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10 Popular Christmas Traditions And Their Origins

Published

2 years ago

December 22, 2023

Christmas is celebrated to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Understanding the traditions associated with Christmas is important because, by knowing the origins and meanings behind these traditions, we can appreciate their depth and significance. This article explores the fascinating stories behind popular Christmas traditions.

Here are some of the popular Christmas traditions:

1. Red and green

When we think of Christmas, we often think of red and green decorations or red and green clothing. According to research, the association of the colours red and green with Christmas is traced back to a certain plant: holly. Holly plants are known for their bright green leaves and red berries.

Today, Christians have adopted the holly tree as a symbol for Christmas. The sharp leaves are said to symbolise the crown of thorns worn by Christ, while the berries represent his blood. Holly is a winter-blooming plant and may be one of the few signs of green during the season. Over time, the combination of red and green has become deeply ingrained in Christmas traditions, decorations, and imagery, representing the warmth and joy of the holiday.

2. Santa Claus

A main inspiration for Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, a third-century Christian who was known for his kindness and charity. He also enjoyed giving kids gifts in secret. He later became a local folk hero, and stories about him expanded into elaborate myths and legends over the centuries. Over time, different customs and stories merged to create the modern image of Santa Claus that we know today.

With each new story, different cultures and peoples would add their unique twists and embellishments to the story of St. Nicholas.

As time went on, these characters barely resembled the original St. Nicholas and became totally new figures separate from him.

Today, many countries in the world tell stories of many different versions of a St. Nicholas-inspired character that gives gifts to children during Christmas.

3. Santa’s elves

According to legends, elves were small dwarf-like creatures with pointy ears who protected good people from evil. They stay at the North Pole with the legendary Christmas figure, Santa Claus, to help him in his workshop. These young magical creatures came in both genders and wore pointy hats and red and green clothes. They had long noses and sharp ears.

These elves worked in Santa’s workshop, assisting him in the creation of toys for good children all over the world. Apart from helping Santa in his workshop, the elves were also in charge of caring for Santa’s reindeer and carriage.

4. Santa’s reindeer

Since the release of Clement Clark Moore’s poem ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ in 1823, reindeer have been known as Santa’s sleigh pullers. From their habitat in the cold, icy Arctic, reindeer have evolved unique features that help them thrive in these harsh environments and make them the perfect Santa’s helpers. Their hooves have the ability to grow and shrink, depending on the season. Santa Claus’ reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

5. Christmas stockings

This tradition can be traced back to the original Saint Nicholas, who was said to have put gold coins in the stockings of three poor sisters. One night, the girls left their stockings drying over the fireplace. Saint Nicholas knew the family was very poor, so he threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The money landed in the sisters’ stockings. Since then, children have been taught to hang up their Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve, hoping to find them filled with gifts in the morning. This comes with the anticipation and excitement of receiving presents.

6. Christmas trees

The Christmas tree is a cherished tradition. People bring a beautiful evergreen tree into their homes and decorate it with lights, ornaments, and garlands. Families often gather around the tree to exchange gifts. Decorating buildings with trees during the winter is a practice that can be traced back to ancient peoples like the Romans and Egyptians, who often used trees to add to the beauty of shrines or temples.

However, the modern Christmas tree is said to come from German medieval traditions. Germans would decorate a tree in their homes on December 24 in order to celebrate the feast day of Adam and Eve. As time went on, these trees would also be used to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during Christmas. Whether real or fake, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree can often be found inside a heavily decorated home, just waiting for St. Nick to put wonderful presents (or a pair of socks) underneath it.

7. Presents

St. Nicholas was known to give gifts to children, which is why his ‘descendant’, Santa Claus, does so as well. Gift-giving also has its roots in pagan rituals held during the winter. When Christianity folded these rituals into Christmas, the justification for bearing gifts was redirected to the Three Wise Men, the Magi, who gave gifts to the infant Jesus. As for modern Christmas gift-giving, this tradition seems to have been strengthened and encouraged thanks to the popularity of Santa Claus and the commercialization of Christmas.

