Slide 1: CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN CULTURE?
ROMAN CATHOLIC: CHRIST MASS OR CEROMONY HONORS THE BIRTH OF CHRIST OLDE ENGLISH: CHRISTES MAESSE OR FESTIVAL OF CHRIST GREEK: XMAS – X IS GREEK LETTER FOR CHI, ABBREVIATION FOR CHRIST AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CROSS
Slide 2: ORIGINS: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Slide 3: SATURNALIA
• ROMAN FESTIVAL EVOLVED FROM THE GREEKS AROUND WINTER SOLTICE • HONORS THE LENGTHENING OF DAYS & THE GODS SATURN (AGRICULTURE) AND MITHRA (LIGHT) • 7 DAYS OF FEASTING AND MERRYMAKING
Slide 4: ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
• ABSORBS THE PAGEN TRADITION CONVERTING THE HOLIDAY FROM THE BIRTH OF THE SUN GOD TO HONORING THE BIRTH OF THE SON OF GOD
Slide 5: CELEBRATIONS BEFORE 1800
Slide 6: ENGLAND
• PEASANTS TRAVEL IN SMALL “MOBS” TO THE LORDS OF THE MANORS HOPING TO BE LET IN AND GIVEN TREATS
Slide 7: ROME
• FEAST OF FOOLS
– MASTERS AND SLAVES TRADED PLACES FOR THE DAY
Slide 8: THE NEW WORLD
• OUTLAWED UNTIL AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND THEN THEY FOLLOWED THE TRADITIONS OF THE ENGLISH, GOING DOOR TO DOOR SINGING IN EXCHANGE FOR EGGNOG • THIS WAS THE START OF CHRISTMAS CAROLING
Slide 9: MODERN TRADITIONS
Slide 10: GIFTGIVING
• ORIGINALLY THE WEALTHY GAVE MONEY TO THE POOR • FAMILIES RARELY GAVE GIFTS TO EACH OTHER
Slide 11: 1843 CHARLES DICKENS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”
• CHANGES THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FOREVER AND BECOMES A HOLIDAY OF GIVING, CARING AND SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS • AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVOTE ATTENTION TO THE CHILDREN
Slide 12: SANTA CLAUS
Slide 13: ASIA MINOR (TURKEY)
• SAINT NICHOLAS IS SAID TO HAVE THROWN BAGS OF GOLD INTO NEEDY FAMILY’S HOUSES AND GIVEN THE SECRET GIFTS TO THE 3 DAUGHTERS OF A POOR MAN TO PAY THEIR DOWRIES
Slide 14: GERMANY, HOLLAND, & ROME
• HE RODE A WHITE HORSE IN THE SKY ACCOMPANIED BY AN ELF – BLACK PETER (WHO WHIPPED CHILDREN WHO MISBEHAVED) • HE WORE A LONG FLOWING ROBE AND HAD A WHITE BEARD
Slide 15: DUTCH
• CALLED SAINT NICHOLAS SINTERKLAAS • BROUGHT THE NAME TO AMERICA
Slide 16: AMERICA
• 1809 – WASHINGTON IRVING MAKES SANTA CLAUS FAMOUS IN HIS STORY “HISTORY OF NEW YORK” • 1823 – CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE DESCRIBES SANTA CLAUS IN THE TALE “TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS”
Slide 17: • 1860 THOMAS NAST OF THE COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY ILLUSTRATES SANTA’S WORKSHOP AT THE NORTH POLE • CREATES THE LISTS OF GOOD AND BAD KIDS • BECOMES THE GIVER OF GIFTS - EXACTLY AS HE APPEARS TODAY
Slide 18: YULE LOG
• CAME FROM THE SCANDANAVIAN MYTHOLOGY IN HONOR OF THOR, THE VIKING GOD OF WAR • A HUGE TREE IS LIT AFIRE IN THE HOMES FIREPLACE • YULE IS FROM THE ANGLO-SAXON WORD FOR DECEMBER & JANUARY
Slide 19: CHRISTMAS TREE
• GERMANY
– THE EVERGREEN IS A SIGN OF FERTILITY – IT IS SAID MARTIN LUTHER WAS SO MOVED BY THE FIR TREES HE BROUGHT ONE INSIDE AND DECORATED IT WITH CANDLES – IT IS A REMINDER OF GOD’S BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS
Slide 20: • GERMAS WERE THE FIRST TO DECORATE THE TREES AND BROUGHT THE TRADITION TO ENGLAND AND AMERICA
Slide 21: NATIVITY SCENE
• WAS AS INNOVATION OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISSI IN THE 3RD CENTURY
Slide 22: ADVENT
• ROMAN CATHOLIC – LUTHERAN – ANGLICAN – EPISCOPAL • IT MEANS THE COMING OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON • SYMBOLIZED BY THE EVERGREEN WREATH WITH 4 CANDLES • THE WREATH WAS FIRST USED BY THE GERMAN LUTHERANS
Slide 23: CHISTMAS CARDS
• THE FIRST ONE WAS CREATED BY JOHN CALLCOTT HORSLEY IN ENGLAND • LOUIS PRANG MASS PRODUCED THEM IN THE UNITED STATES AND IT SPARKED THE TRADITION
Slide 24: COAL
• AN ITALIAN LEGEND
– THE WITCH, LA BEFANA, WAS TOO BUSY TO ACCOMPANY THE 3 WISEMEN TO SEE THE NEW KING – IN RETURN FOR HER MISHAP SHE MUST FLY AROUND ON HER BROOM LEAVING TREATS FOR THE GOOD CHILDREN AND COAL FOR THE NAUGHTY ONES
Slide 25: AMERICAN TRADITION
• JUST AS MANY OF OUR OTHER TRADITIONS ARE TODAY, CHRISTMAS IS A “MELTING POT” OR “SALAD BOWL” OF TRADITIONS BROUGHT TOGETHER FROM MANY CULTURES, CELEBRATED, AND ENJOYED BY ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE IN MANY PLACES THROUGH OUT THE UNITED STATES.
Slide 26: REFERENCE/PHOTO CREDIT
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • REFERENCE: http://www.mrrena.com/2001/Christmas.shtml PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.christmas-treasures.com/duncan_royale/duncan/SantaIII/Saturnalia.jpg http://antiqueclipart.com/clipart/large/baby-jesus.jpg http://noreah.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mountebank.jpg http://www.visitandlearn.co.uk/topicalfactfiles/images/slavery4.jpg http://www.allthingschristmas.com/pics/snowmen-carols1.jpg http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21561/21561-h/images/illus185.jpg http://infodome.sdsu.edu/about/depts/spcollections/exhibits/0104/images/christmas_carol.jpg http://www.noelcostumier.com/1600s_St_Nicholas_150_copy.jpg http://i2.tinypic.com/t5hruq.jpg http://www.debbiescostumes.com/images/halloween/Father-Christmas-full-lengt.jpg http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/20895/Santa_2/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/30717/Santa_makes_sled/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/25629/Fireplace/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/20699/Tree_7/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/20692/Tree_with_gifts/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/20611/Peace_on_earth/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/19810/Wreath/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/20618/Merry_Christmas_5/ http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/24728/Contoling_broom/
