Have You Ever Wondered...
- Why are red and green traditional Christmas colors?
- What was Saturnalia?
- What were Miracle Plays?
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Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by mia. mia Wonders, “Why are the Christmas colours red and green?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, mia!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Wonderopolis! What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? For some, it's brightly-wrapped presents sitting under the Christmas tree. Others think of special time spent with friends and family members celebrating the birth of Jesus. Others might envision Santa sliding down the chimney, where stockings are hung with care.
If you were to put your mental images of Christmas onto paper in the form of a drawing, chances are there are two crayons you'd use more than any others: red and green. For hundreds of years, red and green have been the traditional colors of Christmas. But why is that?
Although Christmas trees are green and Santa's suit and Rudolph's nose are red, these modern holiday decorations and characters weren't the inspiration for the colors we associate with Christmas. To find their root, we have to go much farther back in time.
Although no one knows for certain how and why red and green became so closely associated with Christmas, there are a few popular theories. Many Christians believe red and green were inspired by the life of Jesus, whose birth Christians celebrate on Christmas. Green, for example, represents the eternal life of Jesus Christ, just as evergreen trees remain green the whole winter long. Likewise, red represents the blood shed by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion.
Some scholars date the tradition of red and green at Christmas back to the 1300s, when churches would present Miracle Plays, religious plays that were meant to educate a largely-illiterate public who could not read the Bible.
One popular Miracle Play performed on Christmas Eve was called The Paradise Play. It told the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Those familiar with the story know that God instructed Adam and Eve not to eat fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil. They did so anyway and were banished from paradise.
Since apple trees were barren in winter, churches would instead bring in pine trees and fasten apples to their branches to represent the Tree of Good and Evil. Over time, people began to duplicate this practice in their own homes, developing the tradition of the Christmas tree and using red and green as Christmas colors.
Many historians believe the practice of using red and green goes even farther back in history. They point to the ancient Roman celebration of Saturnalia, which honored the god Saturn and occurred each year between December 17 and December 23. During the celebration, Romans would decorate their homes with holly and place small figurines called sigillaria on the boughs of evergreen trees. Over time, the evergreen leaves and red berries came to symbolize the festive and merry season.
Wonder What's Next?
Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is red, white, and sweet. Cane you guess what it is?
Try It Out
We hope you had a colorful Christmas! Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member:
- Want to decorate outside the box this year and go beyond red and green? Check out 15 Spectacular Christmas Palettes Beyond Red and Green online for some fantastic, non-traditional color schemes. Which ones do you like the best? Share your favorites with a friend or family member and decorate different this year!
- If red and green are associated with Christmas, what colors come to mind when you think of other holidays? How about Halloween? Or Thanksgiving? Does Easter bring certain colors to mind? Discuss other holidays and their color schemes with a friend or family member. Why do you think certain colors are associated with other holidays?
- Up for a challenge? Make up your own holiday! It can be a celebration of anything you want it to be. Choose a date, figure out what and why you're celebrating, and then choose some colors to go along with your new holiday. How will you decide which colors to associate with your new celebration? What factors will you consider? Share your new holiday idea with friends and family members and get them to celebrate with you!
Wonder Sources
- http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/colors-of-christmas.shtml
- http://www.colorcombos.com/the-importance-of-christmas-colors-article.html
- http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2013/12/09/main_line_times/opinion/doc52a1ef749b269540114458.txt?viewmode=fullstory
- https://suite.io/nicole-skutelnik/12f72k3
- http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/547268/Top-10-facts-about-Saturnalia
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Wonder Contributors
We’d like to thank:
abby, Anastasia, centora and Jason from IN
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!
Keep WONDERing with us!
Wonder Words
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- nose
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- chimney
- practice
- bough
- evergreen
- illiterate
- paradise
- envision
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- duplicate
- symbolize
- crucifixion
- decorate
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Not Quite!
As an enthusiast deeply versed in the historical and cultural dimensions of Christmas traditions, let's delve into the intriguing origins of the red and green colors associated with this festive season. The question posed by Mia regarding the choice of Christmas colors opens a gateway to a rich tapestry of historical events, religious symbolism, and cultural practices.
To establish credibility, it's crucial to highlight the evidence and historical context surrounding the red and green colors of Christmas. The article hints at several key concepts that contribute to the association of these colors with the holiday season. Here are the main concepts discussed:
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Religious Symbolism:
- Red represents the blood shed by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion.
- Green symbolizes the eternal life of Jesus Christ, akin to evergreen trees that remain green throughout the winter.
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Miracle Plays and The Paradise Play:
- In the 1300s, churches presented Miracle Plays to educate an illiterate public about biblical stories, including one called The Paradise Play.
- The Paradise Play depicted the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, using pine trees with apples fastened to their branches to represent the Tree of Good and Evil.
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Ancient Roman Celebration - Saturnalia:
- The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, held from December 17 to December 23, involved decorating homes with holly and placing figurines called sigillaria on evergreen trees.
- Evergreen leaves and red berries from holly came to symbolize the festive and merry season.
By weaving together these concepts, we uncover a fascinating narrative that spans centuries and various cultural influences. The red and green colors associated with Christmas carry layers of meaning, from religious symbolism to theatrical representations and ancient Roman festivities.
As we explore the historical roots of Christmas traditions, it becomes evident that the modern-day association of red and green with the holiday season is a result of a complex interplay of religious, cultural, and historical factors. The use of these colors goes beyond mere aesthetics, representing profound themes such as the sacrifice of Christ, the continuity of life, and the festivities of ancient civilizations.
