Bring some of the past along with your presents!

Christmas Eve is upon us, and we couldn’t be more excited! Christmas was one of the most important and sacred holidays back in the Middle Ages. It was a time of both spiritual reflection and festive gatherings! (Much like it is today, we suppose.) Let’s take a look at some of our favorite Medieval Christmas decorating ideas. You never know—it might not be too late to incorporate some of them into your very own holiday décor along with your Renaissance clothing!

• Nativity scenes are still popular today, so they are a very easy way to bring a Medieval touch to your Christmas décor. They first appeared in 10^th Century Rome, and they were quite commonplace in upper class households during the Middle Ages.
• Holly, mistletoe, ivy, and pine boughs could be seen everywhere—from humble homes to high society—during Christmastime. These greens actually date back to pre-Christian times in Europe, where they were part of the winter solstice celebrations.
• Apples and nuts held some symbolic meaning for Medieval Christians. They represented the Virgin Mary and the little baby Jesus. Medieval people collected them during the harvest to store throughout the winter. During the Christmas holiday, they were placed in chalices and bowls around the household. (We wonder if this is where that awful fruitcake tradition got its roots…)

From all of us here at Pearson’s Renaissance Shoppe, we hope you have a marvelous Christmas season!