What Is the Ultimate Christmas Gift to Share Christ With My Family?
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A Serbian Orthodox priest places the badnjak on a fire during a Christmas Eve commemoration at the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
Christmas (which means "The Mass of Christ") is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. (Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God). Christmas is also a cultural holiday for many non-Christians.
Christmas Mean solar day is historic on the 25th 24-hour interval of December. It is one of the nigh important days of the yr for Christians, along with Easter (which celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus). The season of Appearance begins on a Sunday about iv weeks earlier Christmas. During Advent, people prepare for Christmas.
The Christmas season (called Christmastide) ends 6 January, also called the 12th Day of Christmas. On this day, Christians celebrate Epiphany.
People gloat Christmas in many places around the world. Some people gloat Christmas as a religious holiday. In some places, Christmas is a time of commemoration for Christians and non-Christians alike. Christmas traditions are different in dissimilar countries. However, they almost always include a feast; giving gifts or cards; and enjoying church building or public festivities, like singing Christmas carols and songs. Christmas is not limited to Christianity.
The idea of Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian saint of Greek origin.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Christmastide happens during the winter. Earlier Christmas was e'er celebrated, aboriginal peoples celebrated winter festivals. Some traditions from these aboriginal festivals became Christmas traditions. For instance, some Christmas traditions come from the pagan holiday of Yule.
Today, Christmas traditions frequently focus on gift-giving. Most a month before Christmas 24-hour interval, retail stores beginning selling gifts, food, greeting cards, Christmas trees, and decorations.
The history of Christmas [modify | change source]
Christmas in the Gospels [modify | alter source]
Star marking the birthplace of Jesus Christ in the Grotto of the Nascence in Bethlehem State of israel.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. There are 4 unlike Gospels in the Bible which talk about Jesus's birth. The Gospel of Luke gives details virtually Jesus's birth. The Gospel of Matthew tells another part of the story. The Gospel of John says that Jesus came from God to bring his "Word" (his message) to all people. Christians believe these Gospels are based on fact.
The Gospels say that many years earlier Jesus' birth, prophets had told a promise to the Jewish people that God would transport them a Messiah, or holy teacher. Christians believe that the promised Messiah was Jesus. His mother was a immature adult female called Mary, who was engaged, but non notwithstanding married to a carpenter chosen Joseph. Joseph found out that Mary was meaning and was upset. He was wondering what he should do, when an angel came from God to tell him that the baby was the Holy One. The affections said that he must name the infant. This was a sign that he would take intendance of it like his own kid.
At this time, the Middle Eastward was ruled by the Romans. An order came that all the people had to travel back to their dwelling town, to put their names on the revenue enhancement lists. Joseph took his new married woman to Bethlehem. There was nowhere for them to stay, except a stable where the animals slept. This is where the babe was born. Joseph called him Jesus, as the angel had said.
The baby Jesus had two lots of visitors. On the night he was built-in, angels told some shepherds in the fields that they would find a newborn king lying in an animals' feed bin (or manger). Jesus' other visitors were some wise men who saw a new star in the heaven and followed it, until they institute the house where the family was at present living and gave the young child expensive gifts of gold, incense and a precious herb called myrrh. (The wise men are frequently traditionally called the Iii Kings, considering there were 3 very expensive presents simply the Bible does not say how many wise men in that location were.)
All these parts of the Christmas story are remembered and celebrated in different means at Christmas: in pictures, songs, plays, stories and in models that are called "cribs", "creches" or "presepe".
Date of celebration [change | modify source]
Almost Christian countries of the world use a calendar called the Gregorian Agenda, merely some churches use a calendar called the Julian Calendar. Near Christians, such as those of the Catholic and Protestant Churches, gloat the birth of Jesus on 25 December, although holidays begin on 24 December also known equally Christmas Eve.
The Eastern Orthodox Church however uses the Julian Agenda in some regions such as Russia. In such regions, Christmas is celebrated on 25 Dec in the Julian Calendar, but because of the divergence between the calendars information technology is 7 January in the modernistic Gregorian Calendar.
