Free The Everything Family Christmas Book by Yvonne Jeffrey

dreams. The plant was a popular Saturnalia gift among the Romans, who later brought holly to England, where it was also considered sacred.

In medieval times, holly, along with ivy, became the subject of many Christmas songs. Some of these songs gave the holly and ivy genders (holly is male, ivy female), while other, more religious, songs and poems portray the holly berry as a symbol of Christ.
Eternal Ivy
In pagan times, ivy was closely associated with Bacchus, the god of wine, and played a big part in all festivals in which he figured. English tavern keepers eventually adopted ivy as a symbol and featured it on their signs. Its festive past has not kept ivy from being incorporated into modern Christian celebrations, however: It represents the promise of eternal life.

Mistletoe
To this day, mistletoe—a parasitic plant that grows on oak and other nonevergreen trees—is the only form of greenery not allowed inside many Christian churches during the holiday season. That’s because although other greenery was also used in pagan festivals, mistletoe was actually worshiped.
Both Druids and Romans considered the plant sacred, as a healing plant and a charm against evil. Mistletoe was thought to be the connection between earth and the heavens, because it grew without roots, as if by magic. It was also considered a symbol of peace; warring soldiers who found themselves under mistletoe quickly put down their weapons and made a temporary truce. In a related custom, ancient Britons hung mistletoe in their doorways to keep evil away. Those who entered the house safely were given a welcome kiss.

While the custom of kissing under the mistletoe lost popularity in most other countries, it remained popular in England and the United States. Today, most consider mistletoe an excuse for kissing and nothing more, but some people in France still brew it as a cure for stomachaches.
The Kissing Bough
The kissing bough was very popular, particularly in England, before the heyday of the Christmas tree. Though its name might suggest otherwise, it wasn’t made just out of mistletoe, but included holly, ivy, and other evergreens. Shaped in a double hoop with streamers flowing from the top, the kissing bough was decorated with apples, pears, ribbon, and lighted candles. As with plain mistletoe, anyone found under the bough was to be kissed right away!
Sending Christmas Wishes
Although the electronic age is beginning to replace the signing, addressing, and sending of paper Christmas cards, many people hold onto this custom with fervor. They’ll carefully choose a design that represents their favorite interpretation of the holiday, and add greetings for the friends and family that will receive it as a welcome connection to loved ones both near and far.
Christmas Cards
The distinction of having created the first Christmas card is usually given to John Calcott Horsley of England. Horsley printed his card in 1843 for Sir Henry Cole, the friend who had given him the idea. The card looked much like a postcard and consisted of three panels. The central panel pictured the typical English family of the day enjoying the holiday (this panel caused some controversy, as it showed a child drinking wine). The other panels depicted acts of charity, so important to the Victorian Christmas spirit. The card’s inscription read “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” A thousand copies of the card were printed, selling for one shilling apiece.
But around the same time, two other men, W. A. Dobson and Reverend Edward Bradley, were designing cards and sending them to their friends. These cards, however, were handmade instead of printed, which is why the credit generally goes to Horsley.
Christmas cards, which tended not to be particularly religious, soon became the popular means of sending holiday greetings among the Victorians. The launch of the penny post in 1840 made it affordable for people to send greetings by mail, and the invention of the steam press