garlands with friends or coming back from caroling to some freshly baked gingerbread cookies, indulge in the traditions and tastes of Christmas, and maybe even impress your family with your knowledge of holiday lore!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.