Some Christians, similar Jehovah's Witnesses, do not celebrate Christmas because there is no teaching from Jesus in the Bible which tells Christians to celebrate his nascency. Mormons celebrate Christmas on 25 December but they believe that Christ'southward actual birth took place on half-dozen April.
Some[ who? ] believe that Jesus was probably not built-in on 25 December. Some historians[ who? ] believe this date was used past the Catholic Church building to replace the pagan rites that took identify at that fourth dimension of the year.
Advent [change | modify source]
Lighting the Advent candles at a church in the US.
The Season of Advent, which begins on Sunday near iv weeks before Christmas Day, is historic by the Cosmic and Anglican Churches, also every bit others. It is a time for people to gear up themselves for 2 different things: for the coming of the baby Jesus and Christmas, and for the second coming of Jesus, when he shall rule over all the Earth in peace. Not all Christian people recall Advent. Some people use it as a time of fasting, study, meditation and prayer. Special Appearance Calendars are made for children, with pictures or treats for each day of Advent.
By and large, Advent is a time when many people are very decorated in preparation for Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating, buying food and presents, writing cards and letters, and cooking the Christmas banquet.
Celebrations [alter | alter source]
Earlier the 4th century AD, Christians could merely worship and celebrate in cloak-and-dagger. The banquet of Christmas probably began while Constantine was the Emperor of Rome, because information technology was he who made Christianity a legal religion and built some of Rome's oldest churches. Some sometime stone coffins or sarcophagi from this time are carved with pictures of Mary and baby Jesus and the Wise Men.
Through the Middle Ages Christmas was celebrated with feasting, singing and plays. The plays were held in churches, and as well in castles and in market places, where a big hay wagon was sometimes used as a stage.
Because Appearance was a fourth dimension of prayer and preparation, most parties were held subsequently Christmas, rather than before it. The main pre-Christmas commemoration was the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December. In some countries, particularly the Netherlands, the tradition grew for children to receive presents on this twenty-four hours, rather than Christmas Mean solar day. The proper noun of Saint Nicholas is now remembered in many countries as Santa Claus.
The procession of St Lucy, Sweden
Another festivity that takes place is the Feast of Saint Lucy (St. Lucia Day) on 13 December which is particularly celebrated in Scandinavia, where girls accept part in candlelit processions, and the daughters of the house must rise early to bring coffee or chocolate to the family unit.
For many centuries, the commemoration of Christmas ofttimes began with a church building service or mass, which lasted from tardily at night to subsequently midnight on Christmas forenoon. Christmas Mean solar day was a time of feasting. On the post-obit day, the Banquet of Saint Stephen people from rich households would carry boxes of food out to the street for the poor and hungry. Many people would go back to work just employers would give gifts of money to their workers. The Holy Days continued with the feast of Saint John and Holy Innocents' Solar day. The feasting and parties ended on the Feast of the Epiphany, the day of the Three Wise Men, often called the "3 Kings". The season is present remembered by the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas". William Shakespeare wrote a play to exist performed as part of the celebration, called "12th Dark".
Christmas shopping in a marketplace in Italia
For many, Christmas has become a time when having parties, sending letters to family unit and friends and giving presents has become more important than the commemoration of Jesus' nascence. Manufacturers and stores have responded to the feasting and nowadays-giving with lots of ad, decorations and displays. In the United states, the Christmas displays are put up right after Thanksgiving, late in November. In some countries such as Australia, stores put up decorations at the beginning of November. Given that Jesus himself called people making money in the Jewish Temple 'robbers' (Matthew 21:13) many Christians are uneasy about turn a profit instead of prophets at Christmas.
Town councils gloat past decorating streets and squares, and providing Christmas amusement for shoppers. In countries of the Southern Hemisphere, where Christmas falls in Summertime, there is a tradition of open-air Carol Services, often organised past the town council, which are attended by thousands of people.
