| The Twelve Days of Christmas: The Twelve Days | | | | from door to door, singing favorites such as |
| of Christmas refers to the twelve days | | | | "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing", "O Come All |
| between the Christmas Day (December 25) and | | | | Ye Faithful", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" |
| the Feast of Epiphany (January 6). Tradition | | | | and many more ! |
| has it that this is the time taken by the | | | | |
| Three Wise Men (the Magi) to reach Bethlehem | | | | Holly Boughs: The boughs of holly are another |
| to see the babe in the manger, Jesus. | | | | very important symbol of Christmas. These are |
| | | | red berries with thorny leaves. To the |
| Mistletoe: Mistletoe is a plant hung on the | | | | Christians, the holly berries symbolize |
| doorway of every American household during | | | | Christ's blood and the sharply pointed leaves |
| Christmas. The mistletoe symbolizes love, | | | | stand for the thorns in His crown. |
| having been closely associated with Frigga, | | | | Henceforth, the holly became part of the |
| the Scandinavian's goddess of love. It's from | | | | Nativity tradition. |
| this that the convention of kissing under the | | | | |
| mistletoe originated. | | | | The Nativity Scene: The Nativity Scene |
| | | | includes the scene at Bethlehem, when Jesus |
| Hanging Stockings: The practice of hanging | | | | was born. The manger, the swaddling clothes, |
| stockings over the fireplace on Christmas Eve | | | | the bright star in the sky, the shepherds |
| comes from England. The legend of St. | | | | surrounding baby Jesus and the Three Wise Men |
| Nicholas has it that the latter was a kind | | | | (the Magi) form part of the scene. |
| saint who was believed to have left gifts of | | | | |
| gold coins in the stockings of three poor | | | | The Poinsettia: Poinsettias are beautiful |
| maidens, who badly needed the money for their | | | | winter blooms, native to Mexico. They've been |
| wedding dowries. They hung their stockings to | | | | named after the first US ambassador to |
| dry over the fireplace, and to their great | | | | Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who brought |
| surprise, they found bags of gold in them the | | | | the plant from its land of origin to America. |
| next morning. Following this, children kept | | | | Since the beginning of the 19th century, |
| hanging Christmas stockings over the | | | | poinsettias have come to be associated with |
| fireplace on Christmas Eve in the hope that | | | | Christmas. |
| Santa would drop gifts and toys in them ! | | | | |
| | | | Eggnog: Eggnog, a very popular Christmas |
| Christmas Carols: The first carols are said | | | | drink, is prepared by mixing cream, milk, |
| to have been sung by angelic choirs at | | | | sugar and beaten eggs with some kind of |
| Christ's birth. St.Francis of Assissi is also | | | | liquor. This has a close connection to the |
| accredited as the 'Father of Caroling'. The | | | | Christmas holiday, and on Christmas Eve, it's |
| word 'carol' comes from the Greek | | | | fairly common to spot groups of people |
| 'charaulein', a Greek dance, later replaced | | | | eggnogging at their neighbors' and friends' |
| by song. By the 17th century, caroling was | | | | places. People also gather round the |
| restricted to Christmas time, and now, it's | | | | Christmas tree, drinking eggnog and then move |
| customary for kids to go caroling in groups | | | | from house to house caroling. |