8. Christmas Carol

Carols have their roots in pagan rituals appropriated by the nascent Christian Church when, in the 4th century, it officially named Christmas the celebration of Christ Jesus’ birth. Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago, but these were not Christmas carols. They were pre-Christian or pagan songs sung at the Winter Solstice celebrations. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, usually taking place around December 22. Christmas, remembering the birth of Jesus, then started to be celebrated at the same time as the solstice, so the early Christians started singing Christian songs instead of pre-Christian or pagan ones.

9. Christmas bells

You cannot talk about the sounds of Christmas without mentioning Christmas bells. Bells have always been rung for a variety of reasons. The ringing of bells has been an important part of celebrating Christmas since ancient times. Bells have been used in the past to not only provide music and a sense of celebration, but they have also been rung to announce the arrival of the Christmas season. They can symbolize the announcement of the birth of Christ. Bells were also part of the Jewish high priest’s garments. Christmas bells not only symbolize the joy of Christmas; they also remind us that Christ is the High Priest.

Christmas bells can be seen on light posts that light up the streets at night, are hung on many Christmas trees, and can be heard in every house in America that celebrates Christmas.

10. Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on December 26. Boxing Day got its name when Queen Victoria was on the throne. In Victorian times, the wealthy would box up items they no longer needed to give to the poor. It was a day where servants would be given time off and thanked for their hard work with a ‘special box’ of treats.

Other reports say that many people believe that the tradition of Boxing Day began in churches in the Middle Ages, where parishioners would collect money for the poor. This was done to honour St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose feast day fell on December 26
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Uganda: After 39 Years In Power, 80-year-old Yoweri Museveni To Seek Re-election

Published

7 hours ago

June 29, 2025

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Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, has announced his intention to run in the country’s next presidential election, extending a rule that began nearly four decades ago.

In a post on the X platform late Saturday, Museveni said he had “expressed my interest in running for… the position of presidential flag bearer,” for his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

The 80-year-old leader has governed Uganda since 1986 after seizing power following a five-year guerrilla war. Under his leadership, the ruling NRM has twice amended the constitution, allowing him to remain in office beyond term and age limits.

According to Reuters, right groups have long accused Museveni of deploying security forces and leveraging patronage to hold onto power, an allegation he denies.

Explaining his decision to seek reelection, Museveni said he aims to grow Uganda’s economy to a ”$500 billion economy in the next five years.” According to the finance ministry, the country’s GDP currently stands at about $66 billion.

Uganda is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in January next year. Museveni’s main challenger is expected to be opposition figure and pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who came second in the 2021 election and has declared his intention to contest again in 2026.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, rejected the 2021 results, alleging his victory had been stolen through “ballot stuffing, intimidation by security forces and other irregularities.”

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‘Netanyahu Must Go’, Israel’s Ex-PM Calls Leadership ‘Catastrophic’

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9 hours ago

June 29, 2025

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Naftali Bennett, Israel’s former Prime Minister, stated in a televised interview that current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must leave office.

Bennett refrained from saying whether he plans to challenge the longest-serving leader in the country in an upcoming election.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 that aired on Saturday, Bennett commented, “Netanyahu has been in power for 20 years… that’s too much; it’s not healthy.”

He called attention to Netanyahu’s “heavy responsibility for the divisions in Israeli society,” highlighting the growing rifts that have emerged under Netanyahu’s leadership, especially regarding his handling of the Gaza war since October 2023.

Bennett, a right-wing leader who joined forces with Netanyahu’s critics to form a coalition that ousted him from office after 12 consecutive years, insisted that “Netanyahu must go.”

However, the fragile coalition government Bennett led, along with current opposition leader Yair Lapid, collapsed after about a year. This led to snap elections, resulting in Netanyahu regaining the premiership with support from far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

Although Bennett has taken time away from politics, there are rumors of a potential comeback, with public opinion polls indicating he may have enough support to defeat Netanyahu again. Currently, no elections are scheduled before late 2026, but early elections are common in Israel.

