The Christm4 S Encyclopedia

The Christm4 s Encyclopedia

Second Edition William D. Crump

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London Frontispiece: Engraving from the 1880s after a work by an artist identified as - Min throp." From Charles Wesley, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (New York: Dutton,1889).

Illustration research and selection by Linda Campbell Franklin

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Crump, William D., 1949- The Christmas encyclopedia / by William D. Crump.— 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-7864-2293-9 (illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper) @

1. Christmas— Encyclopedias. I. Title. GT4985.C74 2006 394.2663'03 —dc22 2005025349

British Library cataloguing data are available

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com Rudolph's Shiny New Year 338

tainment, and Tundra Productions. DVD: (song); Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer the fate of the lit Goodtimes Home Video. 74 min. (television special); Rudolph, the Red-Nosed other superstitic See also Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. ished the holida: in July; Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer winter solstice fo (song); Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Russia evil lurked in ti (television special); Rudolph's Shiny New In 988, Vladimir I (956-1015), grand prince foretold the wea- Year. of Kiev, also known as Saint Vladimir and year's months, p Vladimir the Great, accepted Orthodox Chris- marry in the ne' Rudolph, the Red-Nosed tianity from the Byzantine Empire and thence assured good hei Reindeer, Shines Again introduced Byzantine culture to Russia. For ing year, and so fi See Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer nearly 1,000 years, the Russian Orthodox Midnight Mass, (character) Church, adhering to the Julian calendar, cele- until dawn, it wa brated Christmas with customs that blended families with frig Rudolph's Second Christmas Orthodoxy with Slavic agrarian customs and dinner. See Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer superstitions. In 1917, however, the Bolshevik Other custoi (character) Revolution in St. Petersburg ended czarist rule traveling about t: and set the stage for the rise of the Communist (Christmas carol Rudolph's Shiny New Year Party and the creation of the Soviet Union. ing the renewal (1976). Made-for-television animated Upon implementing its atheistic political plat- themes, these care sequel to Rudolph, the Red -Nosed Reindeer form, the new regime forbade most religious sage of the Nativ: (1964), using stop-motion puppets (Animagic). practices, closed many (but not all) churches, expected rewards Ashamed of his large ears, Happy, the and replaced the Christmas season with a sec- were not forthco: Baby New Year, has run away from Father ular "Winter Festival." Despite the govern- bestowed curses Time's castle on Christmas Night. Unless ment's adopting the present Gregorian calen- groups, "mumme Happy is found, time will stop on December 31. dar during this period, the Orthodox Church tumes as clowns, Embarking with companions Clockwork Big rejected the change and retained its ecclesias- animals and ente: Ben, a whale; One Million B.c., a caveman; tical days on the Julian calendar as before, places. (The Russ Quarter-Past-Five, a camel; and Sir Ten-To- which meant that Christmas was observed on vides a vivid des( Three, a knight, Rudolph traces Happy to the January 7 on the Gregorian calendar (see ming practices an Island of No Name, home of Aeon, the evil Christmas Old Style, Christmas New Style). passage from his buzzard, who is Happy's captor. With half an With the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991, 1869).) Christmas hour remaining before midnight on December Russia now struggles to regain its Christmas 1800s, and their ( 31, Rudolph and friends foil Aeon and, with heritage and other religious traditions, large candy dolls and Santa's help in the (St.) Nick of time, return portions of which were lost, possibly forever, figures, paper lan Happy to Father Time with a fraction of a sec- during the Communist era. tree topper. ond to spare. Prior to the Revolution, a 39-day fast pre- Russian folk Narrated and sung by Red Skelton. Fea- ceded the 12-day Christmas season and pro- have brought he turing an original musical score by Johnny hibited the consumption of any animal prod- derived from the Marks. Principal voices: Frank Gorshin, Morey ucts. This conditional fast continued into society encompass Amsterdam, Hal Peary, Paul Frees, Billie Christmas Eve with the traditional holiday To prevent this ur Richards, Don Messick, and Iris Rainer. Writ- meal for the immediate family, which com- the crops, it was ct ten by Romeo Muller. Produced and directed menced upon sighting the first star of the to supper" by set - by Arthur Rankin, Jr., and Jules Bass. evening, believed to be the Star of Bethlehem. nineteenth centur Rankin/Bass Productions. DVD: Warner Stu- Then followed 12 meatless courses honoring qualities as urban dios. 47 min. the 12 months of the year and Christ's Twelve end of D'yed Mo. This television special is further detailed Apostles. Typical cuisine included, among Residing in the R in Rick Goldschmidt's book The Enchanted other dishes, borscht (cabbage soup), assorted Frost arrived at C World of Rankin/Bass. fish, kissel (oatmeal with honey), and kutya children in a troi See also Rankin/Bass Christmas Car- (wheat porridge with honey and poppy seeds). horses abreast). Hi: toons; Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas in Some of the kutya would be tossed up to the with hat and Ion July; Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer ceiling, and the amount that stuck predicted resembled the St 339 Russia

