My fondest memory of celebrating Christmas as a boy is midnight Mass. The church smelled of fresh pine, melted wax and incense. The highlight began when the priest intoned Gloria in excelsis Deo — then stopped! That was the signal for the altar servers, candles lit, to line up before the altar. Under a purificator, a statue of the Baby Jesus rested, waiting to be born.
Instead of responding with the rest of the Gloria, the choir broke out in the Italian Christmas carol, Tu Scendi dalle Stelle or “You Came Down from the Stars.” The celebrant uncovered and carried the infant in procession down the main aisle to the crèche waiting in the back of the church.
Granted, this was a liturgical no-no, but it gave my Italian American parish a chance to express our love of Jesus in our native tongue. As Baby Jesus passed by, row after row of parishioners genuflected. Once the priest placed the Infant in the manger, the choir continued the rest of the Gloria.
Each culture, each generation and even each individual likes to express the joy of Christ’s birth in ways that are meaningful to them. Some years ago, Monsignor Robert Ritchie, then rector of New York City’s famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral, placed a life-size replica of his beloved Labrador retriever in the nativity scene right next to the Virgin Mary. The news drew larger crowds than usual, especially of children who appreciated seeing “man’s best friend” loyally watching over humankind’s savior.
This got me to thinking about how not just the crèche but our observance of Christmas itself has changed over the centuries. Neither mistletoe nor poinsettias were present at the first Christmas, yet both have become associated with the season.
The day and month of Jesus’ birth are not mentioned in the Bible. In the fourth century, Pope Julius I declared December 25 the date to celebrate the Lord’s birth. Close to the winter solstice, it marked the darkest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere — and the return of sunlight.
Thanks to the Roman Catholic celebration of “Christ’s Mass,” Christmas spread around the world, picking up local customs along the way.
After nativity scenes, nothing says Christmas more than a decorated Christmas tree. According to legend, Germans took up cultivating evergreens after St. Boniface chopped down a “sacred” oak tree and replaced it with a fir tree. Martin Luther is said to have been the first to decorate an evergreen with candles. This practice evolved into the stringing of lights on Christmas trees.
In Mexico and other parts of the Spanish-speaking world, people celebrate Las Posadas, a novena of going house to house for music, prayer, food and piñatas for the nine days before Christmas. This tradition symbolizes Mary and Joseph’s search for room, seeking hospitality.
Gift giving originated with Eastern Orthodox Christians, who exchange presents to commemorate the visit of the Magi. On Epiphany, these traveling astrologers presented the Christ Child with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We modern Magi now give gifts to one another.
Of course, not all people can afford the luxury of gifts. In the Orbis book The Gospel in Solentiname by Ernesto Cardenal, the poor children of the Solentiname Islands in Nicaragua describe Christmas as the time “when rich people give each other gifts.”
These days we see secular society focusing on the commercial side of Christmas; even in non-Christian countries, department stores are decorated with stars, trees and wreaths. Some well-meaning Christians add a kneeling Santa before the Christ Child.
Recently I learned of Korean teenagers in New York City who have found a meaningful way to observe the spirit of the season: they buy gifts for babies (blankets, pacifiers, toys) and then present them to random mothers with infants on the street.
What about you? What customs or traditions, new or old, do you follow? How does your family or community celebrate the miracle of God coming to Earth as a baby?
Featured image: For nine days leading up to Christmas, during Las Posadas, figures of Mary and Joseph seeking hospitality are taken in procession to homes. (Diego Lozano via Unsplash/Mexico)
