Merry Christmas from GiftWorksPlus!

This December, GiftWorksPlus is looking at the history and traditions of various popular winter holidays. One of the most well-known and popular winter holidays is Christmas! While it’s one of the most recognized holidays in America, some of the origins and traditions of Christmas may be a surprise. As most people know, Christmas is based around the Christian tradition of celebrating Christ’s birth and many Christmas carols, imagery of mangers, angels, and wise men reflect that history. However, the tradition of celebrating Jesus’ birth wasn’t recognized until around the 4^th century. Before that, there were several winter festivals that were celebrated around the winter solstice and over time, many aspects of those festivals began appearing in Christmas celebrations. Celebrating the winter solstice took several forms in different cultures. In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule, an event to celebrate the longer days returning. During the celebrations, they would burn Yule logs and feast until the log burned out, which could last up to 12 days. In Rome, the solstice was highlighted by a celebration called Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture. In the 4^th century, Pope Julius I chose December 25^th as the day the church would celebrate and recognize Christ’s birthday, though his real birth date is not mentioned in the Bible. It’s thought that this date was chosen as a way to absorb the other traditions and celebrations of Saturnalia. Most Christmas celebrations today are much more calm, peaceful, and family-centered than the solstice celebrations from centuries past. And, Christmas has become a common time for gift-giving. This Christmas, think about giving your family, friends, and coworkers a unique, personalized gift suited to their hobbies, travels, or interests. GiftWorksPlus has hundreds of engraved picture frames for everyone on your Christmas list. Whether it’s a pet picture frame, vacation picture frame, or a Christmas picture frame, you can find special picture frames for everyone. A Christmas picture frame would also be the perfect personal addition to your Christmas decorating. So be sure to check out all of the options at GiftWorksPlus and enjoy this holiday season!