Block houses at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Each year, the park lights up a block house, which becomes a beacon for the surrounding communities. Dustin White photo.

Dustin White
Editor

Whether one is religious or not, almost regardless of where one is born, Dec. 25 marks the same day on their calendars: Christmas. 

While Christmas originally evolved to be a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus, over the more than century and a half that it has been observed, the day has developed into something which now incorporates a host of traditions and practices. 

Some shed the more religious nature of the holiday in favor of a secular observation, while others have increasingly tried to keep in mind their “reason for the season,” but what keeps most together in the day is the underlying message of giving. 



As with most holidays though, there have been many changes to how one celebrates the day. 

Saturnalia
In Rome, where Christianity was beginning to form, winters were quite mild. Leading up to the winter solstice, temperatures would fall, but it was not a time of a great freeze, as those living farther north often experienced. 

However, the changing of the seasons was still apparent, and with the winter solstice also came a celebration. Food and drink were often plentiful during this time, and the city would rejoice by honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture. 

The winter solstice also marked a time for other festivals, such as the honoring of Mithra, a Persian god of light. 

It was in this world that Christianity was forming. However, in it’s early days, Easter was seen as the main holiday, while the birth of Jesus was never celebrated. 

As Christianity began to expand in the fourth century, and rise in popularity, which brought it power, church officials began to search for a way to help assimilate Romans into the forming religion. 

A manner in which this was done was by creating a festival to coincide with those festivals that were already celebrated. With the winter solstice being an important time of the year, it didn’t take long before church officials to select that time to observe the birth of Jesus. 

Christmas tree
As Christianity spread, with it’s customs and traditions, it was exposed to new cultures. With that exposure, new ideas, along with converts, were assimilated into the new religion. 

Spreading north, into what is now Germany, Christianity would encounter beliefs that regarded evergreens to be a special plant, as they continued to live throughout the year. 

It wouldn’t be until the 16th century though that the Christmas tree tradition, as we know it, was created. 

At that time, devout Christians began bringing decorated trees into their homes. It is believed that it would eventually be Martin Luther who was the one to add the first lights to trees. 

Upon walking home one winter evening, Luther is said to have been struck with awe by seeing the starts twinkling through the evergreens. Wanting to recreate the scene for his family, he erected a tree in his family’s main room, and wired it with lighted candles. 



For most Americans, the tradition of Christmas trees appeared to be an oddity. They were still considered as a pagan symbol by many, and thus not accepted. However, as Germans continued to settle into communities in the United States, especially in Pennsylvania, the Christmas tree gained a holding. 

It wouldn’t be until 1846 that the Christmas tree would start to become popular among non-Germans in the United States. Queen Victoria, along with her German Prince Albert, would be sketched for the Illustrated London News, standing in front of a Christmas tree with their children. Because of Victoria’s popularity with citizens in Britain, as well as in the United States, the tradition would start to become adopted by American’s as a whole. 

Santa Claus
The origin of Santa Claus can be traced back to monk, St. Nicholas, who was born around 280 C.E., in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. 

During his life, he would be admired for his piety and kindness. In his death, he would end up being remembered for much more, as legends began to arise. 

It was said that Nicholas would give away all of his wealth, and travel, helping those who were in need. 

His popularity would quickly spread, eventually making him known as the protector of children and sailors. By the Renaissance, Nicholas could boast being the most popular saint in Europe. His popularity would continue even after the Protestant Reformation, when the veneration of saints would begin to be discouraged. 

It wouldn’t be until the late 18th century that Nicholas would begin to find a place within American culture though. Honoring the anniversary of Nicholas’s death, on Dec. 6, Dutch families would begin to bring the popular saint to the United States. 

However, it would be Washington Irving, who in 1809, started to help popularize Sinter Klaas, the Dutch’s nickname for Nicholas, through writing the stories out. 

Conclusion
Adopting traditions from around the world, and bringing them to the United States, the American version of Christmas began to flourish and take on a life of its own. 

Eventually, Christmas would become more than a religious observation. Instead, while for some it kept the religious meaning, it also became a symbol for America as a whole. Just as the United States would be seen as a melting pot, Christmas would be the Holiday that brought it together.