The Odd Origins Behind Popular Christmas Traditions

Who doesn't look forward to a generous slice of chocolatey goodness come Christmas? And for those who're scratching their heads — modern-day yule logs are a delicious festive dessert decorated to look like a real-life fallen tree. Though much more delicious than a real log, this sweet treat is actually based on a Medieval tradition. People burned logs that were decorated with pinecones, holly, and ivy for one eerie reason.

Burning the yule log was traditionally thought to bring good luck as well as ward away bad energy. There was more to the process than just burning some wood in the hearth, though. After the log burned down to just ash, people would gather the remaining ashes. These were prized for their protection against aging and also lightning attacks. Handy!

Being treated to songs from a group of festive singers is the modern version of a much more aggressive tradition. Now, not everyone may look forward to getting up off the couch to endure a doorstop rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas", but you can thank your lucky stars that modern-day carolers have moved on from their 17th-century counterparts. Carolers, or "wassailers," weren’t welcome guests in the 1600s.

Instead of sharing a cute song, 17th-century carolers would demand that the unsuspecting homeowners who came to the door gave them fancy food and liquor. If they weren’t satisfied with the gifts they were given, they would threaten the residents with property destruction and other violent acts. Had nobody told them that trick or treating is only acceptable on October 31st?

As you rummage through your decorations looking for that signature white berried branch with Justin Bieber's musical demands ringing in your ears, "kiss me underneath the mistletoe," you may be wondering why we've taken to pinning our romantic hopes on a dead bunch of leaves. Well, this leafy symbol of holiday romance hasn't always been such a hotly-anticipated Christmas essential. It all started with the druids...

According to the druids, mistletoe was a sacred plant brimming with special properties. Because the mistletoe plant had an uncanny ability to blossom even in the depths of winter, they believed that it could be given to animals and humans to help with fertility issues. Unfortunately, the early Christian church didn't take kindly to what they considered pagan rituals. And since the plant had become synonymous with fertility by this time, they had no choice but to ban it entirely! Eventually, the clergy lifted their harsh rules, allowing people to do as they wished with mistletoe once more.

Leaving out milk and cookies for Santa is a way to give hardworking St. Nick a small gift during his major global journey. That and the perfect way for curious children to set out a CSI-style handwriting trap for their prime suspect. But what is now a cute family tradition actually originated during the dark days of the Great Depression.

During the Depression, leaving out the classic combo had a much deeper meaning. Not just a snack for weary parents, the act of laying out a treat for Santa was a way for moms and dads to teach their children about gratitude. Parents wanted their kids to understand that giving presents can feel just as good as receiving them. The message is to be grateful for what you are given.

Using cartoons to advertise to children — and the adults watching alongside them — was a tactic employed by numerous marketing agencies. And it's still used today, just a little more subtly than back in the day. And one of the most obvious examples of advertising to unsuspecting parents while their kids watched, was between Charlie Brown and Coca-Cola.

In the original version of the 1965 movie A Charlie Brown Christmas, the Peanuts gang made sure to tell everyone how much they enjoyed a cold glass of Coca-Cola. Apparently, Coca-Cola came calling, and the men behind the Christmas classic couldn't say no. The result? Shameless plugs for fizzy pop in a family favorite. Luckily, CBS eventually edited out the references, and the result is a timeless holiday classic.

The newer tradition of hiding a pickle — a fake one, of course — for your friends or family to find has quite a simple premise. Simply take a pickle ornament and hide it. The first person to find the festive veg will receive an extra-special gift. But where did the bizarre brined tradition come from? People claim that it's a German holiday pastime, but many Germans aren’t familiar with the practice.

Even more strangely, no one is entirely sure where the Christmas pickle actually came from. That hasn't stopped a few theories from being conjured up, though. One particularly odd notion is that two young — and presumably tiny — students were trapped inside a pickle jar by an evil innkeeper. Who should save the day but our favorite holiday hero — St. Nicholas? And thus, the Christmas pickle connection was brined and preserved for all future festivities.

Aside from presents and over-indulging in all of our favorite yuletide snacks, everyone knows that a Christian Christmas is there for us to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, right? Wrong! The common understanding that Christmas is celebrated in December because it coincides with Jesus’ birthday is, in fact, not quite right. Biblical scholars claim that either March 29, January 6, or sometime in June was when he was actually born. So, where did December 25 come from?

