Above: Jamie Grill via Getty Images Irish Christmas carols have become an integral part of American holiday traditions, leaving a lasting impression on the festive season in Delaware and beyond. Beloved Irish carols such as “The Wexford Carol,” “Christmas in Killarney,” and “The Holly and the Ivy” have transcended their Celtic origins to become staples…
Above: Swedish family prepares for the sled ride to early morning church on Julotta—Christmas Day. Dated 1908; Archive of the Swedish Cultural Commons In Castle & Colony by Emma Rayner is an 1899 historical novel that follows the journey of a young Swedish woman, Jessica, as she navigates the contrasting worlds of European aristocracy and…
Above: Edward W. Kemble’s illustration from Washington Irving’s “Knickerbocker’s History of New York” starts to ‘Americanize’ Sinterklaas towards the figure we now call ‘Santa Claus.’ The evolution from St. Nicholas, the 4th-century Bishop of Myra, to the jolly, red-suited Santa Claus we know today is a fascinating tale of cultural evolution, migration, and the power…
In December 1940, The Morning News reported on a unique holiday decoration in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cox of Hamilton Park, Wilmington. The couple had created what they called an “old Quaker Christmas tree” – a sassafras bush with each twig wrapped in white cotton batting and adorned with yuletide ornaments. While…
