So I love Christmas fiction, but I also love those elusive Christmas legends. I have a soft spot for holiday stories that originate from medieval and European stories that infuse magic with symbolism or the religious. There are some truly spectacular tales out there, and I love reading them, hearing them, and working with them in my own fiction.
A lot
of them trace back to Christian beliefs, but no matter what area your faith
lies in, I find these to just be really well put together little tales. They’re
quick narratives that touch the heart and capture the imagination. I have a
favorite in particular: One involves a little French boy who happens to be a
hunchback who is skilled at working with wood. He decides to carve a new cradle
for his village’s creche, but work piles up and late on Christmas night he’s
still slaving away when a boy his age comes into his workshop to help. He falls
asleep and wakes up to see not only a beautiful cradle, but finds that he’s
been cured of his affliction. When he takes the cradle to the creche his
notices that the baby looks quite a bit like a younger version of the boy who
helped him.
Whatever your traditions are, I thought I'd share some of my other favorite Christmas legends, and I'd love to hear some of yours!
The Legend of the Christmas Spider – this one is a German
story, and I’ve heard different variations so I’m providing the link. The basic
theme is that spiders want to see the Christmas tree (the object of much fuss
in the human household) for themselves, but being nearsighted they have to look
up close and leave their webs everywhere. Through magic (or a miracle depending
on the story) their webs are turned to silver and gold threads, thus giving the
world the first inspiration for tinsel.
The Legend of the Poinsetta – A young Mexican girl has no
gift to leave at the nativity on Christmas Eve, but gets reassured that even
the most humble gift is welcome. With no other options, she gathers a handful
of weeds, but when she leaves them at the nativity they’re transformed to
beautiful flowers with fiery blooms. I got so much extra credit in Adv. Spanish
class for being able to read the Tommy DePaola …mainly because my mother had gotten
me the Spanish/English translation of the book the year before for Christmas.
Silent Night – a simple story that may or may not be
true. A young priest writes a poem and wants music to go with it, so enlists
the help of the church organist. According to someit, on Christmas Eve the
organ was broken so it was played on guitar and a legend began. Others theorize
that Franz Gruber preferred a simple melody he could play on guitar. Whatever
you believe, it’s a story that many people know and love.
Santa’s Helpers…and I don’t mean the elves. Depending on
the region, back in the day Santa usually had a servant/assistant/co-person who
punished the naughty kids while he gave gifts to the good. This could be
everything from taking back the toys, giving coal or switches (that parents
would use as a reminder of what would happen if children misbehaved), or in the
case of Krampus (admittedly fast becoming a personal favorite of mine), he
would put you in his magic sack and drag you to hell. And GUYS DID YOU KNOW ICELAND HAS YULE TROLLS?! AND A YULE CAT!? Apparently the thirteen trolls will either play pranks on you or give you presents. But the Yule cat will eat you if you don't get new clothes by Christmas Eve. So you'd better get shopping!
Talking animals on Christmas Eve – This has to be my
absolute personal favorite of the bunch. I first saw this referenced in an
Irish faerie/ghost story when I was ten, and since then I love when an author
can reference it in fiction. It’s been used by authors from Beatrix Potter
(Tailor of Gloucester) to Anne M. Martin (On Christmas Eve), and used deftly
and gracefully. The original legend goes something like because animals
acknowledged or allowed Jesus into their home on Christmas Eve, at midnight
every year until dawn they’re able to talk and communicate like everyone else
(although in Potter’s story you have to be able to interpret their animal-speak
to be able to get the full gist). I will admit that although I am an adult I
may have cornered my cat after midnight every year on Christmas Eve…just in case.
I love things like this because they stand the test of time
and because they give me ideas as an author and all-around creative person.
Whether I choose to use any of them or not, I like that there’s such a rich
history and story-telling tradition in the winter holidays – and that’s not
even counting the history of traditions like wassailing and kissing under the
mistletoe or legends behind symbols like holly and ivy. There’s so much to work
with, and it’s all beautiful and rich with possibility.
And speaking of symbols like holly and ivy...even though this story seems like a cozy little romantic story with a bit of magic, I can tell you that it very much stemmed from the symbolism behind the plants, as well...
After losing her job and her boyfriend, Holly returns to
her parents’ farm. Embarrassed and hopeless, she doesn’t expect to bump into a
forgotten childhood friend that wasn’t supposed to exist. Ivy is not only a
dryad, but she lives in the pine trees Holly’s family grows to sell at
Christmas. As the old friends reconnect, Ivy not only shares her strong
oninions, but gives Holly a charm that will change both their lives. As days
melt into weeks and the seasons change, Holly’s life magically turns around.
Christmas not only brings surprises, but a choice for the human woman. What’s
more important: stability, success, and love, or keepinga promise to an old
friend?