the fate of the next harvest. This and a host of Europe, whereas naughty children were threat- osed Reindeer other superstitions, now abandoned, embell- ened with punishment by St. Nicholas's demon the Red-Nosed ished the holidays (they derived from ancient antithesis, Grandfather Frost merely ignored isfit Toys. winter solstice folklore holding that danger and them. evil lurked in the winter darkness). Rituals The second spirit, Baboushka ("Grand- foretold the weather for each of the following mother"), brought gifts on Epiphany Eve. grand prince 15), year's months, predicted whether a girl would According to legend, Baboushka was sweeping Vladimir and A marry in the new year, dispelled evil spirits, her house when the three Magi passed by en )rthodox Chris- assured good health and fortune for the com- route to Bethlehem. When they invited her to wire and thence accompany them, she refused, claiming that to Russia. For ing year, and so forth. Following Christmas Eve e Midnight Mass, which frequently extended her housework precluded a long journey. Later, ssian Orthodox until dawn, it was permissible to serve meat as she repented and, upon collecting a few toys n calendar, cele- families with friends gathered for Christmas for the Christ Child, set out to overtake the ms that blended Magi. Because she found neither them nor the ian customs and dinner. Other customs included groups of people Christ Child, she returned annually on er, the Bolshevik kolyadki Epiphany Eve to examine each sleeping child, coded czarist rule traveling about their villages singing (Christmas carols). Originally commemorat- hoping to find Jesus, then left a small gift If the Communist ing the renewal of the year and other folk behind. In variations of the story, all with the le Soviet Union. themes, these carols later incorporated the mes- same conclusion, Baboushka either deceived stic political plat- the Magi or refused them lodging, or she de most religious sage of the Nativity. The carolers customarily expected rewards of confections, but if these denied asylum to the Holy Family in their flight not all) churches, were not forthcoming, the subsequent carols from King Herod's soldiers. season with a sec- bestowed curses upon the household. Other In 1699, Czar Peter the Great established spite the govern- groups, "mummers," donned outlandish cos- January 1 as New Year's Day in Russia. At the Gregorian calen- czar's command, celebrations included the Orthodox Church tumes as clowns, spirits, and especially as wild animals and entertained at homes and public lighting of bonfires on New Year's Eve. Homes tined its ecclesias- were decked with evergreen garlands, and dendar as before, places. (The Russian author Leo Tolstoy pro- vides a vivid description of Christmas mum- feasting abounded for seven additional days. s was observed on Seeking to eradicate Christmas, the Com- (see ming practices among Russian aristocrats in a ian calendar [1865- munists established a secular Winter Festival stmas New Style). passage from his novel War and Peace 1869].) Christmas trees became popular in the during the last half of December as a period 'iet empire in 1991, devoted to feasting, fantasy, fireworks, and gain its Christmas 1800s, and their decorations included fruits, candy dolls and animals, walnuts, wooden parades. During his rule (1929-1953), dictator is traditions, large Joseph Stalin declared New Year's Day as a t, possibly forever, figures, paper lanterns and chains, and a star tree topper. national family holiday instead of Christmas and replaced the Christmas tree with the New 1, a 39-day fast pre- Russian folklore holds that two spirits have brought holiday gifts. One possibly Year's tree in 1935. Grandfather Frost, now as season and pro- appearing in either blue or red, was retained to f any animal prod- derived from the "Frost," an entity of rural society encompassing all that was bitterly cold. bring gifts on New Year's Eve instead of Christ- st continued into mas Eve, and two more figures were added to traditional holiday To prevent this unseen menace from harming the crops, it was customary to "invite the Frost complement him. One of these, Snegurochka amily, which corn- ("Snow Maiden"), was based on a secular leg- le first star of the to supper" by setting out food for it. In the end about a childless, elderly couple who, Star of Bethlehem. nineteenth century, the Frost took on human desiring a child of their own, fashioned a little courses honoring qualities as urban regions concocted the leg- s girl out of snow. Although she achieved mor- and Christ's Twelve end of D'yed Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"). tality