What you may not know, is that there’s another lesser-known event that shares the date of December 25. Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival that saw followers let loose to celebrate the winter solstice. To mark the occasion, people drank heavily, and the upper class gave presents to their slaves. Sound familiar? Perhaps this is where the original office party originated. But who are the slaves in this modern-day Saturnalia?

"But mom, what happens if Santa comes down a chimney and the fire is still burning?" One of the many questions parents dread having to answer at Christmas time. But if you thought answering a question about Mr. Claus' breaking and entering was tough, just be thankful that your kids don't know about the other supernatural entities that can slither down the chimneystack and infiltrate your home.

St. Nick is a kind deity who brings presents, but many of the others are the last thing you'd want creeping through your house at night. According to Greek folklore, the kallikantzaroi goblin is one cryptid who emerges from the depths of the Earth in the 12 days after Christmas and crawls down a chimney to terrorize the family who lives in the home. Medieval-era devious witches also found their way inside like this.

From second-hand tights to plush velvet gift sacks, the act of hanging out a stocking for Santa to fill with extra presents has become ingrained in portrayals of a perfect family Christmas. But the pitter-patter of excited feet as they run down the stairs to see if they made the nice list loses some of its magic when you learn the depressing backstory of where it all started. It all began in the 4th century when a European bishop heard an old man worrying about his three daughters’ dowries.

In the past, women without a dowry weren't eligible to be wed. With no groom, they were left with few options to earn an income. As the story goes, the three daughters were dowry-less. This meant they had to support themselves, and one of the few options available to them was working in the often unsavory world of adult entertainment. Luckily, a bishop learned of their predicament and snuck into the man’s house to put gold in the daughters’ stockings. With dowries intact, they were able to get husbands and avoid a much darker fate.

With his rosy red cheeks and shining epaulets, the character of the Nutcracker is almost instantly recognizable when December 1st rolls around each year. And the popular Christmas story of The Nutcracker is often performed as a ballet. The stage production is based on the novel The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by German author E. T. A. Hoffmann. But the story itself is pretty chilling.

The plot of the original sees a little girl’s nutcracker come to life before she accidentally cuts herself. While she’s recovering, her godfather tells her about a man who looks like a nutcracker. Intrigued, the young girl decides the nutcracker man is something she'd be interested in. And before she could blink her eyes, she’s taken to her toy nutcracker’s doll kingdom. The two marry — even though the girl is only eight.

The White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony is one of the most highly anticipated holiday events of the year. The First Family joins with a star-studded crowd of celebrities and a sea of celebrators each December to light up Washington, D.C. in style. But with nearly 100 years of illumination under its belt, people should probably know that things weren't always so sparkly.

Some historians argue the first American Christmas occurred in 1776 when George Washington bravely crossed the Delaware to take a British fort. He had no time to actually celebrate, of course — not by our standards. In fact, Christmas trees weren't even popular yet! So how did the first-ever White House Christmas tree make it inside the walls of the place that presidents call home?

While commanders-in-chief started throwing Christmas parties in 1800, the first tree didn't show up until another eighty years later. It was President Benjamin Harrison who installed the first White House tree, though not all of his successors followed suit. The Christmases — and presidents — that followed, each brought with them extraordinarily specific traditions as well as dazzling new decorations for us to feast our eyes on.

Festivities took a big upswing in 1923. So on December 24 of that year, Calvin Coolidge hosted the first public Christmas celebration, complete with a tree lighting on the front lawn. At the touch of a button, the nation's 30th president ignited a tradition that would grow to epic proportions. From then on, Presidents couldn't help but give in to the Yuletide cheer of each passing year.

Even in the midst of the Great Depression and later World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took Christmas seriously. He invited his large family — four entire generations — to spend the holiday with him in style. The big family blowout must have been a hit, because FDR spent ten of his 12 year's Christmases celebrating at The White House in style.

Harry S. Truman had an unusual Christmas back in 1948. When the Poultry and Egg National Board gifted the White House two sizeable live turkeys to be eaten for their festive dinner, the president made an interesting decision. Yup, he brought the birds in for a pre-broiler visit. Understandably, they were not too happy to meet their maker.

In 1961, Jackie Kennedy inadvertently started a new tradition that's since been carried on by all the first ladies who've followed in her footsteps. She and John started off by decorating their home to resemble Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. And this small decision of themed decorations planted the seed of an idea. Ever since, each White House Christmas is assigned a new theme.

