Christmas Traditions

Church Attendance

For many Christians, attending church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is a central part of the holiday. Major denominations like the Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Anglican churches designate Christmas as a principal feast or solemnity. While other denominations may not rank feast days, Christmas services hold significant importance alongside Easter and Pentecost. Consequently, Christmas typically sees the highest church attendance rates of the year. For instance, a 2010 Lifeway Christian Resources survey indicated that 60% of Americans attend church during this period, and the Church of England reported around 2.5 million attendees for Christmas services in 2015.

Decorations

Festive decorations are a long-standing Christmas tradition. As early as the 15th century in London, homes and churches were adorned with evergreen plants like holly, ivy, and bay leaves. Ivy's heart-shaped leaves were seen to represent Jesus' arrival on Earth, while holly, with its thorns and red berries, symbolized the Crown of Thorns and Jesus' blood, believed to offer protection against evil spirits.

Nativity scenes, depicting the birth of Jesus, originated in 10th-century Rome and were popularized by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. This tradition spread across Europe, leading to diverse styles based on local customs and materials. Examples include Poland's vibrant Kraków szopka, featuring miniature historical buildings; elaborate Italian presepi (especially from Naples, Genoa, and Bologna); and French Provençal crèches with hand-painted terracotta figures called santons. In some areas, like Sicily, living nativity scenes remain a popular alternative. Commercially produced decorations first emerged in Germany in the 1860s.

The classic Christmas colors—red, green, and gold—carry symbolic meanings. Red represents the blood of Jesus, green signifies eternal life (like the evergreen tree), and gold, recalling the Magi's gift, symbolizes royalty.

The Christmas tree tradition began with German Lutherans in the 16th century; a tree was recorded in Strassburg Cathedral in 1539. German immigrants brought the custom to the United States, where Moravians added lighted candles. Often, a star is placed atop the tree, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem, or sometimes an angel, representing the angels of the Nativity story. Some view the Christmas tree as a Christian adaptation of pagan winter solstice traditions involving evergreens and tree worship. Legend tells of St. Boniface, a missionary in 8th-century Germany, replacing a pagan oak dedicated to Thor with a fir tree, pointing to its triangular shape as symbolic of the Holy Trinity.

The custom spread from Germany to Britain, initially through Queen Charlotte and later popularized by Prince Albert during Queen Victoria's reign. By the 1870s, Christmas trees were common in the United States, typically adorned with lights and ornaments.

The poinsettia, native to Mexico, has been associated with Christmas since the 16th century, known there as the "Flower of the Holy Night" and symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. Other festive plants include holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus. Homes are often decorated with these plants, garlands, and evergreen foliage. Christmas villages are also popular displays. Outdoors, houses might feature lights, illuminated figures, and sleighs. Mistletoe, an evergreen parasite prominent in European folklore, is traditionally hung indoors; kissing under the mistletoe is a custom likely linked to ancient fertility rituals.

Bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels are other common decorations. Wreaths, made from evergreen leaves, and candles in windows (symbolizing Jesus as the light of the world) are traditional displays. Public spaces like town squares and shopping areas are often decorated with lights, banners, and large Christmas trees. Gifts are wrapped in colorful paper featuring seasonal motifs. Traditionally, decorations are often taken down on Twelfth Night (January 5th or 6th).

Nativity Play

Artistic depictions of the Nativity date back to early Christianity, with examples found in Roman catacombs around AD 380 and in Milan from a similar period.

The Nativity play, reenacting the birth of Jesus, is one of the oldest Christmas traditions. The first recorded instance was organized by St. Francis of Assisi in Greccio, Italy, in 1223. He created a living Nativity scene outside his church, complete with animals, while children sang carols.

This event grew in popularity each year, attracting visitors from afar. Nativity plays, often incorporating drama and music, spread throughout Europe. They became common features of church services, schools, and theatres during Christmastime. In countries like France, Germany, Mexico, and Spain, outdoor Nativity reenactments in the streets are also traditional.

Midnight Mass

A significant tradition in many Western Christian churches, Midnight Mass is the first liturgical celebration of Christmastide. Held on the night of Christmas Eve, typically starting at midnight, it marks the transition to Christmas Day. This service is a joyful worship honoring Jesus' birth, and even denominations that don't regularly use the term "mass" often refer to their primary Christmas Eve service, which includes Holy Communion, as Midnight Mass.