Many Christians celebrate Christmas past attention church, and with prayers and singing. And each year in that location are Bible readings from the Gospels that tell the story of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas Traditions [change | change source]
Map of countries where Christmas is a formal public holiday either on December 24/25 or Jan 6/7. The ruby color shading shows the number of "Days of rest".
Christmas traditions are of several types. There are traditions of the church, traditions which are public celebrations and traditions that are kept by families. These traditions are different in different times, places, cultures and even families.
Traditions of the Church [change | change source]
The celebration of Christmas is a very of import time for churches. Well-nigh every church has special services or celebrations. Here are some of the ways that churches celebrate Christmas.
The Crib [change | change source]
It is the custom in many churches to set up a Crib (or Creche) scene of the Birth or birth of Jesus. The first scene of this blazon was fix by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. They take been very popular in Italy ever since then, and the custom has spread to other countries.
Nativity scenes can be large with life-sized statues, or they can be tiny enough to fit in a matchbox. They are made of many different things including carved and painted forest, brightly coloured ceramics (pottery), painted paper glued to boards, and mixtures of material with clay, woods, material, harbinger and metal used for different parts.
An Advent wreath on the Second Sunday in Advent
The Advent wreath is a circle of leaves, unremarkably pino boughs, ivy and holly, with 4 (or sometimes 5) candles in it which is hung up in a church. The candles are lit on each Sunday in Appearance, and the central candle is lit on Christmas forenoon. Churches are ofttimes decked with dark-green branches and leaves, and many churches besides take a Christmas tree.
Carols by Candlelight [change | modify source]
A pop tradition in many churches is the Carol Service which is often lit simply past candles. The carol service generally has lots of singing and Bible readings. There is a tradition in England which began in the Temple Church in London and has at present spread to many other places for a service of Nine Lessons and Carols. The lessons are Bible readings. Some carols are sung by a choir and others by the choir and people (the congregation). Every twelvemonth ane of these services is recorded in a large English Church, frequently King's College Chapel, Cambridge, and is broadcast on radio and telly to exist enjoyed by people who love good music and carol singing, but particularly for people who cannot get to a Christmas service.
Public and commercial celebrations [change | change source]
A huge Christmas tree in Lisbon, Portugal
Many cities and towns celebrate Christmas by putting upwardly decorations. These may be banners and bunting which are strung from buildings or lampposts. They may exist Christmas lights which tin also decorate buildings and street copse. Many large cities put up a huge Christmas tree in a public place, such as those in Trafalgar Square in London, Times Square in New York and Martin Place in Sydney. This is often combined with an appeal to the people of the metropolis to give money or gifts to help the poor and needy.
In many cities, the usual shopping hours are fabricated longer before Christmas so that workers have more than fourth dimension to buy Christmas food and presents. Shop windows are often busy with Christmas scenes, with large department stores ofttimes having animated scenes to entertain children. Shopping malls and big stores often have a Santa Claus, who sits on a throne, while children tell him what they desire for Christmas, and have their photos taken.
Many towns concord Christmas parades, street entertainment and concerts. Some towns have a tradition of carols with a choir and entertainers in the town hall, while in Australia and New Zealand, these concerts of Christmas entertainment and carols are ordinarily held outdoors, in parks or even on beaches, with families bringing picnics. The arrival of Santa Claus at the cease of the evening is accompanied by a firework display.
A traditional part of Christmas is the theatre amusement. This includes the operation of classical music such as Handel'south Messiah besides as orchestral concerts and band recitals. Pantomimes are often played at Christmas and favourites include "Peter Pan and Wendy" and "Cinderella". Many children'south movies are released during the Christmas season.
Considering many people feel very alone, hungry and sad at Christmas, many cities, churches, charities and service organisations try to aid the poor and solitary by providing Christmas food and gifts for poor families, and Christmas parties for people who are hungry or who are lonely and without whatever friends or family.
Family celebrations [modify | change source]
Family celebrations are ofttimes very unlike from each other, depending on where a family unit comes from, and the customs that have grown in particular families.
