Traditions are something that people have held on to for centuries. There are some holiday traditions that are no more and many people wish would come back.

Then there are those of us who partake in holiday traditions and may have no idea why we do them or where the idea originated from.

Here are some examples of Christmas traditions that we may do each year:

  • Stockings Hanging on the Mantle - Do we have any idea why we hang stockings upon the mantle of our fireplace other than the fact that Santa will put goodies in them?
  • Stocking Tradition - According to one account, on the eve of St. Nicholas Day (Dec.5th), children would leave their shoes out with hay in them for his donkey. When the awoke the next day, they would find gold coins in them.
  • The Christmas Pickle - You've probably never heard of this one before. We're not sure why this one exists, but here it goes. In the 1880s, Germany started selling glass ornaments to Woolworth's in America. Many of those ornaments were shaped like different fruit and vegetables and pickles were among them.
  • Christmas Pickle Tradition - It's been said that the first German child to find and pick the Christmas Pickle off of the Christmas Tree, they received an extra present that year.
  • The Hanging of Mistletoe - This tradition dates back to a time when Druids roamed Europe. They believed that hanging mistletoe would ward off evil spirits and would bring good luck to any household.
  • The Mistletoe Tradition -  According to Norse Mythology, hanging a mistletoe was a sign of friendship and love. Kissing under the mistletoe is accredited to England. It's been said that before a person could be kissed under it, a berry had to be picked first. Once all the berries were picked, there could be no more kissing.
  • Mistletoe Meaning - This is really weird. The name comes from two Anglo-Saxon words - 'Mistel' meaning 'dung' and 'tan' which means stick or twig. So, the word mistletoe literally means, "poop on a stick.'

What are some Christmas traditions that you and your family used to do that you would like to see come back? If you bring them back, then they'll not be gone forever.

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