The custom of a midnight vigil on Christmas Eve originated in the Eastern Church. It was documented in Jerusalem in the late 4th century by a pilgrim named Egeria (on the night of January 5th, the date then observed). The practice reached the West by AD 430 under Pope Sixtus III at Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major.

By the 12th century, Midnight Mass became more common as priests were permitted to celebrate three distinct Masses on Christmas Day (at midnight, dawn, and daytime), a practice previously reserved for the Pope.

Music and Carols

The earliest known Christmas hymns date from 4th-century Rome. Latin hymns like "Veni redemptor gentium" by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, affirmed the doctrine of the Incarnation. Prudentius's "Corde natus ex Parentis" ("Of the Father's love begotten") from the same era is still sung today. By the 9th and 10th centuries, Christmas "Sequences" developed in Northern European monasteries, evolving into rhymed stanzas. In the 12th century, Adam of St. Victor began adapting popular tunes for religious songs, moving closer to the modern carol.

The 13th century saw the rise of popular Christmas songs in vernacular languages in France, Germany, and Italy, influenced by St. Francis of Assisi. The first known English Christmas carols appear in a 1426 work by John Awdlay, likely sung by wassailers going door-to-door.

Originally, carols were folk songs for various celebrations, including harvest time. Only later did they become specifically associated with Christmas and church services. Many traditional carols, like "Personent hodie" and "Good King Wenceslas," have medieval origins and characteristic musical structures. "Adeste Fideles" (O Come All Ye Faithful) took its current form in the mid-18th century, though its text might be older.

Carol singing declined after the Protestant Reformation but survived in rural areas. Reformers like Martin Luther actually wrote carols. Interest revived in the 19th century. Charles Wesley, an 18th-century English reformer, wrote several Christmas carol texts, including "Hark! How All the Welkin Rings," later known as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," set to music by Felix Mendelssohn.

In 1818 Austria, Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber composed "Silent Night." William Sandys' 1833 collection, *Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern*, helped popularize many classic English carols during the Victorian era.

Secular Christmas songs emerged later, such as "Deck the Halls" (1784) and "Jingle Bells" (1857). African-American spirituals related to Christmas gained wider recognition in the 19th and 20th centuries. The 20th century saw a surge in commercially produced holiday songs, including jazz and blues versions, alongside a revival of interest in early and folk music. Modern composers like John Rutter have contributed many popular carols.

See our list of popular Christmas Songs.

Traditional Cuisine

A special family meal is central to Christmas celebrations globally, with significant regional variations. Some areas, like Sicily, have specific Christmas Eve meals (e.g., the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or variations with 12 dishes). In the UK and related cultures, the meal often features turkey, goose, or another large bird, served with gravy, potatoes, and vegetables. Desserts like Christmas pudding, mince pies, fruit cake, and Yule log cake are also traditional.

In Poland, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, fish is a traditional main course, though meats like lamb are becoming more common. Sweden features a Christmas smörgåsbord (julbord) with ham, meatballs, and herring. Germany, France, and Austria often favor goose or pork. Beef, ham, and chicken are enjoyed worldwide in various preparations. Malta has a traditional chocolate and chestnut drink, Imbuljuta tal-Qastan, served after Midnight Mass. Special breads and cakes include Slovenian potica, French bûche de Noël, and Italian panettone (a sweet bread with fruit, originally from Milan, now popular internationally).

Sweets are integral to the celebration. Examples include German stollen (fruit bread with marzipan), marzipan candies, and Jamaican rum fruit cake. Oranges, historically one of the few fresh fruits available in winter in northern climates, are often associated with Christmas treats. Eggnog, a rich, creamy drink made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped eggs, and often spirits like brandy or rum, is a popular festive beverage, typically garnished with nutmeg or cinnamon.

Christmas Cards

Exchanging Christmas cards with greetings is a widespread custom in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The tradition dates back to 1843 when Sir Henry Cole commissioned the first commercial Christmas card in London, featuring the message "wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." While physical cards remain popular, sending electronic greetings (e-cards) is also common.

Cards feature a vast array of designs. Some depict religious themes like the Nativity or Christian symbols (Star of Bethlehem, doves). Others are secular, showcasing traditions, mythical figures like Santa Claus, festive objects (candles, holly, baubles), winter scenes, wildlife, or humorous illustrations. Nostalgic scenes, such as idealized 19th-century streetscapes, are also popular.

Messages range from traditional Christmas wishes to poems, prayers, or Bible verses. Some prefer inclusive greetings like "Season's Greetings."

