Every major holiday is easily recognized by its classic color scheme. Think of the pastel hues of Easter, the orange and black of Halloween, or the red and pink associated with Valentine’s Day. For Christmas, the enduring and traditional color combination is undoubtedly red and green. These two shades are so intertwined with the holiday that it’s hard to imagine Christmas decorations, festive outfits, or holiday imagery without them.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why these particular colors became synonymous with Christmas? While the pairing might seem ubiquitous now, the story behind red and green as Christmas colors is a fascinating blend of ancient traditions, religious symbolism, and, unsurprisingly, a touch of modern commercial influence. Let’s delve into the history to uncover the reasons behind this iconic color duo.
One of the earliest connections to red and green and the winter season can be traced back to pre-Christian cultures. Both the Romans and Celtic people held the evergreen holly plant in high esteem. These ancient societies revered holly for its vibrant red berries and lush green leaves, especially during the bleak midwinter. Bringing holly branches into their homes during the Winter Solstice was a symbolic act, a visual reminder that life and color would indeed return to the earth even in the darkest months. This practice of “decking the halls” with holly served as a hopeful gesture, celebrating nature’s resilience and the promise of renewal.
With the rise of Christianity, many existing winter solstice traditions were adapted and reinterpreted through a Christian lens. The symbolic use of holly was no exception. Christian scholars connected the red berries of the holly to the blood of Christ, and the sharp green leaves to the crown of thorns he wore during his crucifixion. This interpretation gave the already popular holly a deeper, religious significance within the Christmas narrative.
Furthermore, the vibrant color combination gained traction through medieval Miracle Plays. These theatrical performances, often staged in churches during the holiday season, were designed to educate a largely illiterate population about biblical stories. One popular play depicted the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Since apple trees are bare in winter, pine trees were used as a visual stand-in for the Tree of Knowledge, adorned with red apples to represent the forbidden fruit. This visual representation of a green tree laden with red fruit in a religious context further solidified the red and green association with the holiday season in the public consciousness. Over time, the practice of decorating homes with evergreen trees and red ornaments, mimicking these Miracle Play trees, grew in popularity.
Another botanical element that contributed to the red and green Christmas palette is the poinsettia. In 17th-century Mexico, Franciscan monks incorporated poinsettias into their Nativity processions. They shared the charming legend of Pepita, a poor girl who, having no gift for the Baby Jesus, gathered humble weeds. Miraculously, when placed at the Nativity scene, these weeds transformed into brilliant red poinsettias, known as “Flores de Noche Buena” or “Flowers of the Holy Night.” The vibrant red bracts of the poinsettia, contrasting beautifully with its green leaves, became another visual symbol of the Christmas season, particularly within religious settings.
While these historical and religious traditions laid the groundwork, the red and green color scheme truly cemented its place in popular culture in the 20th century, largely thanks to commercialism. In 1931, Coca-Cola commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to create advertisements featuring Santa Claus for their holiday campaigns. Sundblom’s depiction of Santa, inspired by Victorian Christmas imagery but with a distinctly jolly and plump physique, became iconic. Crucially, Sundblom dressed Santa in a bright red suit, mirroring the red of the Coca-Cola logo, and often framed these advertisements with green backgrounds.
These Coca-Cola Santa ads were immensely successful and ran for decades, profoundly shaping the modern image of Santa Claus and, inadvertently, reinforcing the red and green color association with Christmas on a global scale. The clever marketing campaign tapped into existing cultural associations and amplified them, embedding the red and green combination firmly within the modern Christmas aesthetic.
In conclusion, the enduring prevalence of red and green as Christmas colors is a result of a rich tapestry of influences. It’s a blend of ancient winter solstice traditions that celebrated the colors of nature, Christian symbolism that imbued these colors with religious meaning, and the powerful impact of modern commercial advertising. This combination of historical roots and popular culture has made red and green the quintessential shades of Christmas, instantly recognizable and deeply ingrained in our holiday celebrations.