Most of the Johnson's Christmases — before and during LBJ's presidency — were spent at their ranch in Stonewall, Texas. But this Johnson family Christmas card from 1968 was taken in the White House's distinctive Yellow Oval Room. The picture features Lyndon, Lady Bird, plus their daughters and grandchildren. And of course, Yuki the dog was proudly positioned front and center of the adorable snap.

Although many Americans saw Richard Nixon as frigid, at least he wasn't afraid to stand out in the snow! And perhaps he picked up some of his festive cheer from wife. According to the White House History organization, Pat has been the most exuberant celebrator of all the first ladies. In her own words, “before we came to the White House, our friends always looked to us to see what surprises we were going to give them at Christmas, with our decorations, our ‘open house’ party. We’ve always tried to make Christmas special and different. At the White House, we enjoy giving surprises, too.”

One of Jimmy Carter's Christmases included an ice skating extravaganza. Later celebrations, however, were more somber affairs. In 1979, he lit only the star on the tree as a tribute to American hostages in Iran. The theme for this 1977 Carter Christmas was 'A Classic American Christmas.' And Rosalynn perfectly captured the nostalgia of Christmases past.

Not one to rely on potentially shoddy actors, Ronald Reagan took matters into his own hands for a party in 1983. Reagan drew upon his acting chops and donned that signature red suit to portray Old Saint Nick himself! First Lady Nancy Reagan gladly joined Santa in his armchair, though that wasn't the only lap she sat on that night...

Nancy Reagan, the demure first lady and wife of Ronald Reagan made headlines in 1983 for perching on Mr. T's knee. She even gave him a peck on the head! Nancy was one of the first White House residents to incorporate more pop culture elements into their holiday celebrations. And her guest a couple of years later was a true testament to that fact.

In 1987, for example, the first lady welcomed ALF — plus the unlucky puppeteer who had to hide underneath a podium — to the annual children's Christmas party. We're guessing ALF's signature smart mouth and mischievous ways were toned down for the official event. Even so, if this photo isn't enough to overwhelm you with 1980s nostalgia, then nothing will.

Reagan's former veep, George H.W. Bush, carried on the flashy Christmas traditions during his administration, too. He made it a decidedly family affair. Bush always had his grandkids on hand to admire the decorations, and the entire clan celebrated at nearby Camp David.

President Bill Clinton also turned to the nation's youth when it came to his traditions. During his time in office, the 42nd president popularized reading Christmas books to children during the holiday season. Meanwhile, Hillary oversaw the official decorations, putting together a display that she described as both "elegant" and "funky."

The Clintons also showed off one of the world's most impressive collections of gingerbread houses. It included a perfect recreation of Bill's childhood home, plus a delectable model of Mount Vernon, George Washington's historic home. Roland Mesnier, the White House’s executive pastry chef from 1979 to 2004, confessed that Clinton was one of the main culprits for stealing bits of gingerbread before the creation was complete!

In the aftermath of 9/11, George W. Bush tried to make the holidays an uplifting affair. He and Laura declared it a "Red, White, and Blue Christmas" to show that the United States would not shy away from its proudest traditions. "This year’s theme celebrates the patriotic spirit that unites us as Americans. During this hopeful season we are reminded of the blessings of freedom we enjoy, and we renew our sense of what is important in our lives," Bush declared in his festive speech.

Flanked by Santa Claus and acappella group Fifth Harmony, Barack Obama got to show off his dance moves in 2014. The girl band were set to perform at the National Tree Lighting ceremony, and they did not disappoint. Footage of the event shows the pop stars belting out their rendition of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" as Barrack and Michelle looked on, no doubt tapping their feet!

In 2016, giant pom-pom statues of Bo and Sunny, the Obamas' Portuguese Water Dogs, made for the most striking decor in recent White House memory. The first dogs may have stolen the show, but there was also a 19-foot Christmas tree that managed to turn a few heads!

First Lady Melania Trump put a more modern, artsy spin on the White House decorations. In 2018, she decked out an East Wing hallway with red trees that made headlines all over the world. In no particular order, Melania's unnatural pines were compared to: car wash brushes, the handmaids in Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale, and the waves of blood in Stephen King's The Shining. Seems like people really don't like red trees!