Essence of Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity.

In General, the aspects of celebration may include gift-giving, Christmas trees display of Nativity sets, church attendance, the Father Christmas/Santa Claus myth, and family gatherings. Those who are users of the Gregorian calendar observe the holiday on December 25.

Christmas is also called Christ’s Mass. Christians around the world as well as by non-Christians also observe the secular aspects of the holiday. The word Christmas is derived from Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse. It is a contraction meaning "Christ's mass". The name of the holiday is often shortened to Xmas because the Roman letter "X" resembles the Greek letter [chi], an abbreviation for Christ.

In Western countries, Christmas is the most economically significant holiday of the year and is even celebrated by non-Christians. The popularity of Christmas can be traced in part to its status as a winter festival.

In Western culture, the holiday is characterized by the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of the gifts being attributed to Santa Claus [also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Basil and Father Frost].

History

Origin of holiday

Although no one knows on which date Jesus was born, Christians have favored December 25 since ancient times. It is the date on which the Romans marked the winter solstice, and it is nine months following the Festival of Annunciation [March 25]. In ancient and early Medieval times, Christmas was either a minor feast or not celebrated at all.

Around 220, the theologian Tertullian declared that Jesus died on March 25, AD 29, but was resurrected 3 days later. Although this is not a plausible date for the crucifixion, it does suggest that March 25 had significance for the church even before it was used as a basis to calculate Christmas. Modern scholars favor a crucifixion date of April 3, AD 33 [also the date of a partial lunar eclipse]. The idea that December 25 is Jesus' birthday was popularized by Sextus Julius Africanus in Chronographiai (AD 221), an early reference book for Christians.

It has been observed that a feast celebrating Christ's birth allowed the church to promote the intermediate view that Christ was divine from the time of his incarnation. Mary, a minor figure for early Christians, gained prominence as theotokos, or God-bearer. There were Christmas celebrations in Rome as early as 336. December 25 was added to the calendar as a feast day in 350.

The Reformation and modern times

The book A Christmas Carol [1843] by Charles Dickens played a major role in reinventing Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion. The phrase "Christmas tree" is first recorded in 1835 and represents the importation of a tradition from Germany, where such trees became popular in the late 18th century. Queen Victoria and her German-born husband Prince Albert enthusiastically promoted Christmas trees, as well as the idea of placing gifts under them. The royal family's tree of 1848 was widely publicized and imitated. Christmas cards were first designed in 1843 and became popular in the 1860s. The commercial calendar, created to answer children's questions concerning when Christmas would come, dates from 1851 and Christmas was declared a federal holiday in 1870.

Santa Claus is derived from Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, who gave candy to the Dutch children on December 6. The connection between Santa Claus and Christmas was popularized by the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" [1822] by Clement Clarke Moore, which depicts Santa driving a sleigh pulled by reindeer and distributing gifts to children. His image was created by German American cartoonist Thomas Nast [1840-1902], who drew a new image annually beginning in 1863. The image was standardized by advertisers in the 1920s.

Other dates of celebration

Although Christmas may be celebrated on December 25 -31 in historically Catholic and Protestant nations, in eastern Europe it is often celebrated on January 7. This is because the Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian calendar for determining feast days. In the United Kingdom, the Christmas season traditionally runs for twelve days beginning on Christmas Day. These twelve days of Christmas, a period of feasting and merrymaking, end on Twelfth Night.

The Christmas festive period has grown longer in some countries. In the U.S., the pre-Christmas shopping season begins on the day after Thanksgiving. In the Philippines, radio stations usually start playing Christmas music during what is called the "ber months" [September, October, etc.].

The countries that celebrate Christmas on December 25 recognize the previous day as Christmas Eve and have various names for the day after Christmas. In the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia, Lithuania and Poland, Christmas Day and the following day are called First and Second Christmas Day. In many European and Commonwealth countries, the first non-Sunday after Christmas is referred to as Boxing Day. In Finland, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Austria, and Catalonia [Spain], the day is known as St. Stephen's Day. In Quebec, the December 26 holiday is referred to as Lendemain de Noël ["the day after Christmas"]. In the southern hemisphere, Christmas is during the summer. Japan has adopted Santa Claus for its secular Christmas celebration, but New Year's Day is a far more important holiday. In India, Christmas is often called bada din ["the big day"], and the celebration revolves around Santa Claus and shopping. In South Korea, Christmas is celebrated as an official holiday.

Saint Nicholas

It is to be believed in the United Kingdom, United States, and other countries passed down through the generations is the idea of lists of good children and bad children. Throughout the year, Santa supposedly adds names of children to either the good or bad list depending on their behaviour.

When it gets closer to Christmas time, parents use the belief to encourage children to behave well. Those who are on the bad list receive a booby prize, such as a piece of coal or a switch with which their parents beat them, rather than presents. The French equivalent of Santa, Père Noël, evolved along similar lines, eventually adopting the Santa image. In some cultures, Santa Claus is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, or Black Peter.

The current tradition in several Latin American countries [such as Venezuela] holds that while Santa makes the toys, he then gives them to the Baby Jesus, who is the one who delivers them to the children's homes.

In many countries, children leave empty containers for Santa to fill with small gifts such as toys, candy, or fruit. In the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada children hang a Christmas stocking by the fireplace on Christmas Eve because Santa is said to come down the chimney the night before Christmas to fill them. In other countries, children put their empty shoes out for Santa to fill on the night before Christmas, or for Saint Nicholas to fill on December 5, the eve of his saint's day. Family members and friends also bestow gifts on each other.

In most of the world, Christmas gifts are given at night on Christmas Eve or in the morning of Christmas Day.

Saint Nicholas [Greek: "Victory of the people"] is the common name for Saint Nicholas of Myra, who had a reputation for secret gift-giving but is now commonly known as Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas the festive gift-giver

Saint Nicholas Day is a festival for children in much of Europe and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American Santa Claus, Anglo-Canadian, and British Father Christmas derive from this festivity, the name 'Santa’. Read... https://rinkudas919.blogspot.com/search/label/Xmas