Christmas
This Christian holiday, with a large secular presence, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
This Christian holiday, with a large secular presence, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Kashinda Carter
Reviewer URLNames: Christmas, Yule, Navidad
This Christian holiday, with a large secular presence, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Origin
Christmas is celebrated as the day of Jesus’s birth. Scholars theorize December 25th may have been chosen to take advantage of existing pagan festivals, specifically the Roman festival called “dies sol invicti nati” or the Day of the Birth of the Unconquered Sun.
Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine in 313 CE with the Edict of Milan. The first recorded Christmas celebration occurred in 336 CE. Since then, Christmas has been celebrated by the majority of Christian sects, with some exceptions. Those of Orthodox sects celebrate Christmas on a different date.
Throughout centuries of celebration, Christmas has picked up traditions from a variety of places. But many of the American traditions we associate with Christmas, like the prominence of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus, can be traced to the 19th century. American Christmas traditions are especially indebted to author Washington Irving. During his life, Irving promoted the idea of Christmas in a variety of books, importing (and inventing from whole cloth) “English Christmas traditions.” He also promoted the idea of St. Nicholas, helping found the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York.
Traditions
Christmas is celebrated throughout the world and is host to a wide variety of traditions.
Celebrants, especially Catholics, will usually begin their Christmas the night before, with a religious service that spans midnight. The decorations in these religious settings usually differ from those in a person’s home. Most churches mark the season by placing a large manger scene in their church or outside of it. The manger depicts the birth of Jesus and usually contain sculptures or figurines depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, his father Joseph and three wise men (also called Magi) who came to see the prophesied birth.
Prior to Christmas Day, families engage in festive decorating. Some homes set up a small manger scene, or crèche. Most homes put up a Christmas tree (usually a pine tree, sometimes a fake tree) in a main room of the house. The tree is decorated with tinsel, garlands, lights and ornaments. Families hang stockings, usually by a fireplace, which are filled with small presents before Christmas. Gifts are placed under the tree to be opened on Christmas morning.
In the United States, Christmas light displays, which see families festooning their homes in hundreds or thousands of garland lights, are especially popular. Local news stations will frequently point out areas of towns where families can drive to see the best light displays.
Christmas, as a holiday observed by a large number of religious and non-religious people, has a large cultural presence. Christmas songs, by famous musicians like Mariah Carey and Dolly Parton, are played throughout the holiday season. With a wide variety of Christmas-themed movies to choose from, TV stations run all-day movie marathons of Christmas classics.
Observed as a federal holiday in the United States, many people receive Christmas off of work. Families frequently gather together to eat a large meal and celebrate with one another. Christmas is a gift-giving holiday and very popular with children. These factors, along with the “Christmas spirit” of encouraging charitable giving and other acts of kindness, cement Christmas’ place as one of the world’s major holidays.
What to say
“Merry Christmas” is a fine holiday greeting. In the UK, “Happy Christmas” is heard more frequently.
About Jesus Christ
In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is the son of God, representing him on earth. He was born to Mary by immaculate conception, so that he could teach, suffer and die for people’s sins. Not much is known of his childhood, but it is believed he was a carpenter by trade, until John the Baptist met him and recognized him as the son of God. In time, Jesus attracted disciples, with whom he traveled spreading the word of God. He is believed to have performed miracles including turning water into wine, and healing the ill. While many people became followers of Jesus, others felt threatened by him—and eventually he was betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas. He was tried and condemned, then tortured and crucified. He rose from the tomb where he was buried after three days—a last miracle that is celebrated on Easter Sunday.