Christmas Traditions from Around the World
By Evelyn French

Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, is upon us once again. For some, Christmas is a sacred holiday, a Christian holy day commemorating the birth of Christ, and for others it is a social holiday with family gatherings, gift giving, entertainment and, most of all, feasting.

Prior to the 20th century, most Christmas trees
were adorned with lighted candles instead of electric lights.
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In the air there is joy, hope and kindness that one gets swept away with during the festive holiday season. There are also many sleepless nights of wrapping gifts and searching for those most perfect presents and endless days of decorating to show off one's spirit of the season.

Christmas brings to mind many traditions and customs of cultures and countries across the globe. The celebration of Christmas in the United States is made up of a variety of legacies from many different nationalities who settled this country.

The Christmas wreath is a symbol of
good luck and a sign of welcome.
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Placing a wreath on one's front door was a custom brought to America from the Scandinavians who first settled in Delaware. The wreath is a symbol of good luck and a sign of welcome. A sign of welcoming brought to America by the Irish is the displaying of a lighted candle in a window. Germans who first settled in Pennsylvania brought with them the tradition of trimming the tree and lighting the Advent wreath.

The most popular tradition that comes to mind is the sending of Christmas cards to friends and loved ones all around the world. It is said to have originated in the mid-1800's, when people began designing handmade cards and sending them to friends and family. John Calcott Horsely is most often credited as being the first Christmas card creator. Horsely printed his card in 1843 for a friend who had given him the idea. The scene on the card was that of an English family enjoying the holiday spirit of the season. The card was inscribed

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you." This was said to have been the first card produced and sold to the public.

Santa Clause, Saint Nicholas or Father Christmas?
It depends on which part of the world you live in.
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Today, e-cards are probably the easiest way to send the holiday spirit, and family portrait photo cards are nice because updated photographs are a good way of keeping up with displaced friends and family. Christmas card sending is one of a long list of traditions that come from England. Christmas caroling, hanging mistletoe, stockings and fruit cake are all customs we enjoy doing today because of the English.

Many symbols of the holiday season began long ago but are still with us today. The first Christmas trees were decorated with real fruits, flowers, cookies, nuts and even candies. Later on, lighted candles were also put on trees as decorations, but because of the danger of fires, they could no longer be lit. In Germany, glass blowers were making glass balls that could be used as decorations on Christmas trees. Ornaments on trees progressed so much over the years that they have finally brought us to the invention of Christmas Lights.

The fascinating story of Christmas tree lights began long ago with its invention.In 1882, Edward Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison, hand-wired 80 red, white and blue bulbs and strung them around an evergreen tree. The tree was in his New York home, located in one of the first sections of town that was wired with electricity. In 1895, President Grover Cleveland sponsored the first electrically lighted Christmas tree on display in the White House. This was a magnificent event, and not long after that the public began to take notice.

The person most responsible for popularizing Christmas tree lighting was Albert Sadacca.

There was a tragic fire in New York City in 1917. Many people were still lighting candles in trees then, and this incident with the fire changed Albert's life forever. He was only 15 years old when he asked his parents about making Christmas lights for trees. His parents owned a novelty store that sold illuminated trinkets, and Albert thought with extra bulbs around they could begin making electric lights for Christmas trees. This was a much safer idea than using very flammable candles in trees. The first year one hundred strings of electric lights sold. He then thought to make the lights multi-colored, and a multimillion dollar company was born.

Today, people all over the world use Christmas lights to decorate with during the holiday season. Usually, lights start going up the weekend of Thanksgiving and are normally taken down after the beginning of the New Year.

Decorating with Christmas lights is not a new thing for some Amelia Island residents. There is a well-known spot where many people come and enjoy the spirit of Christmas through little bright twinkling Christmas lights. The enjoyable eye candy of these lights have intrigued area residents of all ages for almost ten years now. You can drive by this holiday season and see what all the fuss is about. The neighborhood is located at North Ridge Lane off Citrona Drive.

The neighborhood of North Ridge Lane, off Citrona Drive,
features one of the area's finest display of Christmas lights.
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Amelia Island is just one of the many places on earth that celebrates and enjoys the season of Christmas.

In New Zealand, Christmastime comes in the middle of the summer. So, on Christmas day families can often be found having a picnic or going to the beach.

In Britain, children send letters to Father Christmas in a unique way. They write them out, then throw them into the fireplace so they can float up the chimney and fly to the North Pole. However, if the list catches fire first, then they have to rewrite them. At the Christmas dinner, a plum pudding is served with hidden treasures inside that will bring good luck to those who find them.

In the Czech Republic, Saint Nicholas is helped by the Infant Jesus to give presents to children. He rings a little bell to let them know he has come. Many here believe that Christmas Eve is very magical, and you can see your future on that night.

Whatever your family's Christmas traditions may be, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!