Family unit become-togethers [modify | modify source]
A family jubilant Christmas with music and singing
About families think of Christmas as a fourth dimension to assemble with other members of the family unit. People often travel from far abroad to be with other family members at Christmas. Those people who cannot travel often make long-altitude phone calls on Christmas Mean solar day. Many people also see Christmas every bit a time to reach out to others that they know might be lonely, and invite them to dinner on Christmas Twenty-four hour period. Christmas is seen as a time for people of all ages to have fun together, for cousins to get to know each other, for grandparents to come across their grandchildren and for the family to admire the babies that have been born during the yr. Large family parties are usually a time of joy, but some families ofttimes talk about their disagreements and have big fights at Christmas time.
Family traditions are very different. Some families might all become off to church together, to a Carol Service, a Midnight Mass, or a Christmas Morning service. Some families are pulled out of bed very early by children who desire to open up their presents. In other families, presents are given on St. Nicholas Day, on Christmas Eve or not until later on church building on Christmas morning. The Christmas feast might start on Christmas Eve, with a special breakfast on Christmas forenoon, or at midday on Christmas Day.
Some families take a tradition of carol singing, and might get around the streets, to hospitals and other such places singing with members of their church. Other families like to watch sure television programs together, which might include ballad services and the Queen'southward Message. Some families use Christmas as a time to play music and sing together, or to read a favourite book such every bit "A Christmas Ballad" by Charles Dickens. In countries in the Southern Hemisphere, a visit to the beach or a swim in a pool is oftentimes part of the Christmas Twenty-four hours tradition.
Christmas dinner [modify | change source]
Christmas Dinner, ordinarily eaten in the centre of the day, is an of import function of the family unit celebration. The food differs from country to country and besides from family to family unit. In the Northern Hemisphere, roasted meat and vegetables is mostly the main grade of the meal. Usually one of several types of meat are served, which may include turkey, chicken, ham, roast beefiness or lamb. There are oft several courses, with special treats that are ordinarily but eaten at Christmas.
The Christmas pudding is served at the end of Christmas dinner on the verandah in Australia
In English-speaking countries, the traditional dessert is Christmas plum pudding. Present these puddings are frequently bought from bakers, but many people make their own to a family unit recipe. The tradition came from the Middle Ages when the pudding was used to preserve some of the fruit from the autumn until the mid-winter. A traditional pudding is baked 6 weeks earlier Christmas and is left tied upward in a cloth or bowl with a cloth roofing, in a cool place. Stirring the pudding is sometimes a family tradition, with everyone making a wish as they stir. Traditionally a silverish coin would be stirred into the pudding, to bring luck to the person who establish it. Nowadays nearly coins cannot be used considering they are not made of silver so sense of taste horrible and may be poisonous. Some families use old coins or silvery charms. On Christmas Twenty-four hours the pudding must be boiled in a pot for several hours. When it is served, the cloth is cut off, brandy is poured onto the pudding, and information technology is set on fire earlier it is carried to the tabular array. Christmas crackers are used to decorate and are often opened prior to serving dish or starter course. It is usually served with hard sauce.
Many families have a Christmas cake or a special bread instead of a pudding (or also as a pudding). These are very dissimilar depending on the state, but oftentimes have marzipan which is made from almonds and is traditional in many countries at Christmas. In France Buche de Noäl or gingerbread men and women are busy and hung on the Christmas tree. In Scotland a pastry biscuit called shortbread is fabricated and has become a popular tradition in many countries. A German tradition is pfeffernuss, spiced cookies rolled in powdered sugar. Other Christmas nutrient includes raisins, sultanas, ginger, Greek baklava, almonds, chocolates, caramel toffee, candy canes and oranges.
Many families also prepare mulled vino which is warmed with cinnamon and nutmeg or egg nogs, a sweet drink made of milk, sugar, eggs, nutmeg and sometimes booze.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the traditional roast dinner is often replaced with common cold cuts of meat, and served with salads. The beginning form might be prawn cocktail or a common cold soup similar borsch. The plum pudding might be served with water ice cream. White wine and beer are both served common cold (beer is kept in a refrigerator). Christmas dinner may exist served on the veranda, or sometimes every bit a picnic.
