It’s December, and the holidays are right around the corner! With those festive days quickly approaching, we tend to breeze over our annual traditions and the meaning behind them. In favor of not ignoring our favorite activities and taking time to learn about their origins, we’ll be counting off three well-known holiday traditions!

Starting off our list, we have the Christmas tree. To make a long story short, the Christmas tree originated in Egypt and traveled all the way through history to Germany where it was lit via candles. The tree initially came over to America in the 1800s. It’s incredible to think that the tradition went from a practice used by barbaric Egyptians to having a full-blown ceremony held for the lighting of one in Rockefeller Plaza.

Next up we have the yule log. While it isn’t as famous today, the yule log has been an essential part of any holiday celebration for a long time. The yule log dates back to medieval times and is named after the winter solstice festival located in Scandinavia. It was ceremoniously brought into any given household and the largest end was put into the fire to keep it going through the winter. The yule log is also classically known as a chocolatey sponge cake dessert!

Rounding off our list, we have candy canes! As eclectic as America is, it’s surprising that one of our most beloved holiday treats started right here in the USA! Candy canes were originally made in the early 1800’s to be handed out at a choir concert. A stick of sugar was bent to represent a shepherd’s crook, and immediately thereafter the minty tradition took off!

No matter what your traditional style of celebration is, from Hanakkuh to Christmas, make sure that you take time to appreciate the growth our culture endured to make it this far. Happy holidays from all of us here at the Knightlife Newspaper!