Celebrating Christmas each year is a tradition that millions of people around the world take part in. It’s the time for generosity and giving.
It’s time for families and friends to come together. It’s a tradition that focuses on love, kindness, and joy.
Today, we have established Christmas traditions around the world featuring much-loved chocolate.
But if you’re wondering where the tradition of giving chocolate at Christmas comes in, we have to take you back quite a few centuries in history to give you the answer. Stick around to find out more!
How does chocolate relate to holidays?
In our modern world, when celebrating Christmas, chocolate is featured in millions of gifts worldwide. If you are wondering why, we’re here to help.
Although chocolate has its origins way back in history, today, it is considered a classic and universal gift that is shared among friends and family. Why is this the case?
It’s because the sheer variety in the types of holiday chocolates is so huge that it appeals to practically everyone.
And giving a personalized chocolate, engraved with a special message takes gift giving to a whole new level.
Where does the tradition of giving and sharing chocolate at Christmas come from?
Giving and sharing chocolate at Christmas is one of the oldest traditions out there.
But where did it all start?
In this section, we’ll explore the history of chocolate and Christmas chocolate traditions so that you gain a deeper understanding of this wonderful tradition.
- Aztecs: the origins of chocolate can be traced back to the Aztecs in Mesoamerica. Using bitter cocoa beans, which were consumed during religious rituals, and also traded as currency or used for medicinal properties, these cocoa beans were considered the beverage of the gods. They would soon make their way to the rest of the world while changing shape, size, and form to give us the chocolate we know and love today.
- European nobility: when European explorers discovered cocoa beans, they brought them back to Europe where they were consumed. However, certain merchants added sugar, vanilla, and other spices to the mix, making for a delicious chocolate beverage. Reserved for European nobility at first, chocolate drinks were redeveloped and turned into chocolate bars that became consumed more broadly by the general population.
- St. Nicholas and gold chocolate coins: the gold chocolate coins Christmas tradition comes from St. Nicholas in Turkey (a.k.a. Santa Claus). He loved children and wanted to help them but he was a shy character. One night, he threw a bag of coins down a chimney, which fell into some socks that were drying on the fireplace. Hence came the tradition of giving Christmas stockings full of small, delicious treats.
- Advent calendar: the advent calendar marks down the period of three weeks before Christmas. Today, it’s a cardboard box with little windows, each of which contains a chocolate treat as a way of counting down the time to Christmas. This tradition dates back to the fifth century, when Protestants gave children some triptych every day in the period leading up to Christmas to keep them from not overbubbling with excitement.
- The Christmas log: the Christmas log would make its appearance during the Middle Ages. When the winter solstice arrived, heralding the harshest season of the year, families would burn a log of wood in their fireplaces. According to the Catholic Church, logs that burned for less than three days signaled a bad omen. However, with modernized heating devices, this tradition faded. But this did not mean that logs were removed from fireplaces. Instead, they were used as decorative pieces. Soon, chocolate would be shaped in the form of a log as part of keeping the tradition, which is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.
Other interesting facts about chocolate and Christmas traditions that should not be missed include giving Italian children sweets or chocolates during Christmas if they were well-behaved. If they weren’t, they’d get a lump of coal.
Similarly, in Mexico, the tradition of placing chocolate as a layer on top of the Christmas turkey started with some convent nuns who used what little ingredients they had to welcome a visiting Bishop.
Although there are many specifics about Christmas traditions in countries worldwide, such as eating chocolate for breakfast on Christmas day in the UK, chocolate remains a steady companion during this tradition and because of its universal appeal and delicious flavors, it will continue to delight us all.
Why should chocolate be a part of Christmas traditions?
Whether you’d like to keep up with traditions or do something a little more modern, one thing that will always be a constant is the giving of chocolate Christmas presents.
Chocolate gifts have a universal appeal and cater to almost every taste bud.
Because of its classic nature, chocolate should be a part of Christmas traditions in the years to come due to its ability to delight both young and old, no matter where in the world they may be.
At Totally Chocolate, we make chocolate gift-giving during Christmas an absolute delight. That’s because you can enjoy a wide variety of premium chocolates through our chocolate box assortments.
What’s more, is that we take chocolate gift-giving to a whole new level with our personalized chocolate. Yes, you read that right. What this means is that your chocolate can be specially engraved with a message, a name, a logo, or anything you can think of to make your chocolate gift that much more special.
Also, we make giving luxury chocolates at Christmas an absolute delight. That’s because you can have your luxury chocolates engraved and personalized, not to mention all the variety in flavors including dark, milk, and white premium chocolate.
Whether you’re looking for a specialty chocolate or something smaller for the Christmas stockings, we’ve got you covered.
Wrapping up
When it comes to Christmas traditions, one thing is for sure: chocolate will always be a part of this special occasion.
Children and adults alike love the different chocolate varieties and flavors, meaning that chocolate is the perfect gift during the holiday season.
With its ability to delight with delicious morsels, chocolate can also evoke feelings of happiness and lead to stress-relief.
Looking for your perfect holiday chocolate gift? Browse our extensive selection and choose the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season!