Tree and decorations [change | alter source]
In near homes when Christmas is celebrated, people set up a Christmas tree in the firm. This onetime Yuletide custom began in Germany as the "Tannenbaum" (High german for Fir Tree). These are traditionally evergreens, the best type existence the Fir Tree which does not shed its needles or lose its fragrance. The tree may be a cut tree that is bought from a plantation or taken from the forest. Artificial copse are sometimes preferred to existent trees. The Christmas tree is decorated with lights, shiny coloured assurance, sparkly tinsel and other ornaments. A wreath of leaves or pine is ofttimes put on the forepart door of a house as a sign of welcome. Other plants that have special significance at Christmas are holly which is used as decoration and mistletoe which is hung in the centre of a room. The tradition is that people who see under the mistletoe must kiss.
Many people decorate their homes at Christmas time. These decorations and the Christmas tree are more often than not within, only may exist put where they can also be seen through a window by people passing by. In the mid 20th century there grew up a custom for decorating the exterior of houses as well. These decorations may be just a few lights around the porch, or hundreds of lights and colourful Christmas figures decorating the whole house and garden. Some neighbourhoods concord competitions for the best-decorated house, and driving effectually the streets to look at them has become some other family tradition.
Santa Claus is a popular Christmas tradition.
Cards and presents [alter | alter source]
The giving of gifts at Christmas comes from several different ideas. One is that God gave his son, Jesus, to the world at Christmas. There is also the story of the Wise Men who came to the baby Jesus with iii gifts, golden, frankincense and myrrh. For many centuries it has been the custom for people to requite small gifts at Christmas, and also to give generously to the poor and needy to assistance them through the winter. Another tradition has become linked to this i, and the result is the tradition of Santa Claus, or Father Christmas as he is sometimes called, and who is nowadays thought by many children to be the bringer of presents and happiness.
In the 4th century, in a Greek village that is now part of Turkey, there was a good man who would secretly given presents to the poor to help them. He became a bishop and is called Saint Nicholas. Over the centuries, he became a very pop saint and lots of churches were named after him. He was very pop in places where there were lots of sailors. One of those places was the Netherlands. In the Netherlands and many other European countries, presents are given on the feast of Saint Nicholas, half dozen Dec. Traditionally, the presents are non big, and are sometimes hidden, or accept a funny joke or poem that must exist read. In many towns of Europe a man dressed in bishop'south robes comes on a horse or in a boat, acting as St. Nicholas. His proper noun was oftentimes shortened to Sante Claus, or Santa Claus in English.
Christmas presents delivered by Santa.
In English speaking countries, where presents are ordinarily given on Christmas Day, not 6 Dec, Santa Claus, (or Father Christmas) is normally thought of as coming on Christmas Night, when his magic sleigh is pulled across the sky past reindeer, and he comes into houses through the chimney. While in Europe, children put out their shoes for St. Nicholas, the English tradition is to hang upwards stockings (or long socks) in front of the fireplace. Santa Claus would traditionally fill the socks or shoes with nuts, raisins, chocolates and an orange. Nowadays children commonly get much more expensive presents, and hang upwards pillow cases or take the presents in a big pile under the Christmas tree.
Another Christmas tradition is the sending of cards to friends and relatives. These incorporate warm greetings and may too have a letter of the alphabet telling all the things that have happened to the person or family unit during the year.
[change | change source]
- Christianity
- Advent
- Epiphany (holiday)
- Carnival
- Easter
- Pentecost
- Holiday
Other websites [change | change source]
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christmas . |
- Christmas at the Open up Directory Project
- (in French) & (Occitan) Traditional Christmas carols from County of Prissy, France
| U.Due south. federal holidays |
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| New year's Day | Martin Luther King, Jr. Solar day | Presidents' Mean solar day | Memorial Mean solar day | Independence Day Labor Day | Columbus Day | Veterans Day | Thanksgiving Twenty-four hours | Christmas Day |
Source: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
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