Sarah McCarthy
Instructors Name
Comm. 100, Course#
April 4, 2018
CULTURAL ARTIFACT PAPER – THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING
The world’s largest Christmas stocking in the Guinness Book of Records measures 177 feet tall, 72 feet wide and weighs 820 pounds! (Cooke, 2017)
The Christmas stocking symbolizes Christmas, which is traditionally a Christian holiday, but also impacts many cultures and is celebrated by people all around the world. In this paper I will be discussing the history, traditions and different uses of the Christmas stocking.
A Christmas stocking is much more than an empty sock hung on a mantel on Christmas Eve; it is an important symbol of beloved family traditions, religious sentiment and goodwill.
To get a better understanding, I
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First the stocking symbolises Christmas which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The Christmas holiday is symbolic to Christian culture.
As we discussed earlier, the stocking is mentioned in the famous poem Twas the Night Before Christmas, but the Christmas tree is not. This indicates that during the 1800’s the stocking was more symbolic of the Christmas holiday than the Christmas tree. (Carter, 2016)
Although Christmas is a religious holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, It is also celebrated culturally by non-Christians and billions of people around the world. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations. (Wikipedia, 2018)
According to a 2017 pew research center survey, 90% of all Americans and 95% of Christians celebrate Christmas. The study indicates that in recent years the role of religion in Christmas is declining. 46% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas religiously, which is down from 50% from 2013. (Lipka, 2017)
The second thing that the stocking symbolizes is charity and giving.
The gift of gold coins put in the stockings in the story of St. Nicholas represents helping others in need and giving without expectation of receiving in return. (Fagan,
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The gift giving in the stockings is an important part of the Christmas experience and represents a spirt of generosity, goodwill and giving. (King, 2017) These beliefs are also embodied within the Christian culture.
Now that I’ve portrayed the stockings symbolism, let’s learn about some of the current ways to use them. Although in the past stockings were used for gold coins, or citrus fruits such as oranges, the modern day traditions are somewhat different.
Stockings are usually created in the shape of an oversized sock. Many families practice the tradition of personalizing their stockings with names, favorite hobbies and/or interests of the individual. Stockings can be handmade or store-bought. They come in many colors, themes, materials and fabrics. The options are endless when it comes to personalizing your own stocking. (Witham, 2017)
In the present day stockings are hung by the chimney to be filled by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. They are traditionally filled with small gifts known as stocking stuffers. The Merry Stockings online website states on July 24, 2017 “The most commons items used for stocking stuffers today are candy, jewelry, fruit, gift cards, small toys, games, books and bath and beauty
Although, everyone knows on Christmas there are presents, that’s not what this holiday is all about. December 25 isn’t just Christmas, it is also the day believed to be the birth date of Jesus Christ. Christmas isn’t just about getting presents, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the reason for the season.
Christmas like Thanksgiving believe it or not, do happen to share many traits. One major factor that the two own is the warmth and love of bringing family and close friends together. It’s the few times a year that everyone has a reason to all gather around to
There are similarities and differences between Christmas in America and Christmas in Italy. The Christmas holiday originated with the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, a day around the shortest day of the year. Therefore, the main reason we celebrate the holiday is to celebrate Christ's birthday. Another reason for celebrating Christmas includes the changing of the seasons and the days that will become short before becoming long again. The shortest day, not necessarily falling on Christmas, is Winter Solstice which happens also to be a Pagan, agricultural holiday to mark the changes is the seasons. Most simply, we celebrate Christmas across the world as inspiration to imitate ethical behaviors of Christ who unconditionally loved all men and women regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
There is no doubt that Christmas is a religious event but nowadays Christmas becomes more commercialized, as it has been defined as a high consumption season because the gifts giving culture becomes the most important part of Christmas and the consumers want to please their children
The giving of a gift that was used to purchase another is a generous symbol of what Christmas represents and was strongly displayed here.
