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Ancestry Daily News
12/18/2000 - Archive
Rekindling the Traditions of Christmases Past
102 years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter
to the New York Sun, asking if there really was a Santa Claus.
Children are still asking this question across the country, but it
hasn't always been this way. As families immigrated to the United
States, they brought with them the stories and traditions of their
homeland. Some of these traditions lasted throughout the years;
others did not. Many evolved into the traditions we take for granted
every year.
Christmas trees, the Santa Claus legend, gift exchanges, Christmas
cookies, carols, mistletoe, wreaths, and just about any tradition you
can think of originated in the "old country" of our ancestors or
their neighbors. As new immigrants began to assimilate into the
culture of their new home, they picked up traditions already in place
from the families that lived around them and integrated them into
their own traditions.
Although some traditions have retained their ethnic identity, many of
the lines have become blurred, and many traditions have been lost
along the way. As we prepare to enter the new year, many of us are
seeking ways to preserve our past for the future. The holidays
provide a wonderful opportunity to reach back into the rich culture
of our ancestors and perpetuate these wonderful traditions for future
generations. Below are some ideas to help keep the traditions in your
family alive, and to revive old traditions that may have been lost.
Try to remember, in the greatest detail possible, the Christmases
of your past. Don't confine yourself to memories you think are from
the "old country" or have genealogical or historical significance.
Write, type, or somehow preserve all memories so that they will not
be lost, but will instead be enjoyed by generations to come.
Our holiday decorations and traditions reveal a great deal about
us personally. How much of what we do is a carryover from our
personal past? Inherited ornaments, linens, tableware, and other
decorations are cherished in most families, but don't overlook the
importance of the nostalgic pieces that are important to you
personally. Will future generations know that the white beaded
ornament was hand made by your mother, the wooden manger by your
uncle, and the traditional tablecloth embroidered for you by your
grandmother? What will they know about the traditions that started
with you?
Did your family traditionally put up decorations on Christmas
Eve? Did they exchange gifts the night before Christmas, as many
Europeans do? Did you cut down your own tree, or did you buy it? Did
some of the kids really get coal in their stockings? Were gift
exchanges more modest than they are now? In remembering Christmases
past, an elderly friend recalled that children once considered an
apple, a new pencil, and a penny candy in their stockings a great
treat. Another friend remembered a time when they would place their
shoes outside the door so that St. Nick would fill them with treats.
What food was served? Think of all of the meals—breakfast,
lunch, and dinner—not to mention appetizers and desserts that had
special significance during the holiday season. Who were the invited
guests? Was there any ceremony or tradition attached to the meal? Are
there special recipes that come out only at Christmas time?
Were there religious traditions over the holidays? A nativity set
is often the centerpiece of the Christmas decorations in many homes.
In some cultures, an extra place is set at the dinner table and
reserved for the Christ child. Oplatki (or oplatek) is a wafer that
is broken and shared with family members in Polish homes. Hispanics
cherish the tradition of the Posadas, traveling from home to home as
they retrace the story of the first Christmas. Was it your family
tradition to go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Were
there religious pageants where you grew up?
When are gifts exchanged, and how? Did Santa or someone in the
family pass them out? Did your family exchange Christmas cards? With
whom? Was your Christmas tree decorated in any special way? What did
you leave out for Santa? (Our Santa loved kolaches and Pepsi . . . Hmmm.) Did you feed Santa's reindeer?
Christmas memories make wonderful conversation topics. Mention
your memories of Christmas past and see how quickly other family
members will join in. They will often remember any you have missed,
and it's fun to see how many different versions of the same story you
can come up. Don't forget write them all down or record them in some
way so that these stories will be treasures for future holidays.
Many of our families have become very Americanized and have lost
track of Old World traditions. If you want to learn more about the
holiday customs that were practiced by your ancestors, visit your
local library and see if they have any books on the subject. Even the
smallest libraries will probably have books on ethnic or religious
Christmas traditions.
The holiday stories and customs that influenced our ancestors can
take on a whole new meaning when we bring them back into our lives.
There is plenty of online information available, too. See the end of
this article for links to some Christmas sites that may provide some
insight. You may find that some of this information will stir
memories of traditions that have been put aside in your lifetime. If
you have found a new tradition that you think may enrich your
family's holidays, try to revive it this Christmas. In the book of
Christmas Stories 'Round the World (edited by Lois Johnson, Rand
McNally & Company, 1960) given to me by my grandparents when I was
seven years old, I learned that in Poland, traditionally, a little
straw was placed under a white table cloth in remembrance of the
Bethlehem stable. The family meal on Christmas Eve was then served on
it.
You can even learn how to say Merry Christmas in your ancestor's
language. It's an approach that can often spark a child's interest in
his or her heritage. And sharing season's greetings in a foreign
language is another way to lend interest your Christmas cards. To
find out how, try one of the following Web sites:
102 years ago, a newspaper editor said, "Yes, Virginia, there is a
Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and
devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its
highest beauty and joy." It's up to us now to see that the spirit of
our own family's love and generosity is preserved and handed down for
future generations.
Christmas Around the World Sites
Juliana Smith is the editor of the Ancestry Daily News and author of The Ancestry Family Historian's Address Book. She has written for Ancestry Magazine and Genealogical Computing. Juliana can be reached by e-mail at: editor@ancestry-inc.com, but regrets that she is unable to assist with personal research.
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