Catholic Christmas

The British were the first to decorate the house.The custom of giving gifts at Christmas was finally established in Britain only in Victorian times (Queen Victoria ruled from 1837-1901). Before that, gifts were exchanged on New Year’s Day or Twelfth Night (Feast of the Epiphany) – in the English-speaking world this ancient tradition is preserved only in Scotland. There, the Hogmanay New Year holiday is still greeted with more enthusiasm than Christmas.

The custom of putting gifts in a stocking or sock is also associated with Victorian England. For him, there is this explanation: “Christmas grandfather” traveled through the air and entered houses through a smokestack. Going down to one of the houses, he dropped several gold coins in a sock, which was hung to dry over the hearth. Since then, on Christmas Eve, socks and stockings have been hung on the fireplace in the hope that something will fall there.

The British were the first to decorate the house and give as a gift hanging plants - such as holly, ivy and mistletoe. This custom is very ancient and existed in pagan times. Plants were supposed to cleanse the house of evil spirits and remind that spring is not far off.

The royals in the middle of the last century adopted the German custom of decorating the Christmas tree: the first tree was installed in Windsor Castle in 1841.