There are a lot of traditions that we have acquired. Here are just a few and why.
Holly and Ivy were place in windows as protection against witches. It was believed the heart-shaped leaves of the ivy symbolized the holy spot where God set foot on the earth. Eventually the holly wreath with it thorns and red berries came to symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus.
Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids. They believed mistletoe had healing powers. Christians interpreted these healing powers to Christ. Mistletoe was placed on altars of early churches. This custom is still observed in some churches in the British Isles.
Mince Pie became one of the chief delicacies at the Christmas feast. It symbolized the gifts of the Wise Men and was supposed to be made of the choicest things from the East. At one time the pie was made in an oblong shape to represent the manger in which Christ was born.
Plum Pudding was and is, still and important part of the English Christmas. The story goes that century's ago an English king and his party of hunters were lost in the woods on Christmas Eve. The ingenious cook, faced with the scanty provisions for a Christmas Eve dinner, put everything together in the cooking pot and thus made the first plum pudding. It is said that the ingredients which he used formed the basis for the recipe of the plum pudding as we know it today.
Today in parts of England the Mummers enact the same traditional plays at Christmas time which have been presented for several hundred years. The name Mummers comes from mask - most of the players wear masks. In different localities the subject matter of these plays varies, but one of the most popular plots is based on the legend of St. George and the Dragon (how Christmassy is that!) These plays have been passed down for hundreds of years, so much of the language is difficult to follow.
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