Christmas Trivia

christmas traditions

Many Christmas customs are carryovers from pre-Christian celebrations. Hanging gifts on trees is supposed to stem from tree worship of the Druids, and the belief that the tree was the giver of all good things. The Druids are also partly responsible for the use of mistletoe at Christmastime. They regarded the mistletoe as sacred, made certain that it never touched the ground, and dedicated it to the Goddess of Love, which explains the kissing that goes on under it. Originally, when a boy kissed a girl, he plucked a berry from the cluster and presented it to her. When the berries were gone, so were the kisses.

Need more berries please ;-)

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

silent night

Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by the choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang “Stille Nacht” for the first time.

My favourite carol :-)

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

Boxing day

26 December was traditionally known as St Stephen’s Day, but is more commonly known as Boxing Day. This expression came about because money was collected in alms-boxes placed in churches during the festive season. This money was then distributed during to the poor and needy after Christmas.

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

band aid christmas 1984

IN Britain, the best-selling festive single is Band Aid’s 1984 track, Do They Know It’s Christmas?, which sold 3.5million copies. Wham! is next in the same year with Last Christmas, selling 1.4million.

Humming it now! Go on see if you can get it out of your head ;-)

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

IN the Czech Republic they enjoy dinners of fish soup, eggs and carp. The number of people at the table must be even, or the one without a partner will die next year.

I’ll not have the fish then please!

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

Christmas pudding was first made as a kind of thick soup with raisins and wine in it.

er…none for me then thanks :-(

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd

Christmas Trivia

twelve days of christmas

The “Twelve Days of Christmas ” gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtledoves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese laying, seven swans swimming, eight maids milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords leaping, eleven pipers piping, and twelve drummers drumming. There are 364 gifts altogether, one for everyday of the year.

Glad I don’t have to buy that lot!

Dorset Wedding Photographer – Courtenay Photographic Ltd