The ancient origins of the most popular Christmas traditions, plus those you may have never heard of.

Every year with the arrival of1February, about 200 million people begin to feel the joy of Christmas.

Although the celebration is mainly a Christian activity to celebrate the birth of Jesus, its tradition is integrated with the beliefs and customs of many ancient cultures-gifts and banquets from the Romans.

Pagan garlands and evergreen trees.

Turkeys cooked by Indians.

Christmas wood from Norway's ancient tradition.

There are many little-known traditions, such as sailing, mummification and hanging the Christmas tree upside down! Around Christmas, many families have the same features on their doors. A festive wreath is an invitation to festive joy.

But the significance of this decoration is far more profound than the blessing of the festival.

Since ancient times, the garland has always been a symbol of power, strength and life cycle.

The laurels were worn on the heads of the kings and emperors of Greece and Rome, and awarded to the winning athletes or military commanders. The harvest crown has been carefully made since prehistoric times and used in ceremonies to encourage harvest.

Druids, Celts and Romans used garlands made of evergreen branches in winter solstice celebrations.

By 1444, garlands have become popular Christmas decorations in London.

In the16th century, Germans combined garlands with eternal life and God's love.

(CC0), waswailing is a medieval British custom, and now it is mostly left by holiday revelers.

There are two kinds: one is to go to the apple orchard and sing to the trees to promote a bumper harvest.

The other is that people sing from door to door and offer a glass of yellow wine in exchange for gifts or food.

The traditional Wassel was completed on the twelfth night (65438+1October 5th or 6th).

The word Wassail comes from the Anglo-Saxon waes hael, which means "health".

It refers to a beverage made of wort, curd, baked apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.

In the Middle Ages, wasser was usually put in a big bowl, sometimes made of gray or silver.

The orchard version of wasailing is still alive. Usually, kings and queens lead farmers, farm workers and other villagers from one orchard to another.

In each orchard, wasps gather around the biggest tree, and the queen puts a piece of bread soaked in wasp skin on the branch.

Traditionally, this group of people will sing, shout, knock on cans and then shoot shotguns into the air.

In Maple Town, West Sussex, they made riots to wake up trees and scare away evil spirits.

0), as early as 600 BC, evergreen trees were placed next to Mitra, another sacred birthday celebration in 65438+ February.

Nordic sun worship culture also has a strong interest in evergreen plants.

People think that evergreen branches hanging at home are helpful to restore weak sunlight, because when the northern hemisphere approaches the winter solstice (65438+February 2 1), the daytime is the darkest and darkest.

It was not until 1605 that someone said that German reformer Martin Luther was inspired by the beauty of evergreen trees, and the Christmas tree became a star on Christmas Eve.

He cut down a tree and took it home, and tried to copy the scene by putting lighted candles on it.

Soon others did the same thing. In Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of Achaemenid Empire, the relief depicts mitra and an evergreen tree.

(Ajiaman melon? Oc) Recently, there has been a turning point in how to decorate the Christmas tree-some people and enterprises began to hang their luxury Christmas trees upside down from the ceiling.

Even so, it may be loosely related to an ancient tradition-Wighiglia or Wilia.

In the12nd century, the tops or branches of fir trees were hung on rafters, usually facing the dining table.

The tree is decorated with fruits, nuts, shiny candy, straw, ribbons, golden pinecones and other decorations.

Santoboni Fass is a hero who brought the inverted Christmas tree to Christianity.

Legend has it that the saints in the eighth century saw pagans preparing to pay tribute to a young man under the oak tree to celebrate the winter solstice and were angry at their ceremony.

The sage cut down the tree, and when a fir tree grew to its place, he cut down the tree, too. Then he allegedly hung it upside down, trying to explain the Trinity to pagans in the shape of a triangle, and at the same time trying to change their beliefs, an inverted Christmas tree.

(Kyle/Adobe Stock), fruitcake and eggnog are the staple foods in the festival.

Fruit cake is another part of Christmas, which originated in ancient Rome.

This is a way to preserve fruit. Mix it with wort, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins (maybe mead) to make a fruit cake.

18 and 19 centuries added spices and preserved fruits.

These raw materials are expensive, so fruitcake is a dish prepared for special occasions, such as Christmas or wedding.

In Victorian England, fruitcake was an essential food for these activities.

