by David Dewitt

Created on: December 12, 2008

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. There seems to be a mixture of excitement and anticipation in the air that just seems to thrill the soul. Christmas would be nothing without its many traditions and customs that we celebrate year after year. There are so many celebrations that we hold on a yearly basis that are near and dear to our hearts but are these traditions American? We need to preserve our Christmas traditions and customs but there is one major issue here, how many of our traditions and customs are American?

The majority of Christmas customs that we celebrate originated in other countries. Let me give you a few examples of what I mean. If you send Christmas cards, you need to thank a British gentleman, Sir Henry Cole, for sponsoring and sending the first Christmas Card. If you enjoy those candy canes, they originated in small town in Germany. If you put up a Christmas Tree, you are keeping a tradition that started over two hundred years ago in Germany. My point is that we seem to celebrate customs that started across the globe.

Much of American culture and social customs developed from customs taken from other countries. At times, there seems to be little that is genuinely American when it comes to Christmas. There are Christmas traditions that we celebrate that are completely American. Customs that have originate here in the United States.

American Christmas Traditions

While the rest of the world can claim a large number of Christmas traditions, the United States has several memorable ones as well. I want to focus on just a few of them. One of the many traditions that started here in the United States is the Christmas Movie craze. Many of our favorite movies at Christmas take place here in the United States. Here are a few examples: It's A Wonderful Life, A Miracle on 34th Street, and White Christmas. Each year one of the traditions my family celebrates is to watch as many of the various Christmas movies that we can.

Another American tradition started back in the 1840's with the writing of a short story about Santa Claus called A Visit from Saint Nicholas. Today, the story has crossed the globe. The title may not be familiar to you. We are more familiar with the story under a different title: The Night Before Christmas.

The American Tradition of the Giving Tree is relatively new. Christmas trees are decorated with colorful tags bearing items that will secretly be given to needy families at Christmas. This American tradition will give you an added blessing during the Christmas season. Christmas is not a season for getting but instead is a season for giving.

The best known of the American Christmas Traditions surrounds the television. The United States originated such Christmas television shows like Frosty the Snowman, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. These wonderful Christmas programs have been a tradition for the young and the young at heart. Christmas would not be the same without the familiar sight of the Grinch raiding Whoville and watching Frosty come to life.

Whatever your favorite tradition, keep it alive for your family. More than ever before we must preserve those things we cherish most about Christmas. When we cease to cherish Christmas, we will cease to celebrate.

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