Hailing from Ireland, Scotland, England, and Germany, settlers mishmashed traditions together into what would become their own Appalachian Mountain Christmas celebrations.  

Holiday Foods 

One of the most time-honored – even today – is the gifting of fruitcake. It was the Scots who brought this tradition to the New World. Filled with nuts, fruit, and whiskey, these cakes were treasured in the mountains because of the scarcity of the main ingredients. Not to be deterred, mountaineers came up with their own version of fruitcake that is better known as an Apple Stack Cake. Some believe that there is magic in these cakes and sharing one with family and neighbors would surely bring good luck in the new year. 

The Stack Cake is made from supplies readily available – dried apples, molasses, and flour. The kitchen will be delightfully filled with a scent of cinnamon, molasses, and apples as it is prepared, but don’t cut it as soon as it’s stacked. Let it cure a bit first. If you’d like to try your own Apple Stack Cake, here’s a recipe from one of our favorite local cooks, Sheri Castle.  

A Change in the Calendar 

Imagine going to bed one night on September 2, 1752, and waking up the next morning to September 14, 1752. It was not some weird time portal but was an action taken by the English Parliament to adopt the Gregorian Calendar. Many countries in Europe had been following the Gregorian Calendar since the mid 1500s, so it was an effort to get everyone on the same page and to help the calendar more closely mirror the changing of seasons.  

If you were in the American Colonies, particularly in areas that were more secluded, the fact that the calendar leapt forward 11 days would never have crossed your mind. Christmas moved forward to January 5 (some say January 6 – and still others say January 7) if celebrants were still using the Julian calendar. It was not uncommon for folks in the Appalachians to celebrate New Christmas on December 25 and continue the celebration until Old Christmas on January 6, which coincides with Epiphany.  

This lengthy celebration was called “Breaking Up Christmas.” The celebration would include visiting with neighbors and family, sharing meals, lots of music and dancing, and even a little mischief. On Old Christmas, the observance was more family-based with the reading of the Christmas story with your family and taking down the holiday decorations.  

12 Days of Christmas 

The days between Christmas and Old Christmas, starting on December 26, are referred to as Ruling Days. Each one “rules” the month it corresponds to and is said to predict that month’s weather. So, a rainy day on December 26 means January will be “ruled” by rain. A sunny day on December 30 foretells a warm and pleasant May.  

There are other weather superstitions linked to Christmas Day. If it’s green, meaning no snow, a white Easter can be expected. If it’s windy on Christmas Day, it means a good season for crops.  

More Christmas Superstitions 

As Old Christmas approaches, there are many superstitions linked to animals. Most we can’t link to a certain country of origin, but they were likely linked to observations or self-fulfilling prophecies depending on how deeply you believe.  

It is said that if a girl visits a hog pen on Christmas Eve information of her husband can be predicted based on the grunts of the hogs. If an old hog grunts first, she will marry an old man. If a young hog grunts first, then her husband will be young and handsome. A rooster crowing on Christmas Eve is considered good luck.  

If you sit under a pine tree on Christmas Day, you may hear an angel sing. While that sounds like a lovely encounter, the rest of the belief asserts that you will not see another Christmas.  

The Holy Spirit is closest to Earth on Old Christmas Eve, and it is very powerful. No matter the weather, mountaineers believe the Holy Spirit grants the power of blooming to elder bushes. The Spirit may also turn water to wine and give animals the power to speak at midnight. 

In stories shared in A Foxfire Christmas, several of the interviewees tried to hear the animals talk and observe them kneeling, just as they did beside the manger in Bethlehem. None of them succeeded – not because the animals didn’t speak but because they were frightened and didn’t pursue their quest until the end. Maybe they also considered the rest of the belief... It’s bad luck to hear the animals talk at midnight.  

Serenading and Such 

When someone says the word “serenade,” you may have a vision of Romeo singing to his beloved Juliet. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a serenade is a piece of music sung or played in the open air, typically by a man at night under the window of his lover, so your link to Shakespeare's play isn’t far off. But that’s not what happens if you are out “serenadin’” in the Appalachian Mountains.  

According to an article on HistoricToxaway.org, serenading is more like trick or treating than caroling. It was usually practiced by the community’s young people – both boys and girls – but was not necessarily limited to youngsters. Groups would gather and sneak up on houses then make as much noise as humanly possible. Banging on pots, ringing cowbells, shooting guns into the air, lighting firecrackers, shouting – it was all fair game. Those being serenaded were expected to welcome the revelers in to enjoy holiday treats and drinks.  

It is believed that this tradition may descend from the English tradition of “The Day of Misrule” where servants, the poor, and children could visit the homes and stores in their communities to ask for gifts and food. Other parts of the tradition, bonfires on the hilltop, which is how the evening often ended, can be traced back to the beliefs of the Druids. They believed the fire would hasten the return of the sun.   

Carolers are repeating a tradition that stretches back to the Middle Ages when it was known as wassailing. Peasants would sing to their lords for food and drink.  Today’s carolers often sing for treats and for contributions to charity. 

Many homes today will display candles in their windows during the holiday season. This tradition is believed to come from the Irish. A lit candle in the cabin window provided a way for neighbors to find the home in the dark night. It also is a symbol of hospitality meaning the occupants are awake and will welcome visitors and hearkens back to the Bible story so the Holy Family would be welcomed in the home and not have to stay in the stable.  

Want More? 

The internet is filled with great resources to learn more about Appalachian traditions, history, and culture. They can be found in the form of blogs and podcasts. Here are some of our favorites: 

AppalachianHistory.net - Dave Tabler has been digging into the stories of the Appalachian region since 2006. The time of emphasis for most of his blogs are the 1880s through the 1950s.  

The Blind Pig and the Acorn – Tipper Pressley is a wealth of information in all areas of Appalachian tradition – from music to tales and canning to cooking. Much of what she shares is from firsthand experience. She recently released a popular cookbook, Celebrating Appalachian Food, which is co-authored by Jim Casada. 

Stories of Appalachia – Steve Gilley and Rod Mullins post new podcasts each Friday. Their stories focus on Southwest Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky mostly, but do expand to cover the entire region and include information on coal mining, feuds, and more.