Awesome Advent: Day 25

Awesome Advent Day 25: Christmas Conclusion

Through the past 25 days, with the help of HH, we’ve taken you through both some festive things people have done throughout time and some horrible happenings going on before Christmas. For many Christmas is the time of giving, just as the Kings of medieval Scotland would do on Daft Day. People have also bought some strange new traditions-Christmas Trees, wassailing and some festive food.

Not everyone has been so jolly-some people have been Christmas Scrooge’s. Oliver Cromwell banned it (luckily Charles II restored the monarchy and Christmas!), Queen Elizabeth wasn’t too thrilled about her Christmas presents and some early Emperors and Priests killed men who soon became Saints.

Coming up to the New Year, Christmas has been a time of new beginnings, not necessarily forgiveness though! The Glorious Revolution kicked out James II and welcomed Mary II and William III, which pleased most of the country; the French Revolution got rid of the French monarchy when their King pushed his luck. Going back to the Middle Ages the throne saw Stephen become King, and most famously in 1066 William the Conqueror was crowned starting the tradition of doing so at Westminster Abbey. Also, Columbus set ahead for new expeditions, the Stuarts saw the first woman on stage and Charlemagne came to power, eventually to complete a conquest of the Saxons of North Germany.

And so, throughout time people have celebrated Christmas in many different ways. Whether you believe it was the birth of Jesus, or whether Christians stole the Winter Solis celebrations off from the Pagans and claimed it as Christmas, it’s a time where we all gather together and celebrate life. The Germans and Brits held a truce in WWI and played football, Victorian prison masters gave prisoners a Christmas meal and overall we have all exchanged Christmas traditions from around the world and globally celebrate a day of love and peace.

Merry Christmas folks!