and became their daughter during the e included, among Residing in the Russian forests, Grandfather winter, she melted as spring approached but )age soup), assorted Frost arrived at Christmastime with gifts for returned annually with the winter snows. Snow kutya children in a troika (sleigh pulled by three honey), and Maiden, portrayed as a beautiful young girl and poppy seeds). horses abreast). His long, red, fur-trimmed suit with blond braids, white fur hat, blue robe or be tossed up to the with hat and long, white beard somewhat short fur coat, and knee boots, became Grand- that stuck predicted resembled the St. Nicholas of Europe. In Saint Nicholas 340 father Frost's granddaughter who assisted him gift exchanges, which may occur at Christmas Tradition sta on his rounds. A youth portrayed the other as well as the new year. The Museum of Folk of Patara, a figure, New Year's Boy, who depicted the fresh- and National Arts in Moscow sponsors "The serving as a ness of the new year, and his costume bore the Christmas Gift," an exhibit of traditional toys near Myra, h• numerals of that year. Secular equivalents to and gifts that were commonly found prior to bishop at a r, Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child, groups the Revolution. Typical cuisine is returning to dubbed the "1 comprising Grandfather Frost, Snow Maiden, that of former centuries, such as borscht, blini the rank of a and New Year's Boy made public appearances (small pancakes served with sour cream, have been qu throughout the country, the most notable of caviar, and smoked salmon), fish, baba, kissel, charity and ri which was at the annual New Year's children's and piroshki (turnovers stuffed with meat, fish, the point the festival held at the Palace of Congresses in the chicken, eggs, and vegetables). Thus Sviatki undi Kremlin. Adults imbibed vodka on New Year's (Christmas season) is resurfacing and chang- automatically Eve, champagne on New Year's Day, and ing, as manifested by the appearance of Christ- Nicholas. feasted on suckling pig, karavay (round bread), mas trees, Nativity scenes (novelties to Rus- Traditior and baba (round coffeecake). Few could afford sia), the adoption of Western traditions such as on December such luxuries as caviar, smoked fish, and other Santa Claus decorations and American and St. Nicholas's roast meats. For many older Russians, the hol- English carols (kolyadki only occasionally tially rested a idays extended until January 14, New Year's appear in stage performances), and the increas- Myra, with th. Day on the Julian calendar. ing attendance at Christmas Eve Midnight that church ti Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mass. The latter is a service of many hours that Kiev in Russia although New Year's celebrations have contin- compels the worshippers to stand during its occupation of ued to dominate the holidays, Russians have entirety, with peripheral benches reserved only desecrate Nicl- incorporated the "Catholic Christmas" into the for the aged and infirm. Then follows Krestny southern Ital) season. Thus the holidays begin on December Khod ("Walking with the Cross"), a candlelight Church of St 24 (Gregorian calendar), with Christmas procession that forms outside around the Nicholas's reli, observed on January 7 ( Julian calendar), and church as the congregation bears religious sym- Greek Orthod extend through January 14, New Year's Day bols. where some w( (Julian calendar). Still popular are the chil- "Merry Christmas" is S Rozhdestvom ter church sul dren's festival in the Kremlin and other par- Khristovym. the relics to the ties; Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden; and See also Epiphany; Ukraine. ing, New York St. Nichol and acts of cha places to adopt he supposedly return their st earned the title ing the Middl Nicholas mira, Saint Andrew's Day Saint Lucy's Day three young bo See Advent See Advent had murdered, salting tub. (L Saint Barbara's Day Saint Nicholas depicted him See Advent (?304-?345). Archbishop of Myra in Asia standing beside Minor (now Demre, Turkey) and popularly a tub.) Another Saint John's Day accepted as the personage on whom the myth- voyage to the H See The Twelve Days of Christmas (time ical Santa Claus is based. a violent storm period) With the exception of a few fairly certain when they invol facts, virtually everything written about St. remains came tt

Saint Kitts and Nevis Nicholas is based on legends. He is known to people were cu : See West Indies have lived during the fourth century and was upon his name. present at the Council of Nicea in the year 325. become the pat]