The tradition of eggnog spread to the British colonies, and it was inspired by Porset, a medieval English drink, which was a mixture of milk and wine or malt liquor, usually spiced and usually used as medicine in winter.

In the13rd century, eggs, figs, brandy or sherry were sometimes added-these ingredients were expensive at that time-and when spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon were added, this drink became more expensive.

This drink is almost specially prepared for monks and the rich.

In the18th century, when it was transferred to America, it became a popular holiday drink, where eggs were abundant and rum was used instead of other wines.

The warm temperature and taste are well combined with the holiday season.

It may also be because there was a lack of rum during the American Revolutionary War, and this drink was designated for special occasions.

Mistletoe has another connection with ancient Rome, and it is also a very popular part of Christmas decorations.

Both Romans and Druids believed mistletoe could cure and resist evil.

It seems to grow by magic and has no roots. Before Christianity, white berries were regarded as a symbol of male fertility.

For the Romans, mistletoe was an ornament hung at the door during Saturn, symbolizing peace, love and understanding.

The ancient British also hung this plant at the door to ward off evil spirits.

Anyone who can safely cross the threshold will get a welcome kiss, thus starting the Christmas tradition of kissing under mistletoe.

Christian couples kiss under mistletoe to protect them from witches and demons. Victorian English service classes encouraged this tradition, claiming that men could kiss any woman standing under mistletoe, and if a woman refused, she would be unlucky.

Yule is another name for Christmas celebrations, which originated from Germanic and Nordic festivals in BC.

Jól, jul and similar names associate this festival with wild hunting and Odin (Jólfa? R (old Norwegian "Santa Claus" and Jólnir "Santa Claus").

It also originated from the winter solstice and fire of pagan Anglo-Saxons.

In Scandinavian winter, after 35 dark days, scouts will climb to the top of the mountain and wait for the sun to come back.

At dawn, they rushed back to the village to share the good news.

In Sweden, another iconic festival "Christmas goat" is held by the Christmas bonfire.

In the 1 1 century (even earlier), it was said that St. Nicholas had a goat as big as a man, who could control the devil.

/kloc-in the 0 th and 7 th centuries, young people would dress up as goats to ask for gifts or play pranks.

In the19th century, the Christmas goat became a giver.

Now, this animal is more regarded as straw decorations and Christmas goat decorations on Christmas trees all over Sweden.

Many children don't eat cookies and milk (or beer and patties, or Santa Claus on Christmas Eve).

But few people know that this tradition can be traced back to ancient Norwegian myths, including a German Christmas tree and the last Saint Nicholas.

It is said that children hope to get Odin's gift. The above-mentioned Santa Claus will leave gifts for his eight-legged horse, hoping that God can stop at their home. He is on his Christmas hunting trip.

Once Santa Claus took over, the eight-legged horse became a team of flying reindeer-today's children believe that these magical animals usually like carrots or hay, and Odin rode a sleigh.

Mummies disguised as entertainment is another little-known holiday tradition.

It may have originated from the pagan Roman New Year custom.

In Britain, this custom includes men and women exchanging clothes, wearing masks and visiting neighbors.

Once there, they will amuse themselves with pantomime-"Mom" means quiet.

As time goes by, entertainment activities continue to expand, and a mummy group either sings, dances, or performs stupid plays.

Their party will be led by Santa Claus.

Christmas mummies were particularly popular in medieval Ireland. They usually included a battle between two heroes, an elaborate sword dance, the failure of a hero and his resurrection by a doctor.

Nevertheless, things often get out of control, and crime and begging will follow.

Finally, Henry VIII was tired of the unruly mummy and announced that anyone caught wearing a mummy mask would be sent to prison for three months.

However, this tradition continues in some parts of Britain, the United States and Canada.

In the custom of mummification, men and women will exchange clothes, put on masks and visit their neighbors (marcodepsub/Adobe Stock). Christmas keeps our roots, because we live out the tradition that our ancestors started long ago.

From Celtic to Christian, from Viking to Victorian, they all joined the colorful festival tapestry that we call Christmas. Above: Santa Claus is enjoying the tradition of Christmas dinner.

Date: about 1860 (file /Adobe Stock), by Alicia McDermott, with a degree in anthropology, international development studies and psychology.

She is a Canadian living in Ecuador.

Alicia traveled in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, which increased her knowledge of former Colombian sites and read Mor.