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Christmas was celebrated by the rich along with the peasants.  People were able to take twelve full days off for Christmas.  This is where we get the song "Twelve Days of Christmas" from.

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From medieval times, many believe that wreaths are the perfect Christmas decoration.  Some houses have wreathes on their doors, such as mine. Holly, usually used in wreaths, has been used even before medieval times.  The Celtic druids believed that it could fend of evil spirits, while the Romans used it to show compassion and happiness.

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Christmas Mass has always been the center of the holiday.  Over time, however, the Masses became more elaborate.  Nativity plays, with the Magi and King Herod, began around this time and have been going on ever since.  My family goes to the Christmas Day Mass.

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A large Christmas dinner is a tradition that many families, including mine, participate in.  If you lived in a manor, the host would prepare a large, 3 course meal (soups, dinner, and dessert) for everyone in the castle to take part in.  The leftovers of the feast were donated to the less fortunate citizens.

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Although less exciting, peasants had celebrations for Christmas too.  Important workers such as the estate’s herders received presents from the lord, such as more food, drink, clothes and firewood.  On the other hand, serfs were expected to give gifts to their lord at Christmas. These included extra bread, eggs, and even roosters or a couple of hens.

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During the middle ages, the Church and citizens would decorate trees with apples on Christmas Eve. However, unlike nowadays, the trees remained outdoors.  They called this "Adam and Eve Day."

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Children and adults have always found happiness during snow days, even in medieval times.  They would go down hills on makeshift sleds, build snow men, and have snowball fights.  If one was really brave, they could strap bones from horses to their feet go ice skating on a frozen lake.