Most Christmas trees are imported from other states, which drives up costs.
Articles on Christmas traditions
Displaying 1 - 20 of 24 articles
’Tis the season for tabletop games – bringing people together since 2500 BCE.
‘Black Nativity’ may be different each time you see it − and that’s exactly what the playwright had in mind.
The Mari Lwyd and the plygain are two prominent Welsh traditions celebrated over Christmas and the new year.
Boxing Day has its origins in the Middle Ages and had nothing to do with post-Christmas sales. It is facing further change with the popularity of online shopping.
Australia has nearly 100 mistletoe species and they’re the source of plenty of magic and mystery. We even have a couple with their own home-grown associations with Christmas.
An expert on Ukrainian music and folklore explains how holiday traditions celebrate both centuries of culture and present-day resistance.
The story of Martin Luther starting the tradition is a myth; the real story started 350 years later – and presents were popularised by savvy booksellers.
‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ is one of the most famous American poems. But who wrote it?
This evergreen plant has some tricky ways to get ahead, but it’s a valuable part of the ecosystem.
When British colonials came to Australia, they stuck to their winter Christmas traditions of roast meats and plum puddings. But over the centuries, Australians found their own ways to celebrate.
In Australia, between 1930 and 1950, women repeatedly stepped in to play the role of Santa. So the figure in the red suit could be gender neutral today.
The annual Dec. 5 tradition sees performers don blackface and afro wigs. But a growing number of Dutch citizens believe it’s time to wave goodbye to Black Pete.
We have an innate desire to be reminded of darkness and mortality during the festive season.
Mythical mistletoe can be traced back to Norse legends.
If you’re craving that freshly-cut tree smell, shop early and don’t be too choosy.
Two centuries on, this beautiful prayer for peace still brings people together around the world.
Both natural and artificial Christmas trees have environmental impacts, but they’re not major. What matters most is what happens to the trees after the holidays.
Being misty-eyed about a perfect Christmas past will do you little good.
The tradition of carol singing at Christmas appears to be going through a revival and it’s bringing communities together.
Top contributors
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Professor Emeritus of Music, Griffith University
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Lecturer of Ethnomusicology and Music Management, University of Sheffield
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Lecturer in Events and Tourism, Goldsmiths, University of London
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Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology, Keele University
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Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Cardiff Metropolitan University
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Birkbeck, University of London
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Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Cultural Industries Management, University of East London
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Academic in History and Communications, University of Southern Queensland
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Professor of Marketing, University of Denver
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Associate Extension Specialist Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University
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Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Assistant professor, University of Groningen
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Ph.D. Candidate in Folklore, Indiana University
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Regents Professor of English, Arizona State University
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Lecturer in Studies in Western Religious Traditions, The University of Queensland