Traditional Christmas customs include: decorating Christmas tree, handing out Christmas candy, exchanging Christmas cards, giving gifts to relatives and friends, singing Christmas songs, roasting turkey, making Christmas salmon, smoking ham and drinking red wine. I think there are five customs worth mentioning in Christmas. Let's take a look with me:
? One of the customs at Christmas: handing out Christmas candy sticks?
This is the most interesting of all traditions. People distribute Christmas candy to their neighbors during the Christmas season; On Christmas Day, all misunderstandings and hatred were resolved, and the neighbors United to celebrate the birth of Jesus. These traditions have been followed for decades, and they are getting more and more lively every year, and the grand occasion can be said to be increasing. I believe that with the passage of time, people's enthusiasm for traditional customs will only get higher and higher.
Candy Cane is a red and white cane-shaped candy stick, which can be seen everywhere in the United States during Christmas. According to legend, this kind of Christmas candy was first introduced to the United States in 1847 by August Imgard, a German-Swedish European immigrant. August, who lives in Ohio, decorated his Christmas tree with candy cane. Later, this habit spread widely and eventually became a Christmas tradition.
Due to the lack of written records, the original origin of candy cane is unknown. But the most widely circulated story is that16th century, Choirmaster of a church in Cologne, Germany invented this candy. In order to keep the children quiet at the Living Nativity held in the Christmas church, he gave each child a White Stick of Sugar, symbolizing the Shepherds' Staff in the story of the birth of Jesus. In this way, the children can enjoy the candy quietly, without making trouble at the ceremony. Others believe that the curved shape of the candy bar symbolizes the "J" of Jesus.
? The second custom at Christmas: eat roast turkey?
This custom has a history of more than 300 years. It is said that on Christmas Day in 1620, a large number of immigrants from England arrived at Mount Plymouth on the American continent. At that time, there were only turkeys all over Shan Ye, so they caught turkeys as the main course of the festival.
Why eat turkey at Christmas? It is said that on Christmas Day in 1620, a large number of immigrants from Britain arrived in Plymouth Mountain in America. At that time, there was almost no food here except turkeys everywhere, so they had to roast turkeys for the holidays. Turkey is big and fleshy, delicious, nutritious and low in cholesterol, so it is favored by westerners. Eating turkey at Christmas has been a tradition ever since.
Turkey is a specialty of America, and it was domesticated by Indians before Europeans came to America. Turkey's name is "Turkey" in English. Because Europeans think it looks like Turkish clothing: black head and red body. Europeans like roast goose very much. After immigrating to America, there was a requirement to eat geese before they were raised, so they ate turkey and found that turkey was more delicious than goose. And there are many turkeys in North America. So roast turkey has become a big dish for Americans and is essential for important festivals.
? The third custom at Christmas: lighting Christmas candles?
This custom is mainly to put a lighted candle outside the house on Christmas Day. Streets and alleys, inside and outside the house, all kinds of lights are hung, Christmas candles are lit, and stars and candlelight are swaying. Denmark is already a warm and full of light Christmas world!
This tradition means that people will put a lighted candle outside the house during Christmas. Even in the darkest room, candles can bring light and symbolize hope. In the early years, when Christians were persecuted, they were forbidden to preach and pray. Therefore, Christians put a candle outside the house, suggesting that they are still praying silently in their hearts.
On New Year's Day, the ancient Romans decorated their houses with green branches and lights, and presented gifts to children and the poor. Teutonic tribes infiltrated into Gaul, Britain and Central Europe, and brought Germanic and Celtic religious ceremonies. So, there are celebrations such as reunion, burning large pieces of firewood, tasting big wooden cakes, hanging branches, Fang Chen fir trees, visiting relatives and friends, and exchanging gifts. Fire and light, which symbolize warmth and longevity, have always been the content of winter festival celebrations, both in practice and in non-custom. Evergreen tree symbolizes the struggle for survival and has been associated with the celebration of Jesus Christmas since the Middle Ages. Due to different calendars, the Christmas date of Orthodox Church and other Eastern European churches is equivalent to the 6th or 7th of Gregorian calendar 1 month.
