Early Canadians did not celebrate Christmas the same way we do today even though the Christmas holiday was old in tradition by the time Canada was settled by Europeans.

Most Canadians did not have a Christmas tree. In the first place, there was no room for a tree in a small log cabin. In the second place, most of the United Empire Loyalists were of English, Scottish and Irish descent and the idea of having a Christmas tree did not originate in those countries but actually originated in Germany. The settlers who came from Pennsylvania and who were of German descent brought the idea of a Christmas tree to Upper Canada before Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, introduced it to Britain.

The custom, which came from the British Isles, of hanging “greens” was much more appropriate to the cabins of Upper Canada. The “greens” of Merry Old England, however, had included holly, ivy and mistletoe, which were not available in Upper Canada in the winter. Other native evergreens were made into garlands. Garlands were used to decorate mantles and banisters of great staircases and were hung around exterior doorways. In England, there was the custom of the “kissing ball”. A large sprig of mistletoe was hung above an interior doorway. Often the mistletoe was surrounded by a framework ball of evergreens. In Upper Canada, the garland and “kissing ball” took on different forms. Exterior doorways were not very large, so the garland became a doorway wreath. The mantle was still decorated with a garland. There was no inside door to hang one in, anyway. Instead, a garland was worked into a hanging ball which was decorated and hung from the rafter. This ball also took the place of the Christmas tree.

Decorations were “natural.” Little pine cones, nuts, bright bittersweet berries in place of holly berries, feathers and other attractive bits from the woods were put on the ball. Early decorations were cranberry and popcorn chains. Cranberries were a late fruit grown in bogs and popcorn was one of the early corns developed by Canada’s First Peoples. Later, pieces of ribbon, lace and even bright coloured bows of calico were added. Children often made straw or yarn figures to put on the ball or to decorate the garlands. Gingerbread men and other cookie dough figures were not added to the tree decorations until the later in the Victorian period (1860′s).

Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas cards did not exist; however, there were stockings hung on the mantle or the bedposts. If the children had been good and if the harvest had been successful, the stockings contained presents. There might have been a gingerbread figure but it was not usually cut out with cookie cutters because there were few available. Usually, someone formed little balls of dough and shaped the figures. There would have been an apple or maybe even an orange. There might be a treasure such as a jack knife or a “house wife.” Perhaps there would have been a homemade toy such as a puzzle, a puppet, a doll or a wooden horse. If the children were very lucky, they would have found such treasures as a sled or a Noah’s ark or snowshoes waiting for them. Special gifts were almost always clothes of some sort. Even an orange was a big treat.

Children made gifts for their parents, brothers and sisters and other friends and relatives, if they could. The list of gifts children could and did make was limited only by ability and available materials. Preparing for next Christmas usually began on December 26th. Potpourri or sachet and pomander balls were a great gift for both men and women. There were times when men liked to sniff a pomander ball. Hankies could be hemmed or scarves, mitts and socks knitted. Any little girl of five or six could hem and knit. A “housewife” for women might be a gift from several children and even from the husband whose pennies would buy needles, pins and thimble. Boys might make boxes as presents. Boxes could hold many kinds of treasures. There were many different toys to be made for other children. Grandma or Grandpa would enjoy a footstool or pillow for an aching back.

There would be candy as well as cookies. The candy was usually in the shape of sticks or balls. It was a hard candy to suck for hours. These sweets were flavoured with fruit juices such as cherry or peppermint. These were the forerunners of our modern peppermint candy canes, lollipops, jawbreakers and even lifesavers.

On Christmas Day after stockings were emptied, games were played, such as hide-the-thimble and blind-man’s-bluff. Dinner would be of the best quality possible. There would probably be mincemeat pie and plum pudding made with fruits that grew naturally in the forest.

After Christmas was over, it was visiting time because farm work was almost at a standstill. Sometimes visiting began at Christmas and the house was filled with friends and relatives. Friendship, food and firewood made the Christmas gathering a wonderful time for everyone.

Christmas and Children

It was Queen Victoria’s influence which began to allow children to be children; they were allowed to play more and work less. Parties were held not only for the adults but for children at Christmas time. The following is a poem that was printed in a newspaper in the 1860′s; it clearly shows the change in the approach and the concern for children in general.

“Christmas has come, with gifts and toys,

For little girls as well as boys.

Mary has got a picture-book,

And Jane has got a gilded fan,

And something nice has come for Ann,|

Baby has got a neat doll, dressed

In scarlet coat and bright blue vest -

Mary and Jane, and Ann I know,

When Christmas comes with frost & snow

Will think upon the girls and boys

Who get no pretty Christmas toys

Who suffer want, and cold, and care,

And help them both with alms and prayer.”

A Christmas Chronology

1510 – A decorated Christmas tree recorded at Riga, Latvia.

1610 – Tinsel invented in Germany.

ca. 1660 – Record of a tree lit with candles in Germany.

ca. 1800 – Tree ornaments manufactured in Europe.

1819 – Popular sketch by Krimmel released depicting an American family with a Christmas tree on the table.

1822 – German merchants living in England have decorated trees in their homes.

1822 – Clement Moore, an American, writes “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” for his family (now known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) -published in 1848.

1833 – Red poinsettias sold in Philadelphia.

1841 – Christmas crackers manufactured in England.

1843 – Charles Dickens writes A Christmas Carol.

1846 – Illustrated London News publishes a picture of the Royal Family gathered around a Christmas tree. The picture helps popularize the table top Christmas tree.

1880 – German glass ornaments sold in Woolworth’s.

1882 – First electric Christmas tree lights sold in New York

1892 – Wire hook for hanging tree ornaments is patented in the United States.

1896 – The T. Eaton Company produces its first Christmas catalogue.

1905 – Santa Claus arrives by wagon at the T. Eaton Company store in Toronto.

1917 – J.C. Hall (of Hallmark) imported fancy decorated envelope linings from France to sell as “gift dressing”.

1923 – Pink poinsettias produced.

1939 – “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” created by Robert May for an American department store as a Christmas promotion.