Commemorative Stamps

Many countries issue special postage stamps for the Christmas season. These stamps, often used for mailing Christmas cards, are popular among postal users and stamp collectors (philatelists). Unlike decorative Christmas seals, these are valid postage stamps available for use year-round, typically released in large quantities between October and December.

Gift Giving

Gift exchange is a central element of modern Christmas, making it the peak season for retailers globally. This practice is linked to Christian traditions surrounding Saint Nicholas and the gifts presented to the infant Jesus by the Magi (gold, frankincense, and myrrh). Some historians suggest influence from the gift-giving customs of the Roman festival Saturnalia. However, the Christian concept of the Incarnation itself establishes gift-giving as fundamental, representing God's gift to humanity through Jesus.

Gift-bearing Figures

Various figures are associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. These include Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in North America, derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas), Père Noël (France), and the Weihnachtsmann (Germany); Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas (celebrated on Dec 6th in some countries); the Christkind (Christ Child); Kris Kringle (an Americanization of Christkind); Joulupukki (Finland); tomte/nisse (Scandinavia); Babbo Natale (Italy); Saint Basil (Greece, on New Year's Eve); and Ded Moroz (Eastern Europe).

Today, the most recognized figure is Santa Claus, typically depicted in red attire. His name originates from the Dutch Sinterklaas, referring to Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop from Myra (modern-day Turkey) known for his generosity, especially towards children. His feast day, December 6th, became a traditional day for gift-giving in many European countries.

Historically, Saint Nicholas appeared in bishop's vestments, often accompanied by helpers, assessing children's behavior before giving gifts. During the Protestant Reformation (16th-17th centuries), many Protestants shifted the gift-bringer role to the Christ Child (Christkindl, later becoming Kris Kringle in English) and moved the date of gift-giving to Christmas Eve.

The modern image of Santa Claus, however, largely developed in the United States, especially New York. After the American Revolution, New Yorkers sought symbols of the city's Dutch heritage (New Amsterdam), reviving the Sinterklaas tradition as Saint Nicholas. Writers like Washington Irving and cartoonist Thomas Nast were influential. Nast's illustrations, starting in 1863, gradually transformed the bishop figure into the jolly, secular Santa, possibly influenced by the English Father Christmas. This image was solidified by advertisers in the 1920s.

(Note: There is some historical debate about the continuity of the Sinterklaas tradition in early New York.)

Father Christmas, originally an English figure representing holiday cheer and feasting (first recorded in the early 17th century), predates the modern Santa but was later merged with the Santa image in Victorian Britain. France's Père Noël underwent a similar evolution. In Italy, Babbo Natale is the Santa figure, while La Befana, an old woman, delivers gifts on the eve of Epiphany (Jan 5th). Legend says she set out to bring gifts to Jesus but got lost and now brings gifts to all children. In some traditions, Santa's companions include figures like Knecht Ruprecht or Black Peter, and elves are often said to make the toys. Santa's wife is known as Mrs. Claus.

The Christ Child (Divine Infant, Baby Jesus) refers to Jesus from his birth until age 12. In some historical traditions, particularly in Italy before Santa Claus became dominant, children wrote letters with gift requests to the Christ Child.

In parts of Latin America (like Venezuela and Colombia), a blend of traditions holds that Santa Claus makes the toys, but Baby Jesus delivers them, reconciling religious beliefs with the imported Santa figure.

In Austria, the Czech Republic, Southern Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Switzerland, and South Tyrol (Italy), the Christkind (Ježíšek, Jézuska, Ježiško) delivers presents. Greek children receive gifts from Saint Basil on New Year's Eve. The German St. Nikolaus (celebrated Dec 6th) is distinct from the Weihnachtsmann (Santa Claus/Father Christmas) and brings small treats like candy and nuts, often accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht. While teaching children about these figures is common, some parents avoid it, viewing it as deceptive.

Poland has multiple regional gift-bringers: St. Nicholas (Święty Mikołaj) is common in central and northeast areas; the Starman (Gwiazdor) in Greater Poland; Baby Jesus (Dzieciątko) in Upper Silesia; and the Little Star (Gwiazdka) or Little Angel (Aniołek) in the south/southeast. Grandfather Frost (Dziadek Mróz) appears in some eastern areas. St. Nicholas universally brings gifts on December 6th.

In Spain and parts of Latin America, the Three Wise Men (Reyes Magos) deliver gifts on Epiphany (January 6th), commemorating the Magi's visit to Jesus.