The nineteenth century was a time in American history when the culture was developing at a fast pace. The culture and traditions were built upon the cultures of other nations and countries. During this time period, America was becoming the America commonly known today. For instance, holidays during the nineteenth century where really starting to form in the way they are celebrated today. Foreign influences over American culture in the nineteenth century played a large role in shaping our nation’s holidays, especially Christmas. Christmas is a commonly celebrated, and important, holiday in today’s time and was in the nineteenth century as well. Aspects of the holiday today can be linked back to many different cultures in the past. These foreign influences shaped the way Christmas is celebrated in modern time tremendously.
The celebrations of the Christmas season were first brought to America in the colonial times from Europe. Over time, with the vast differences in the new people arriving to the new land, the holiday was shaped. Modern day Santa Claus is a prime example of this occurrence. The development and creation of the modern day figure of Santa Claus has been due to the contributions of many different cultures and their view of Christmas. The development of Christmas really picked up speed in the mid-nineteenth century with the famous poem Twas a Night Before Christmas, which first gave the appearance of Santa Claus himself. Around this time was also when Thomas Nast created the very first, detailed picture of the jolly man in a red suit. Shortly thereafter came the idea to put small, nicely decorated trees in the house, which came from a European influence. Once discovering that the candles being put on the trees were causing too many fires, the first Christmas tree lights were invented.
By the close of the century, there was a new outlook and feeling of Christmastime. The common people were more involved and it was much more similar to the modern day celebrations. An article was sent into a popular newspaper company asking if Santa was a real man who would bring her gifts. The newspaper columnist replied with the a simple answer; yes. This article, and its popularity, shows how the development of Christmas truly did change and morph over the course of the nineteenth century.
The celebrations of the Christmas season were first brought to America in the colonial times from Europe. Over time, with the vast differences in the new people arriving to the new land, the holiday was shaped. Modern day Santa Claus is a prime example of this occurrence. The development and creation of the modern day figure of Santa Claus has been due to the contributions of many different cultures and their view of Christmas. The development of Christmas really picked up speed in the mid-nineteenth century with the famous poem Twas a Night Before Christmas, which first gave the appearance of Santa Claus himself. Around this time was also when Thomas Nast created the very first, detailed picture of the jolly man in a red suit. Shortly thereafter came the idea to put small, nicely decorated trees in the house, which came from a European influence. Once discovering that the candles being put on the trees were causing too many fires, the first Christmas tree lights were invented.
By the close of the century, there was a new outlook and feeling of Christmastime. The common people were more involved and it was much more similar to the modern day celebrations. An article was sent into a popular newspaper company asking if Santa was a real man who would bring her gifts. The newspaper columnist replied with the a simple answer; yes. This article, and its popularity, shows how the development of Christmas truly did change and morph over the course of the nineteenth century.
