Christams Tales
true and fake Christmas-related legends
There are many legends associated with Christmas. Here are some of them with
some little surprise ...
The stories that have often been told have a root of truth associated with a
great dose of imagination. Other times it comes to things without any real
basis. The stories written here are versions of "traditional"
Christmas legends mixed with versions completely fictitious. Try to understand
what the legend more "real". If you want try to write something,
just
send to Ideas Gift your stories of Christmas ..
maybe one day they become authoritative legends too..
- Santa Claus Legends
- Santa's costume
- Santa Claus coming down the fireplace
- Christmas tree
- Mistletoe legend
- Epiphany's Witch legend
Santa Claus Legends
All versions of the modern Santa Claus come from the same historical personage, the bishop St. Nicholas of Myra, of the city of Myra (ancient city of modern Turkey), of which it is said that it was used to give gifts to the poors. The legend of St. Nicholas is the basis of the great Dutch festival of Sinterklaas (the birthday of the Holy), which, in turn, gave rise to the myth and the name of Santa Claus in its different variations.
In many traditions of the Orthodox Church, Santa Claus is identified with
St. Basil and brings gifts to children on New Year's Day, which celebrates
its feast.
The representations of Santa Claus are also closely related to the Russian
character of Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz), which brings
gifts to children and is dressed in a red jacket, boots with fur and has
a long white beard.
Usually, Santa Claus is depicted as an elderly gentleman, corpulent, jovial and with glasses, dressed in a red dress with white fur inserts, with a long white beard too. On the evening of Christmas Eve, he gets on his sleigh pulled by flying reindeer and goes from house to house to bring gifts to children. To enter the house goes down by the chimney, then emerge in the fireplace. During the rest of the year, deals with the construction of toys with Mrs. Christmas and his helpers elves.
Santa's costume
Earlier, Santa Claus was depicted in costumes of various colors, taking
upon himself the character of Santa Claus, but red soon became predominant
from his first appearance on Christmas cards, in 1885. The images of Santa
Claus were further fixed in collective imagination through its use in
Christmas advertisings of the Coca-Cola company, made by Haddon Sundblom.
The popularity of that image has led to spread urban legends that attributed
to Coca-Cola itself the invention of Santa Claus.
The origins of the red and white costume. We are
in 1885, when the writer of stories for children and illustrator Harold
Wingler was preparing to write what would have been the Christmas nursery
rhyme more widespread in the world. Still did not know that his son would
be famous too, and would have written the funniest joke in the world,
but that's another story. Well, along with the nursery rhyme he wanted
an illustration of Santa Claus to be published, but I drawed hundreds
and he liked none. The nursery rhyme was sweet, cheerful, soft, and
so had to be Santa Claus, reasoned. Then, while looking drawings and
ate a delicious bowl of strawberries with whipped cream, he thought:
Santa Claus should be good as these strawberries. It was so that the
image of Santa Claus became a robust man, round, red coated and
"stuffed" with a generous white padding, like a cream edge.
Santa Claus coming down the fireplace
The story of why Santa Claus brings the presents down the chimney of
the houses dates back to a story about St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) ...
It is said that Nicholas was saddened by the tears and moved by the prayers
of a nobleman that could not marry his three daughters because they fell
into poverty, so he decided to take action by throwing for three consecutive
nights, through a window always open from the old castle, the three
bags of coins that would have been the dowry of the girls. The first and
second night things went as required. However, the third night
St. Nicholas found the window inexplicably closed. However decided to keep
faith with his intention, so the old man with a long white beard climbed
on the roofs and threw the bag of coins through the chimney, where stockings
hung to dry, making happy the nobleman and his three daughters
Christmas tree
While the Magi approached Bethlehem, following the direction of the star that showed them the path, suddenly the sky clouded over and they became aware that they could not go on further. Disoriented, they decided to stop and let the camels rest. This was very wise, because, shortly afterwards, it started to rain copiously, as in the desert happens, suddenly. The gifts that the Magi brought were in risk of damage, but luckily they managed to find shelter under a large palm, that with its long fronds protected Magi, camels and gifts from rain. Since then comes the custom to keep the gifts under the tree, which was transformed from palm to spruce in the tradition, because Santa Claus comes from northern places...
Mistletoe legend
In 1800 they were already many different traditions that spoke of a figure similar to Santa Claus and it was a widespread custom of preparing the crib. Not only that, but the court of princes and kings of the Christian tradition, the crib was a reason for pride, it was a symbol that would represent the splendor, power and faith together. Therefore had to be an art work. In Austria, a year it was announced a competition for the most beautiful crib, to be exhibited at the palace. At the award ceremony for the winner, there was also a marriage of the niece of the emperor. The artist that won the competition had the lucky idea of making, at the entrance of the crib (large, almost life-size) a kiosk covered with mistletoe, under which the newlyweds would took the solemn oath of marriage. And so happened: the spouses kissed each other under the mistletoe, and since then it is said that those who are kissing under the mistletoe will get married soon...
Another version...
Once upon a time, in a village in the mountains, an old merchant . The man lived
alone, had never married and had no more friends.
The old merchant turned and turned in bed without being able to sleep.
Went out of home and saw people going from all directions to the same place.
Some hand was stretched toward him. Some voices said: - Brother, - they shout -
Why don't you come? ..Brother to himself, brother? He had no brothers. He was a
merchant and for him there were noone except customers who buys and who sells.
All his life he had been greedy and avaricious, and didn't matter who were
his customers and what they did. But where were they going? He moved a little
for curiousity. Went together with a group of old and children.
Brother! Oh, sure, it would be also nice to have so many brothers!
But his heart was whispering that he could not be their brother.
How many times had deceived them? Crying poverty to sell more expensive.
And speculation on needs of the poor. And never his hand opened to donate.
No, he could not be the brother of the poor people who had always exploited,
deceived, betrayed. Yet all walked alongside. He arrived with them, ahead of
the Grotto of Bethlehem. Now he saw them go inside and no one was empty-handed,
even the poor had something. And he had nothing, he the rich one.
Arrived to the cave along with others; knelt with the others
- Lord, - exclaimed - I maltreated my brethren. Forgive me.
It started crying. Leaning against a tree, before the grotto, the merchant
continued crying, and his heart changed.
At the first light of dawn those tears shined out as pearls, between two
leaves. The mistletoe was born
Epiphany's Witch legend
One day, the Three Magi set out plenty of gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh) to baby Jesus. Walked through several countries led by a star, and in any place where they went, residents flocked to meet and join them. There was only one old woman who initially wanted to go, but last-minute changed mind, refusing to follow them. The next day, repentant, tried to reach the Three Magi, but they were already too far. For this reason the old woman didn't saw Baby Jesus, neither that time nor ever. Since then, she, on the night between five and six of January, flying on a broomstick with a sack on his back, passes through the houses to bring to good children the gifts that she did not gave to Jesus
