THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

Nothing warms the heart like Christmastime. All of us have precious memories of yuletide cheer, from the excitement of anticipation to the frenzy of preparations to the heartfelt family moments.

Buoyed by the “contagious joy” of Christmas among his congregations in Buffalo and Boston, Fr. Francis X. Weiser compiled a treasure trove of Christmas lore to enrich holiday celebrations for generations to come. Fr. Weiser, who was born in Austria and emigrated to the United States, had long been fascinated by American Christmas culture, which he saw as a consolidation of all the most beloved traditions from the nation’s diverse immigrant communities. 

He relied on interviews with parishioners, once-lost documents, and well-known material culture to get to the root of such cherished customs as Nativity plays, gift giving, and Christmas caroling.

In addition to exploring the cultural origins of beloved Christmas traditions, Fr. Weiser reveals their spiritual significance and explains their symbolism, including:

• Why the first Christmas Mass is at midnight
• The beginnings of Christmas caroling and the stories behind beloved carols
• How Christmas lights represent Christ, the Light of the World
• The true Christian origin of the Christmas tree, and the connection between the evergreen and eternal life
• How various cultures honor St. Nicholas 
• How pre-Christian traditions gained new significance in light of the Incarnation

Fr. Weiser considered holiday celebrations at home a “radiation of the liturgy,” a beautiful opportunity to cultivate the domestic church in family life.