LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER

Christmas Resources

During the Christmas season, we get busy shopping for presents, putting up the Christmas tree and other holiday decor, but have you ever wondered about the symbolism behind these Christmas traditions?  How did they begin?  On this page, you'll find information about the origins behind many of Christmas traditions:  Christmas carols, candy canes, Christmas trees, etc.

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Contents

• Advent
• Christmas from the Past and Traditions from Around the World
• Christmas Carols, Hymns, and Songs
• Christmas Literature
• Christmas Traditions and Customs

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Advent

• Advent   Explores the history and the customs of the advent season including the saints of Advent.  From American Catholic.org

• Christmas/Advent 2010  Explore the symbols of the Christmas season and their meanings, get daily Scripture readings, prayers, and more.

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Christmas from the Past and Traditions from Around the World

• History in Colonial America   Explores the traditions and customs celebrated during the Colonial period in Williamsburg, Virginia including candles in the window, decor, recipes, and more.

• The History of Christmas   Describes the history of Christmas from pagan rituals to present day, including how it is celebrated around the world, the origins to many customs, the history and evolution of Santa Claus, and more.

• Museum of Science and Industry's Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light   An annual exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, this site briefly tells about different traditions around the world.

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Christmas Carols, Hymns, and Songs

• Christmas Carols   Provides the lyrics and history of a variety of Christmas carols, songs, poems, and more. 

• The Hymns and Carols of Christmas  Presents lyrics and known history of many Christmas hymns, carols, and songs.

• PNC Christmas Price Index   PNC calculates how much it would cost you if you sent your true love everything mentioned in the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas.

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Christmas Literature

• Dickens & Christmas   An online article that describes how Charles Dickens influenced how Christmas is celebrated in Great Britain and the United States with his Christmas stories especially A Christmas Carol.

• The Gift of the Magi  Project Gutenberg presents the full text of O. Henry's short story, The Gift of the Magi.

• The Night Before Christmas: A Descriptive Bibliography of Clement Clarke Moore's Immortal Poem This site is advertising a book, but contains a biography of Moore, complete text of the poem, and the history of the poem.

• The Nutcracker Ballet   Explore the story, music, history, and more.

• Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus  In 1897, an eight-year-old girl wrote to The Sun asking if Santa Claus really exists.  The response, written by Francis Pharcellus Church, captured the hearts of all Americans.  This site provides a digital printing of the letter to the editor.

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Christmas Traditions and Customs

• The Art of Christmas Stamps   The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum presents this slide show of Christmas stamps from 1965 to 2007.

• Candy Cane Facts  Provides the history of candy canes, recipes, and more.

• Christmas Card History  Describes the history of sending Christmas cards with images of old, rare and unusual cards.

• History of the Christmas Tree   Presents the history of the Christmas tree from its pagan origin to present day.

• How Fruitcake Works   Presents an article about fruitcake including its origin, what it is, and more.

• Poinsettia Pages   From the University of Illinois Extension, this site is all about poinsettias, including its history, facts, selection, care, and more.

• Saint Nicholas: Discovering the Truth about Santa Claus   Discover the story of St. Nicholas, the origins of Santa Claus, and how St. Nicholas Day is celebrated around the world.

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