Christmas and its treasures
This week, the 26 Treasures team met to discuss the future of the project. It was a very positive meeting. And it seems the project has a very positive future. So let’s celebrate with a blog post from our guest writer, the bestselling Scottish author Sara Sheridan. With Christmas only a few weeks away, Sara reflects on this winter celebration, and looks at the history of some of the treasures that bring it to life.
Some of what we in Britain consider our Christmas traditions, and certainly many of the objects (including food items) that we associate with Christmas, have their origins at the cusp of the Georgian and Victorian eras.
It was then in our history that the British Empire began to generate sufficient additional income for the middle classes that luxuries such as turkey dinners (previously an upper class meat) could become more widespread. Though decorating the house with boughs and wreaths was common from far earlier, decorated trees (although they were an established German tradition) appeared in British drawing rooms at this time, starting with the royal household (Princess Victoria at 13 mentions one in her diary).
In this period there was also a profusion of entrepreneurial bright sparks who came up with marketable ideas, such as Christmas cards (the bright spark in question: Sir Henry Cole, who had been instrumental in setting up the Penny Post) and Christmas crackers (Tom Smith, a London confectioner).
However, a significant portion of our Yuletide traditions emanate from much earlier in our history.
It is thought that Christmas candles originated as a symbol of the light-to-come at the Roman Saturnalia festival (which also took place around midwinter and was a festival of good cheer). Mistletoe was an important winter symbol to early druids (though kissing under the mistletoe is first mentioned in manuscripts of the 1600s). Whereas mince pies have their origins in medieval times and originally had a pastry ‘Jesus’ on top of the crust and were stuffed with a meat filling augmented by the spiced and marinated fruits that we enjoy today.
The midwinter festival, whichever icons or symbols you choose to celebrate it with, is a time that looks forward to spring and, also, a time of celebrating where we are. With new year’s resolutions a mere week away, Christmas represents a last chance to kick up your heels before taking stock, peering ahead and deciding on a strategy for the coming year.
What I find heartening however is that it is evident that our Christmas traditions are constantly evolving. Rather than simply accept these customs as read, I find it inspiring to actively choose which traditions to celebrate and also come up with new ideas for traditions of my own.
The Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day, for example, has spawned a tradition in my family that revolves around a sweepstake to guess which colour Her Majesty will choose for her Christmas outfit (uniting on the subject of our monarchy both the staunchly Republican and Monarchist sides of the family for at least this one time a year).
It is also inspiring that in our much more integrated, multicultural society we can swap and adapt Christmas traditions alongside other celebrations. My mother’s side of the family is Jewish and decorate a Channukah bush, for example (after much lobbying from we now grownup kids).
The traditional Christmas dinner (which evolved at a time when there were half a dozen servants to prepare and serve it) seems a crazy choice for overstretched hosts (particularly for a large table). We rely instead on the Moroccan heritage of one of my cousins and serve steaming tagines of what are probably more akin to medieval feasting fare (and much easier to prepare and serve on the day). Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Atheist members of my family celebrate together (and all send cards and presents).
As I write this, however, the most Christmassy symbol of all is in full flow and Britain is in the grip of unseasonably snowy weather. This is the one Christmas tradition that is out of our hands (though I understand that it is not uncommon for what seem somewhat overindulged southern Americans to hire snow machines to create the traditional Christmas scene).
However we celebrate this midwinter, and whatever our individual beliefs, it is often the symbols that bind us together. Atheists can enjoy a carol service (Richard Dawkins has been known to proclaim his pleasure at a good carol) while those of staunch religious belief join in the traditions that originate in our shared heritage from well before the Christian era.
That is, in my view, the true joy of Christmas.
- Sara
