Christmas (from the Old English,
meaning 'Christ's Mass') is a commemoration of the birth of Jesus
Christ. Christmas is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday on
December 25 by billions of people around the world.
According to popular tradition, the
birth of Jesus took place in a stable surrounded by farm animals. A
manger (a feeding trough) is mentioned in Luke 2:7. The precise date
of Jesus' birth is unknown.
The original date of the celebration in
Eastern Christianity was January 6th, in connection with
Epiphany. The Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on
December 25th sometime in the 4th century,
possibly to coincide with the solstice.
The holiday has been known by various
names throughout its history, such as Midwinter, Nativity, Xmas,
Yule, and Noel. The popular customs associated in various countries
have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes.
Countries in which Christmas is not a
formal public holiday include China (except Hong Kong and Macao),
Japan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Thailand, Nepal, Iran, Turkey, and
North Korea.
Christmas Controversy Throughout the Years
Following the Protestant Reformation, groups such as the Puritans
strong condemned the celebration, considering it a Catholic
inventions and the 'trappings of popery.'
England's Puritan rulers banned Christmas in 1647. The Restoration of
King Charles II in 1660 ended the ban.
The Presbyterian Church of Scotland also discouraged the observance
of Christmas. James VI commanded its celebration in 1618, but
attendance at church was scant.
The Parliament of Scotland officially abolished Christmas in 1640. It
was not until 1958 that Christmas again became a Scottish public
holiday.
In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England shared disapproval
of Christmas. The celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to
1681. The ban was revoked by English governor Sir Edmund Andros, but
it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating
Christmas became fashionable in the Boston Region.
Christmas fell out of favor in the US after the American Revolution,
since it was considered an English custom.
President Theodore Roosevelt, an environmentalist, banned Christmas
trees from the White House in 1912.
In 1870, Christmas was formally declared a United States Federal
holiday, signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.
The American Civil Liberties Union has initiated court cases to bar
the display of images and other Christmas material from public
property, including schools.
In November 2009, the Federal appeals court in Philadelphia endorsed
a school district's ban on the singing of Christmas carols.
Christmas Trees and Decorations
The Christmas tree is considered by
some as Christianisation of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding
the Winter Solstice. The first artificial trees were made using dyed
goose feathers.
The first commercially produced
decorations appeared in Germany in the 1860s, inspired by paper
chains made by children.
The words, 'Christmas tree' was first
recorded in 1835. By the 1870s, people in the US had adopted the
custom of putting up a Christmas tree.
The traditional colors of Christmas are
red, green and gold.
The earliest known Christmas tree
decorations were apples.
The poinsettia is a native plant from
Mexico and has been associated with Christmas since the 19th
century. Other popular plants are holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis,
and Christmas cactus.
Poinsettias are NOT poisonous, but
holly berries are.
The tallest Christmas tree ever cut was
a 221 foot Douglas fir, displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping
Center in Seattle, WA.
Christmas Cards and Carols
'Jingle Bells' was copyrighted in 1857.
The first commercial Christmas card was
produced by Sir Henry Cole in London in 1843.
The earliest Christmas hymn appear in
4th century Rome.
Each year, more than 3 billion
Christmas cards are sent in the US alone!
The songs we know as carols were
originally communal folk songs. Later, they were sung in church.
Christmas Cuisine
Sicilians serve 12 kinds of fish on Christmas Eve.
In England and other countries influenced by its traditions, a
standard Christmas meal includes a turkey or goose. Special desserts
are also served, such as Christmas pudding, mince pies, and fruit
cake.
In Poland and other parts of eastern Europe and Scandinavia, fish is
traditionally used for the main course.
In Germany, France, and Austria, goose and pork are favored.
The Maltese serve a chocolate and chestnuts beverage after Midnight
Mass.
Gift Giving
The exchange of gifts is one of the core aspects of modern Christmas,
making the season the most profitable for retailers throughout the
world.
Gift giving was common in the the Roman celebration of Saturnalia and
may have influenced Christmas customs.
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were given to the infant Jesus by the
Biblical Magi.
Santa Claus
A number of figures are associated with Christmas and the giving of
gifts: Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, Pere Noel,
Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, Joulupukki, Babbo Natale, Saint Basil, and
Father Frost.
The modern popular image of Santa Claus was created in the US and
made his first appearance in 1810, drawn in bishops' robes.
The
German-American cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902) drew an image of
Santa Claus annually, beginning in 1863. By the 1880s, Nast's Santa
had evolved into the figure we now recognize. The image was
standardized in the 1920s.
Current
tradition in some Latin American countries hold that while Santa
makes the toys, he gives them to the Baby Jesus, who is the one that
delivers them to the homes.
Each
year, there are approximately 20,000 'rent-a-Santas' across the US
who undergo seasonal training on maintaining a jolly attitude under
pressure from the public.
Family Traditions
My
family celebrates Christmas at our home. In the morning, we open our
gifts and eat a special breakfast of stuffed french toast, before
changing into our personalized Christmas pajamas. Yup! That's the family's Christmas outfit! (The family is growing—a new set with
additional pairs is required for next year!) We pop open English
Christmas crackers before sitting down to a big Italian dinner (We
used to have a traditional Polish second dinner also!) One of my
favorite traditions is reading 'The Night Before Christmas' with my
daughter on Christmas Eve.
Next post: Hanukkah
Next post: Hanukkah
Do
you celebrate Christmas? What are some of your favorite traditions?
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