The History of Christmas Traditions - Drive Thru History®

Summary

In this festive episode of 'Drive Thru History Adventures,' Dave Stotz explores the historical roots of five treasured Christmas traditions. Edison's first electric lights, the evolution of caroling from St. Francis of Assisi's nativity plays, the Norse origins of mistletoe, the story of St. Nicholas, and the tale of stockings filled with gold are all detailed. The video offers a delightful dive into the origins of holiday customs, sparking nostalgia and a deeper appreciation for the season's history.

Takeaways

• 🎄 Thomas Edison created the first strand of electric Christmas lights in 1880, but it took 40 years for them to become a holiday tradition.
• 🔥 Before electric lights, families used candles to light Christmas trees, which often led to home fires.
• 🇺🇸 Edward H. Johnson, a friend and business partner of Edison, created the first string of electric Christmas tree lights in 1882 with 80 red, white, and blue lights.
• 🎅 President Grover Cleveland helped popularize Christmas tree lights in 1895 by having the White House tree lit with electric lights.
• 🌟 In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge started the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree with 3,000 electric lights.
• 🎵 Christmas caroling has origins in medieval times but was popularized by St. Francis of Assisi's nativity plays in 1223.
• 👑 Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans banned Christmas celebrations and caroling in 1647, but these traditions were revived during the Victorian era.
• 💋 The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe comes from ancient Druids and was further popularized in Norse mythology and Victorian England.
• 🎁 The story of Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, originates from a 4th-century Christian bishop in Myra, Turkey, known for his kindness and secret gift-giving.
• 🧦 The tradition of hanging Christmas stockings comes from a legend where St. Nicholas secretly threw gold bags into stockings to help a poor man’s daughters marry.

Q & A

Who is credited with creating the first strand of electric Christmas lights?

Thomas Edison is credited with creating the first strand of electric Christmas lights in 1880.

What was the initial public display of electric lights like during the Christmas season of 1880?

The initial public display of electric lights during the Christmas season of 1880 was at Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory, where he strung the lights around the facility.

Why were Christmas lights not immediately popular after Edison's invention?

Christmas lights were not immediately popular because there was a great mistrust of electricity at the time, and families often used candles to light up their Christmas trees instead.

Who is known for putting together the first string of electric Christmas tree lights?

Edward H. Johnson, Thomas Edison's friend and business partner, put together the first string of electric Christmas tree lights in 1882.

Which president is said to have popularized Christmas tree lights by lighting the White House tree with them?

President Grover Cleveland is said to have popularized Christmas tree lights by lighting the White House family Christmas tree with hundreds of multicolored electric light bulbs in 1895.

When did Albert S. Drossak offer brightly colored strands of Christmas lights to the public?

Albert S. Drossak offered brightly colored strands of Christmas lights to the public in 1917.

What is the historical origin of Christmas caroling?

The historical origin of Christmas caroling can be traced back to Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223, who started organizing nativity plays in Italy where people sang songs narrating the story of Christ's birth.

Why was the act of singing Christmas carols stopped in England during the rule of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans?

The act of singing Christmas carols was stopped in England during the rule of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans because they believed that such celebrations were not in line with their religious beliefs.

What is the historical background of the tradition of hanging mistletoe in one's house?

The tradition of hanging mistletoe in one's house comes from the ancient Druids, who believed it would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.

What is the story behind the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe?

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe came from England, where people would pick a berry from a sprig of mistletoe before kissing someone, and when all the berries were gone, no more kissing was allowed.

What is the historical figure associated with the Santa Claus figure?

The historical figure associated with the Santa Claus figure is Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop from Myra, Turkey in the 4th century known for his kindness and giving secret gifts to people in need.

What is the story behind the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings for gifts?

The tradition of hanging Christmas stockings for gifts comes from a story about Saint Nicholas helping a poor man with three daughters by throwing three bags of gold through an open window, one of which landed in a stocking hung by the fire to dry.

What does 'Xmas' represent and why is it not pronounced as 'xmas'?

Xmas represents the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ or Christos. It is a shorthand way of writing Christmas, but it is not pronounced as 'xmas' because it is derived from the Greek, not English, alphabet.