History, traditions, food and culture CHRISTMAS History, traditions, food and culture

History Eastern Orthodox icon of the birth of Christ by Saint Andrei Rublev, 15th century Nativity of Christ, medieval illustration from the Hortus deliciarumof Herrad of Landsberg (12th century) Adoration of the Shepherds (1622) by Gerard van Honthorst depicts the nativity of Jesus The nativity stories recounted in Matthew and Luke prompted early Christian writers to suggest various dates for the anniversary.[46] Although no date is indicated in the gospels, early Christians connected Jesus to the Sun through the use of such phrases as "Sun of righteousness."[46][47] The Romans marked the winter solstice on December 25.[27] The first recorded Christmas celebration was in Rome on December 25, 336.[48][49]Christmas played a role in the Arian controversy of the fourth century. After this controversy was played out, the prominence of the holiday declined. The feast regained prominence after 800, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor on Christmas Day. Associating it with drunkenness and other misbehavior, the Puritans banned Christmas during the Reformation.[50] It was restored as a legal holiday in 1660, but remained disreputable. In the early 19th century, Christmas was reconceived by Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, and other authors as a holiday emphasizing family, children, kind-heartedness, gift-giving, and Santa Claus.[5

TRADITIONS Christmas traditions vary from country to country. Christmas celebrations for many nations include the installing and lighting of Christmas trees, the hanging of Advent wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes, setting out cookies and milk, and the creation of Nativity scenesdepicting the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas carols may be sung and stories told about such figures as the Baby Jesus, St Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind or Grandfather Frost. The sending and exchange of Christmas card greetings, observance of fasting and special religious observances such as a midnight Mass or Vespers on Christmas Eve, the burning of a Yule log, and the giving and receiving of presents. Along with Easter, Christmas is one of the most important periods on the Christian calendar, and is often closely connected to other holidays at this time of year, such as Advent, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, St Nicholas Day, St. Stephen's Day, New Year's, and the Feast of the Epiphany.[1]

FOOD In the United Kingdom, what is now regarded as the traditional meal consists of roast turkey with cranberry sauce, served with roast potatoes and parsnips and other vegetables, followed by Christmas pudding, a heavy steamed pudding made with dried fruit, suet, and very little flour. Other roast meats may be served, and in the nineteenth century the traditional roast was goose. The same carries over to Ireland with some variations. Beef Wellington (alternative main course)[57] Brussels sprouts[58] Candy canes Chocolate yule log Christmas cake Christmas ham (usually a honey or marmalade glazed roast or boiled gammon joint) Christmas pudding[59] Cranberry sauce[60] Devils on horseback[61] Dundee cake (traditional Scottish fruit cake) Gingerbread[62] Gravy[63] Hot chocolate Mince pies[64] Mulled wine[65] Nut roast (a popular vegetarian alternative) Pigs in a blanket (Chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon) Roast turkey[64] Roast beef Roasted chestnuts[66] Roast duck Roast goose Roast pheasant Roast parsnips and carrots

CULTURE I don't know about you, but my Christmas is a ritual - a kind of secular religion. I try to take in a Messiah (failed to get to a performance this year, so listened to Beecham's overblown version on Radio 3); go to a panto with my son (excellent Dick Whittington at the Richmond theatre); and read A Christmas Carol for fun and self-improvement (Scrooge waking up and discovering that it is Christmas Day for me marks the official start of Christmas). I also listen to the Christmas Eve carol service from King's College, Cambridge, along with the rest of the Radio 4 nation, and watch a video of The Snowman (mawkish but necessary).When I told a friend that I was writing about Christmas culture, she sympathised: "Tricky job; there isn't any." Well, there is, but it's static: just as I ritualistically watch The Snowman with my teenage son on Christmas Eve in an attempt to re-create his lost infancy, to summon up Christmases past, so Christmas represents a collective effort to freeze time.