Monday, 22 December 2008
Why do we eat turkey on the big day ?
Hi everyone, talking about quizzes and for a little bit of entertaining on these festive days, does anyone know why the turkey is eaten for Christmas ? When did the Christmas tree become popular ? Why is Christmas celebrated on the 25th of December ? Why are mince pies eaten at Christmas time ? Who is the real Father Christmas ? Any guesses anyone ?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
.jpg)
14 comments:
Hola Maria
I haven't Googled or looked in any books, so these are just my best guesses :
Father Christmas or Santa Claus comes from St Nicholas, though what St Nicholas did I cannot remember.
I seem to remember that the Christians pitched Christmas Day around the time of a pagan solstice festival - Sol Invictus maybe? They were always taking over pagan festivals and suchlike.
Christmas trees I think arrived during Victorian times.
As for the turkey and mince pies, I've no idea, except that the turkey is eaten on Christmas Day because if you leave it much longer, it will go off.
Also, I think turkeys are fairly recent at least as far as the UK is oncerned. It used to be a Christmas goose that was eaten.
Have you ever been "goosed" Maria?no obligation to answer..cough
I think xmas cards originated with the victorians too,as i believe did xmas trees...tho i may well be wrong.Charles Dickens has a lot to answer for.My own personal opinion is that once your children have grown up,the magic of christmas dies . Im not saying ebeneezer scrooge was totally correct in his "bah humbug!" remark, but neither do i believe his sentiment was totally misplaced either lol.....anyone have a nice xmassy poem(s) to contribute.....something that conveys the real meaning of xmas?
Hi Dougie
i couldn't think of a really good poem so here's a song lyric.
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Another-Christmas-Song-lyrics-Jethro-Tull/B81FD4C99964E7B148256A330014C449
Hola everyone,
I know no answers on anything.
Christmas trees, I think became popular in Victorian times .. but have their roots in ancient times with, probably some spiritual meaning. I have an 1860's victorian xmas time copperplate etching and the trees (3 of them) are perfectly plain, they are sitting on a large table with unwrapped gifts displayed. Ladies, gentlemen and children in gorgeous clothes are looking on. It's titled 'Christmas Tree'
I thought the same as Robert that Santa Claus came from St Nicholas .. but maybe that's a trick question, and there is more to it?
Dougie, I don't think Christmas cards was on the question list, but I agree with your answer.
It is xmas eve morning here, I still have lots to do for tomorrow, so .. have a very merry xmas day, and a happy boxing to you all. And not too many quality street chocs, Robert!
Merry xmas maria victoria robert peter..heres a seasonal song/poem for you all.
Twas xmas day in the jailhouse,
The old man sat in his cell,
"put out your pudding for treacle"
He heard the warder yell,
"If you want treacle on your pudding,then put it out without delay"
The old man put out his pudding
-and the warder took it away!
A Merry Christmas to everyone here. And don't worry, Victoria, I don't overindulge with the Quality St - one tin a day, strictly no more.
Wow ! Merry Christmas to everyone !
Well, here are the answers, including the Christmas cards which I hope you will like. Christmas is celebrated on 25th Dec. Nothing to do with Christ. Christmas was pre-dated by two major midwinter pagan festivals, the Roman Saturnalia and the Viking Yule. It is thought they were transformed into Christmas celebrations after the arrival of St. Augustine in England, at the end of the 6th century and the later widespread adoption of Christianity by the British. Pagan customs were adopted in part, to help people accept the new religion and convert willingly. Since the best guess scholars can come up in regards to Jesus is that he was born in the spring. The only reference to Jesus birth is in The Gospel of Saint Luke where it tells us that when the shepherds were told of Christ's birth they were " out in the fields, keeping watch over their their flock by night " which would usually happen at lambing time.
The turkey originally came from Mexico and North America, not Turkey, and was brought to Europe by Spanish adventurers. It arrive in Britain sometime after 1510 but before this, poultry was already and important part of the Christmas menu ( simply because there were plenty of native birds to dine upon ) from pigeons, pheasants to capons, wookcock and swan. Goose was the most popular bird eaten by the smaller households at Christmas times, although in the North, roast-beef used to be the meat of choice. Before WW2, turkey was still somethimg of a luxury. It wasn't until the 20th century, when the growth of industrialised farming came to be that turkey finally became so cheap to produce.
Whether you call him Father Christmas or Santa Claus, the semi-historical, semi-legendary figure who inspired the Christmas gift-giver was Saint Nicholas ! He came from Turkey, not the North Pole or Lapland. Nicholas was the Greek-Orthodox Bishop of Myra in the 4th Century Byzantine Anatolia. His parents both died when he was a young man, living him a considerable fortune. Shunning his wealth and privileged background to join the Church, he made it his mission to give his riches away to those more deserving and in greater need. The modern image of Father Christmas didn't really develop. It was the American author Clement Clarke Moore an Episcopalian minister who wrote " Twas The Night Before Christmas who introduced the team of eight reindeer and had Santa gaining entry to the house down the chimney. Also a German-American caricaturist had his part to play he was Thomas Nast, who first drew this plump, white bearded man in the magazine Harper's Weekly in 1863.
The first true commercial Christmas card didn't go on sale until 1843. It was printed at the behest of Sir Henry Cole, a businessman and philanthropist, who had a key role in introducing the Penny Post in 1840. Thanks to the Penny Post, it was possible to send a letter or card anywhere in Britain. Sir Henry Cole, commissioned John Callcott Horsely to produce the image for the front, which showed a family party, along with vignettes of people carrying out charitable acts for the poor. It also bore the message " Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you ! " It was printed by Jobbins of Warwick Court, Holborn. The black and white card then had to be hand coloured. They sold for a chilling each and Cole managed to sell nearly a thousand. The Christmas Card was an instant hit with the Victorians ! Yeap. You all got that one right. Have a Merry Christmas from Peter and I.
Dougie:
Yes, I was goosed in Italy.
Hi Victoria, Dougie and Robert, did you have a nice time and presents for Christmas ? Here we are still recovering from the late parties, it has been fun, specially this year when we have been in two different towns celebrating away, as we had the chance to meet the people who will be our future neighbours at the 'new' house at one of the parties. The only draw-back was the day before Christmas when the vacuum cleaner decided to die on me. It could not have been a worst time, as I was expecting friends for Christmas the next day. Naturally enough, this shop nearby, had sold off vacuum cleaners, so like if, I had all the time in the world, we had to drive 25 miles to another shop, where we got the new vacuum cleaner, it is not nice, to know that only the next day after Christmas the same vacuum cleaner would be cheaper by fifty pounds. It was one of those Grrr.. moments ! but on the whole, we had a fun time and gone to more parties than we have gone in a life time. In a word tired but happy ! And you ?
It sounds like you have been busy, Maria!
I have had a normal sort of Christmas for me, in a nutshell books, computer, TV and chocolate!
Hi Robert !
It seems like you had a peaceful and pleasant Christmas. Yes, it was a hectic time for me, I did not even have time to send all the Christmas cards I normally send. I meant to, but never got around it. Also telephone calls did not have time to call, as my relatives keep me too long on the phone and with so much to do, only now I can call to wish them a Happy New Year.
Hola Maria
Yes, it can be a very hectic time. And this year I hear the sales are starting immediately, sometimes even before Christmas Day. The thing is, the shops are desperately slashing prices on just about everything - except books!!! I feel like writing to WH Smith and asking, "What happened to the spirit of the recession?"
Robert, you will find that Waterstone has its books at half price. You can even download ebooks at Waterstones.com
Post a Comment