In his Saturday interview, Bennett claimed credit for laying the groundwork for Israel’s bombardment campaign earlier this month against Iranian nuclear and military sites.

The decision to launch attacks against the Islamic Republic “was very good” and “needed,” said Bennett, claiming that the offensive would not have been possible without the work of his short-lived government.

In Gaza, where Israel has waged war since Hamas’s October 2023 attack, Bennett said the military has displayed “exceptional” performance, but “the political management of the country” was “a catastrophe, a disaster”.

Criticising the Netanyahu government’s “inability to decide,” the former prime minister called for an immediate “comprehensive” agreement that would see all remaining hostages freed from Gaza.

“Leave the task of eliminating Hamas to a future government,” said Bennett, who also evaded several questions about whether he intends to run for office.

AFP

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Family Of Five Killed In Iranian Missile Strike After Fleeing Ukraine For Safety In Israel

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2 days ago

June 28, 2025

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A Ukrainian family of five who fled Russia’s war in search of safety were killed in Israel by an Iranian missile — the very conflict they thought they had escaped.

Mariia Pieshkurova had brought her 7-year-old daughter, Anastasiia, to Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv, hoping to get lifesaving cancer treatment and refuge from the violence at home.

Along with Anastasiia’s grandmother, Olena Sokolova, and two young cousins, Illia and Kostiantyn, they had started over — believing they were finally safe.

But on June 15, an Iranian missile tore through their apartment building during a retaliatory strike on Israel, killing them all.

“I really thought they’d be safe,” said Artem Buryk, Anastasiia’s father and Mariia’s former partner. “I never thought they’d go to Israel to escape war — and find it there.”

The missile attack, part of Iran’s response to Israeli airstrikes on its territory, collapsed much of the building in Bat Yam.

It took four days to recover Mariia’s body from the rubble.

Their deaths marked a heartbreaking intersection of two wars — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s conflict with Israel — both of which had already tested the family’s will to survive.

Mariia had moved to Israel in late 2022 after Anastasiia was diagnosed with leukemia.

Ukraine’s hospitals were overwhelmed, and its largest children’s hospital was later destroyed in a missile strike.

In Israel, treatment began immediately. It was effective but costly. Mariia turned to Instagram, sharing photos of her daughter in treatment and videos of Artem pleading for help while serving on Ukraine’s front lines.

“Masha did everything for her little girl,” said Anastasiia’s godmother, Khrytsyna Chanysheva. “She dedicated her life to her, moved to Israel to get her full treatment.”

Despite the pain, Anastasiia always smiled at visitors.

“She was in pain, and she would close her eyes for a second,” said charity worker Lada Fichkovsi. “But every time I walked into her room, she would smile.”

Her cousins joined the family in May 2024 as the situation in Odesa deteriorated.

“The shelling made my children cry,” said Hanna Pieshkurova, Mariia’s sister. “I decided to let them go.”

Though Israel was at war with Hamas, Mariia had assured her sister that Bat Yam was calm. Air raid sirens were rare, and the Iron Dome defense system offered hope.

“Ukrainians often say, ‘This is not Ukraine, it’s not as scary,’” said Inna Bakhareva of Chance4Life, a charity helping sick children in Israel. “They felt secure due to the Iron Dome.”

That sense of security evaporated after Israel struck Iranian targets on June 12. Iran retaliated with missile attacks across Israeli cities.

“Dad, at night I saw how the missiles were falling,” Anastasiia told her father in a voice message the night before she died.

She and her mother had been scheduled to visit the hospital the next morning. The missile struck before dawn.

Mr. Buryk, who had just returned from the front lines near Sumy, received the news that same day.

“I still don’t understand what’s happening,” he said. “I still can’t believe it.”

He used to promise Anastasiia they’d go fishing together when peace returned.

“Every time I talked to her, I’d say, ‘Sweetheart, we’ll go fishing. Just us,’” he said. “And now I just don’t understand. I still don’t even grasp that she’s gone.”

“Last night,” he added quietly, “I sent her voice messages.”

(New York Times)