Christmas Traditions Mistletoe Vocabulary Ancient Something that is thousands of years old. Healing powers If something has healing powers it can make people become healthy again after getting sick. It was believed that the mistletoe could heal people. Fertile If you are fertile, you are able to have a baby. If the land if fertile, it is healthy and food can grow. Party goers These are people that go to parties. Tradition This is something that is part of culture and has been done for a long time. An example is giving each other gifts at Christmas. In ancient Britain, mistletoe was believed to have healing powers that could make people feel healthy again. In fact, the name for mistletoe in the Celtic languages is ‘all heal People’. Furthermore, it was also believed to make people and animals fertile, protect the house from ghosts and bring good luck. In eighteenth century England mistletoe was not used to heal people, instead, it was used to bring people together. During Christmas parties they had a kissing ball with mistletoe at the bottom, and hung it on the ceiling. The party goers would play kissing games underneath it. A kiss under the mistletoe could either mean romance or friendship. The traditions above have led to the kissing tradition that we see today all over the world. You will see them in offices, shops, homes, in fact, everywhere you go. Some people will even try to put mistletoe near the person that they want to kiss. If two people walk underneath at the same time they must kiss! If they don’t they will get bad luck. Even if it’s two men or two women. So keep your head up, and be careful not to walk under the mistletoe. However, if two people meet under the mistletoe and want more than one kiss, there is a limit to how much you can kiss under one mistletoe. For each kiss a berry must be removed and once all the berries are gone - no more kissing! So, I suggest choosing a mistletoe that has many, many berries! This is a fun tradition that is loved by everyone! Well, almost everyone. Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] Mistletoe - A flower The Kissing Ball People kissing under the This one has 6 berries. mistletoe The Christmas Tree Integral part of A very important part of something. Decorate If you decorate something, you add things to make it more beautiful. Popular If someone or something is popular, they or it are liked by many people. Nowadays This means ‘today’. Christmas trees are an integral part of Christmas around the world and you will see them in places such as homes, shopping malls and offices. But, where did the tradition come from? The tradition comes from Germany, where it is believed that a man named Martin Luther was the first person to decorate a tree with candles and bring it indoors to show his children what stars looked like at night. The idea grew and didn't become popular in Britain until the nineteenth century when Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert who was from Germany, introduced the idea to England. Nowadays, Christmas trees are decorated with lights, tinsel, baubles, chocolate figures, coins, and an angel on the top. They are beautiful at night and make Christmas even more special. The whole family usually gets together and decorates the tree, which helps in bringing together the family during Christmas. Furthermore, gifts are usually placed under the tree, waiting to be opened on Christmas Day. Chocolate figures Chocolate coins Put an angel on the top Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] Christmas tree lights Tinsel Baubles Christmas Carols Originates from This is where something or someone came from or started from. Charity An organisation that helps people in need such as poor people. Come rain or shine This means ‘No matter what.’ To put it simply, it means 100% [percent] yes. Singing their hearts out To sing as best you can and don’t worry about what people think. Christmas spirit This is the warm, friendly feeling that people have for each other during Christmas. It is a happy time of year where people give gifts and help each other. Let your hair down To relax and have fun. Christmas carols [Christmas songs] are sung everywhere during Christmas, but where the does the idea come from? The idea originates from medieval England, a time in England from the 5th to 15th centuries, when people known as minstrels travelled from place to place to tell stories by singing. Today, they would be called Carollers. In addition, poor people in England would go wassailing, a tradition during Christmas where they would bring their cups to the doors of rich people and sing for a hot drink. The drink was called ‘Lambswool’, a traditional drink at the time. The rich people would happily give anyone who sang a drink. Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] Today, Carollers don’t go from door to door, they usually stand in shopping malls or on the street and sing to collect money for charity. Come rain or shine, they are there singing their hearts out to try and raise money for the poor people. To listen to them sing while doing the Christmas shopping can make you feel the Christmas spirit. My suggestion is, if you see them why not join in, let your hair down, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas. Yule log Scandinavia Spark s from the fire Yule log on the fire An area in northwest Each spark from the fire It was thought to bring good Europe which includes meant a new pig or calf [Baby luck into the house. countries such as Norway cow] will be born in the New and Sweden. Year. Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] Vocabulary Winter Solstice This happens around the 21st or 22nd of December and shows the beginning of winter. It is the shortest day of sunlight in the year. Tradition This is something that is part of culture and has been done for a long time. An example is giving each other gifts at Christmas. Nordic people These are people that come from Scandinavia. Nordic tradition These are traditions that the Nordic people created / started. Scrumptious This means that something is very delicious. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavian countries such as Denmark and Sweden, and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. The idea of burning the Yule Log goes back to medieval times, a time in England between the 5th and 15th centuries, and began as a Nordic tradition. The Yule Log was carefully chosen and brought into the house, and the log would be burnt during the Twelve Days of Christmas, a time from the 25th December to the 6th January. Every spark that came from the fire was believed to be a new animal that was going to be born in the New Year. It was also believed to bring luck to the whole family. Nowadays in France, it is tradition for the whole family to help cut the log down and burn a little piece of log each night. Also in France, wine is poured over the Yule log before it is burnt, so that it smells nice when it is lit. In Cornwall, in the UK, the log is called 'The Mock', and in the midlands, it is called Yule Block. Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] However, it is believed to be unlucky to light the yule log again after it has been lit, so don’t let it go out until it has all burnt away. Furthermore, during Christmas, families often sit around the Yule log, tell stories, sing Christmas carols, watch TV and have a traditional Christmas drink together. The idea of the Yule log has led to the Chocolate Yule Log [see above], a traditional dessert during Christmas. If you try it, be careful, because it is very, very sweet and very delicious. Scrumptious! Let the journey of discovery begin Creator: Patrick Simon McMahon Contact: [email protected] .