As we approach the holiday season, we occasionally lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas while on getting a steal on our favorite pair of boots. Christmas is a time for honoring Jesus and giving. For my community service activity, I helped my grandmother decorate her house for Christmas on December 20th.
Christmas, the most joyous season of the year for many Christians. Yet, in the early Victorian era many industry and business leaders started to emerge as people who lacked the spirit of giving of kindness, particularly around Christmas. Charles Dickens, in eighteen forty-three penned a novel that to this day is one of the most beloved books of the Christmas season. Many view the book only as a seasonal novel to read as a young child or even an adult. However, the words of Dickens can be understood at any point during the year. Throughout A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens carefully establishes a critique of the newly developed English capitalist society through the visitation of three
To begin, the history of Christmas is peculiar and filled with factors that make it well-known all throughout the world. It’s history goes all the way back to 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Jesus was born in Bethlehem from a virgin whose name was Mary. In a stable, where shepherds visited, along with everyone who heard, a miracle happened and the holiday came to be. As time continued, Christians have been swept away from the celebration’s natural meaning, background, and origins.
Christmas is an international holiday that is beloved by many. I, however, see Christmas for what it really is. It isn’t some festive love fest that celebrates the birth of Jesus; Christmas is an allusion. Christmas has pulled the wool over the eyes of many by presenting the temptation of gifts, therefore making them oblivious to the true meaning behind the holiday. Christmas has betrayed its lineage, it has lost sight of its purpose, and it is denouncing the powerful meanings and messages for future generations to come. This holiday has been around for centuries and over the years it has become a façade and has found a way to hide what it truly stands for.
Christmas As times changed in the 1800s’ of England, Christmas provided as an anchor to bring familiarity and joy into the lives of people. Christmas had become a festival based off of family and friendship, with charity towards others. Though deceiving, religion was not actually the strongest element of the holiday. Christmas began to develope this way, because of the Victorians stage, and the Medieval periods.
You bear in mind Christmas early morning as a kid. Initially, you felt the adventure of getting up, going to the tree, and seeing boxes of all sizes and shapes planned for you and just you. Then came the burst of enjoyment and flood of joy as you swindled bows and wrappings to discover the precise products you had actually been wishing for all year. A extraordinary and really enchanting experience for everybody!
Gelt, which today refers to both money and chocolate coins given during Hanukkah, is used to underline the importance of not counting money by the Menorah, as well as a reward for Torah study. While food’s role in Hanukkah is to teach specific lessons, food at Christmas is a far more general affair. To that end, there is no true equivalent to latke or sufganiyot in Christianity. However, food is still as integral a part of Christmas as it is to Hanukkah, if not more so.
The holidays have sprung upon us. There is a chill in the air. In some places, the ground covered with snow. It is a time where stores are filled with candy canes, Christmas trees, and chocolate Santas. When you look at storefronts there may be snowflakes in the windows, or Christmas trees in your local malls. Christmas, it seems so magical to most, it’s the holiday most know. However, there are some who celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanza, or they just belong to a different culture and their holidays are filled with their own traditions. For some, December is not marked by going to a tree filled the parking lot, inhaling that pleasant smell of pine, while searching for the perfect tree. Instead, their December starts with a tradition not as widely
Christmas is all about giving, friends and family gathering, feasting together, with beautiful music, decorations and singing Christmas carols throughout the neighborhood. It is a time of ornaments, red and green decoration, silver bells, holly, mistletoe and colorful lights. They say that it is the season to be jolly, but how did Christmas become such a jolly and most wonderful holiday? Understanding the religious and cultural aspects of the Medieval Christmas, such as the origin of Christmas and the traditional celebrations of Christmas, can help us to understand and celebrate today’s Christmas more meaningfully.
First, Christmas is celebrated in the U.S on December 25th. On December 25th, families in the U.S exchange gifts. Some families put a lot of gifts under the Christmas tree for their family members. Families go to church and have a family feast. Most Americans believe that Jesus was born on the 25th of December, and that’s why most Americans