Westerners use red, green and white as Christmas colors. When Christmas comes, every household should decorate it with Christmas colors. The red ones have Christmas flowers and Christmas candles. The green one is the Christmas tree. It is the main decoration of Christmas, decorated with evergreen trees such as fir and cypress that are cut down in a tower shape. Colorful lanterns, gifts and paper flowers are hung on it, and Christmas candles are lit.
? Custom number four at Christmas: hot wine?
The reason for the formation of this traditional custom is that meat symbolizes the body of Jesus Christ and red wine represents his blood. Jesus' suffering on behalf of others and crucifixion should be commemorated. Christmas red wine has a special drinking method: add brown sugar, orange peel, meat orange, orange kernel, raisins and other ingredients to the wine, then stir while heating it on the fire (be careful not to open the pot), and finally pour a little vodka. After taking the pot, drink a cup, which is really fragrant and warm. ?
Hot red wine is made by heating red wine and adding cinnamon, orange peel, lemon and syrup. Christmas red wine is more special: add brown sugar, orange peel, meat orange, orange kernel, raisins and other ingredients to the wine, then stir while heating it on the fire (be careful not to open the pot), and finally pour a little vodka, which is mellow.
In the Gospel of John, the miracle that Jesus turned water into wine at his wedding in Canaan was recorded. At the last supper, Jesus also entertained his disciples with wine, and said, "Bread is my flesh, and wine is my blood." Therefore, red wine is also called "holy blood".
Moreover, the development of wine has a great relationship with the spread of Christianity. Missionaries not only spread this delicious wine all over the world, but also invented the necessary "hot red wine" for Christmas. The reason for the formation of this tradition is that meat symbolizes the body of Jesus Christ and red wine represents his blood. Jesus' suffering on behalf of others and crucifixion should be commemorated.
? The fifth custom at Christmas: giving gifts to relatives and friends?
This custom originated from a legend: three wise men gave presents to the baby Jesus at Christmas. Every Christmas, friends and relatives, especially children, give gifts to each other, and the story of Santa Claus also comes from this tradition.
Americans also pay attention to giving gifts during the Chinese New Year, especially at Christmas. It is human nature for relatives and friends to walk around and give gifts. Of course, the gift also depends on who it is, and the gifts given by close friends, especially relatives, are heavier. Americans don't give gifts like people in China. They don't give money much, even between relatives. Instead, they give something that the other party likes and is practical, such as jewelry and clothes. Of course, they also give computers, fishing rods and other things that the other party is particularly fond of. These gifts are a little more expensive, usually around a hundred dollars, depending on your income. You don't have to come to your home to give gifts to your relatives. Those who are far away also have express delivery to your home.
Christmas Eve, as the saying goes, is Christmas Eve. On that night, the whole family will gather in the living room, sing Christmas songs around the Christmas tree, exchange gifts with each other, share the joys and sorrows of life in the past year, and express their inner blessings and love. On this night, I will see a group of lovely little boys or girls, playing guitars with poems in their hands, and singing poems one by one to bring good news. Christmas is an exciting day, especially for children. Once upon a time, there was an old man named Nicholas, who loved to help poor families all his life. Once he helped three poor girls and gave them three bags of gold to escape the misfortune of being sold. When Nicholas secretly gave one of the bags of gold to one of the women, he threw the gold through one of the windows and fell right into a stocking hanging on the wall. As a result, the gift-giving method of putting gifts in Christmas socks has spread to this day.
In western countries, Christmas is a traditional festival, which is a grand festival equivalent to the Spring Festival in China. Therefore, Christmas in western countries is very grand, and it is also necessary to have a reunion dinner in western countries. Although the contents of Christmas dinner are different around the world, reunion and drinking wine are essential items.