WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?
In our modern times when we think about Christmas, the first thing that
comes to our mind is buying gifts for our loved ones. Stores are filled with
decorations, gifts and much more. But we have to understand what Christmas is
all about. What is Christmas and why do we actually celebrate Christmas. In
order for us to really enjoy our holidays we have to have some kind of knowledge
of why we celebrate it.
Fundamentally, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Son of God who saved all of the people on earth. The winter season
is about Christians that around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate by thanking God for the birth of his son, Jesus Christ. This
celebration phase begins on December 25. The commemoration should last about
twelve days. Starts on December 25 and ends in January 6th. It is
the Church’s commemoration of the Incarnation, the ultimate secrecy to the holy
and almighty God that took on human flesh and was born in this world of the
Virgin Mary. God sacrificed his life for the entire population of the earth to
save us from sin, death and the power of the devil. The reason the church does go
silent during Advent it’s because they preparing for the God’s approaching.
Some of the Christmas symbol celebrations are things like shepherds in the
snow, and the fierce cold of a winter night when Jesus was born.
THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS
We normally, commemorate Christmas on the 25th of December but
there are documented fact’s that Jesus could have been bon in the spring. Many
Christians date Christ’s birth as the end of the "Before Christ" or
BC era, most consider Christ’s birth can actually be dated to 4 BC. This
evidence could be paradoxical, since the Christian era is thought to embark on
with the birth of Christ, but actually begins later. Ancient documents reveal
that Christians in Rome
began to celebrate ‘Lord’s Nativity on December during the beginning year A.D
336. No one is sure and knows why the early Roman Christians chose December 25.
The most logical explanation is written that they appropriated the already
existing winter solstice festival honoring the pagan sun god, Mihras. This accepted celebration
was recognized as Natalis Solis Invicti or "Birth of the
Unconquered Sun."
The records also
present that Christian leaders in Rome chose December 25 to
turn people away from the pagan Unconquered Sun and toward Jesus Christ, the
Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). This connection to the Roman sun cult
has led some contemporary Christians to reject the celebration of Christian as
pagan and sinful. On the other hand, there is some evidence to suggest
that the choice of December 25 was based on attempts by early theologians to
calculate the date of Christ's birth. (Malachi 4:2).
EARLY CHRISTMAS ARGUMENTS
Some minority Christian groups like the Jehovah’s Witness and some other argue that based on the divine nature of the Christ, Christmas should not be celebrated as a feast day.
Some apply the theory of early Christmas as not a peaceful celebration.
Christmas in the middle ages was considered feasting, drinking, riotous
behavior and caroling for money. Religious puritans did not approve this type
of behavior and at one point canceled Christmas. All the decorations were banned
and soldiers patrolled to look for celebrants cooking meat. Puritans in the
American colonies took a correspondingly severe view of Christmas: Yuletide
festivities were outlawed in Boston
from 1659 though 1681.
Some view the Jolly Old England as the main source for many modern Christmas
traditions, England actually banned celebration from 1647 - 1660 in an attempt
to free the holiday of what was viewed as its pagan trappings and the excess
and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. This, however, was not a popular
decision. England
reinstated Christmas as a celebratory holiday, though tensions still ran high
between the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Church.
WHAT DOES THE WORD
"CHRISTMAS" MEAN?
The modern English
word Christmas comes from the Old English Christes Maesse (Christ Mass),
the name of the service of Holy Communion that commemorates Christ's
birth. Familiar names for Christmas in
other languages -- Navidad (Spanish), Natale (Italian), Natal (Portuguese), and
Noël (French) -- are derived from Dies Natalis, Latin for
"Day of the Birth."
SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Afrikaans - 'n Geseende Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige
Nuwejaar
Afrikaans - Een Plesierige Kerfees
Albanian -- Gezuar Krishtlindje
Arabic - I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri - Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Basque - Zorionstsu Eguberri. Zoriontsu Urte Berri On
Afrikaans - Een Plesierige Kerfees
Albanian -- Gezuar Krishtlindje
Arabic - I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri - Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Basque - Zorionstsu Eguberri. Zoriontsu Urte Berri On
WHAT ARE THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS?
The color of white
during Christmas resembles joy, holiness, and light. It is one of the most
proper colors for the wonderful Christmas season. The color Red resembles of
martyrdom. It is mainly used for the festivals of St. Stephen and the Holy
Innocents.
WHY DO WE HAVE SANTA CLAUS
Saint
Nicholas of Myra
was a Greek Christian bishop of the fourth century who had the generous
personality of helping the poor. The American version of Santa clause according
to the history originated from a Dutch legend about Sinter Klaas, which
settlers brought to America
in the seventeenth century. Americans took the idea of Santa Claus, who was
said to bring gifts to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve. It is the spirit
of giving not only to their families but also donate time and money to
charities.
WHY DO WE HAVE CHRISTMAS TREE?
According
to the history, Christmas trees have originated in medieval Germany. For
more information please visit http://www.christmasarchives.com/trees.html.
POPULAR AUTHORS FOR CHRISTMAS
New Yorker Washington Irving wrote popular stories about Christmas
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Queen Victoria's German husband, Prince Albert, introduced a Christmas
tree to Windsor
Castle in 1846. An engraving
of the couple with their children in front of the tree popularized the custom
throughout England and the United States.
Windsor Castle
Queen Victoria and Albert
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Charles Dickens
The Christmas Carol published in 1843
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