This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
The Origin of Christmas and Its Popular Customs
A historical overview traces Christmas origins from December 25 fixing by Cyril and Julius at Rome, through Pope Telesphorus, and early church silence on exact birth date. It links gift giving to Saturnalia, Santa Claus to St Nicholas, and Christmas customs such as stockings, reindeer lore, candles, Yule ties, plum pudding, mince pie, holly, and mistletoe to pagan and medieval traditions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cyril
Julius
Rome
Christendom
Herod the Great
Herod
Gerod
Christ
Telesphorus
Wetherlands
Sinter Klaas
Netherlands
St. Nicholas
Myra
Lycia
Germany
Santa Claus
Priapus
Virgil
Petronius
Pelsnichol
Nicholas of the Furs
North
Europe
Spitzbergen
Bethehem
Nazareth
John the Baptist
Thor
Scandinavia
England
Italy
France
Servia
Bethlehem
Jesus
Moses