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Christmas Customs

Christmas customs vary from family to family, country to country, and make the holiday something bright.

The Wilson Folklore Archives has a plethora of ideas for the Christmas season. These ideas can be found in FA14 8–Christmas customs. Trees are a good place to start. Many families have a tree and how they are chosen guides some of the traditions. For some families an artifical tree is the only way to go. Others traipse around a Christmas tree lot or farm looking for that perfect tree. Some brave souls take their sled and head to the hills or the forest to chop down the tree that will set the right tone for there Christmas celebration.

Under the tree may go an array of gifts. Some are given traditionally from each member of the family to the other. Sometimes the members of the family have picked one name which they will buy or make a gift for that year. Other gifts are Secret Santa acts of service or kind acts of charity that the Christ child would choose to do.

At Christmas there are a wide variety of activities enjoyed by families. Baking is very common. Cookies, cakes, candies and other treats abound. Some families reach back into their heritage and have ethnic foods that they might sun at other times of the year. Stories are read and told that might be reserved for December. New pajamas are worn on Christmas Eve. Stockings are hung, shoes are put out, bells ring and Santa Claus comes. It is a magical time of a year.

Look through our summaries of Christmas customs, http://lib.byu.edu/sites/muw/files/2008/07/customs.pdf, in the custom index and look for your traditions or ideas for some new ones that you might like to start.

 

 

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