CHRISTMAS HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE 12/22/19
WHAT TRADITIONS DOES YOUR FAMILY SHARE AROUND THE HOLIDAY? CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE A FAVORITE IN MY FAMILY. CHRISTMAS COOKIES, LIKE ALL OF OUR TRADITIONS, HAVE A HISTORY. THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE IS AN UNIQUE ONE AS WITH ALL TRADITIONS.
DURING THE MEDIEVAL AGES, MANY OF THE SPICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE MODERN DAY CHRISTMAS COOKIES WERE SIMPLY NOT AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, DURING THE MIDDLE AGES THEY WERE. THESE SPICES AND CONDIMENTS INCLUDED CINNAMON, GINGER, MACE, AND NUTMEG. ALSO, FRUITS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN AVAILABLE BEFORE, WERE NOW, SUCH AS THE APRICOT.
THE TRADITION OF CHRISTMAS WAS FAR MORE POPULAR IN MIDDLE EUROPE NOW THAN THE WINTER SOLSTICE. RATHER THAN CELEBRATING THE WINTER SOLSTICE OR “FIRST FREEZE” EUROPEANS CHOSE TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AND WITH THIS CAME A FRENZY OF BAKING JUST PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAY. CHRISTMAS BAKE NIGHT WAS A TRADITION IN MY FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS AND HAS NOT EVOLVED INTO BAKE DAY.
CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE ONE OF THE OLDEST TRADITIONS AS WITH MANY CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES, BUT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS COOKIE EVER TO HAVE A SHAPE OF SOME SORT WERE THOSE MADE FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH. THE GINGERBREAD COOKIE, (A POPULAR DURING DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, BECAUSE IT REQUIRED CHEAPER MOLASSES TO SWEETEN, RATHER THAN EXPENSIVE SUGAR), WAS FOUND TO BE THE BEST FOR SHAPING AND QUEEN ELIZABETH IS CREDITED FOR BEING THE FIRST TO HAVE A SHAPED CHRISTMAS COOKIE WHICH WERE GINGERBREAD MEN SHAPED AFTER HER FAVORITE COURTIERS.
BAKING CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS IS NOT ONLY A FUN THING TO DO AROUND THE HOLIDAYS, BUT A TRUE BONDING EXPERIENCE. I KNOW MY FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS HAVE FOUND THE EXPERIENCE TO BE MESSY, FUN, AND FILLED WITH LOVE. I DON’T THINK ANY OF THE MESS AFTER BAKING CHRISTMAS COOKIES IS FUN, BUT WE ALWAYS MAKE THE BEST OF IT.
THANKS FOR READING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE TODAY! DAILY WISDOM WORDS WISHES YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
Samantha Leboeuf/DWW