Christmas is celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. Christmas to me is a celebration, which includes spending time with my family, decorating the entire house, inside and out, and shopping, for the people I love. Doing this with the people I love is what means the most to me. The children love to see each other and spend the day playing games and sharing their new gifts and toys that Santa Claus brought for each of them.

“Adorn your houses like a fairy,
Tis’ a season to be jolly and merry.”

While some of us are already feeling festive with the onset of December, the winter season sends the Christmas vibes all over the world.

Christmas means Gift-giving, family and other social gatherings, symbolic decoration, feasting, etc.

Festivals commemorate significant moments in every religion’s calendar. Christians mark important events in the life of Jesus Christ with reverence, prayer and joyful celebration.

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). 

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

• Jesus was born to Mary, a virgin who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter, in the town of Nazareth.
• Before Jesus was born, Mary was visited by an angel who told her that she would give birth to a baby boy, whom she should name Jesus.
• According to Matthew, Jesus was born in Bethlehem because Joseph and Mary had been ordered to go there to take part in a census in Joseph’s home town.
• When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem the local inn was already full of people returning for the census.
• The innkeeper let them stay in the stable where Mary gave birth to her son and laid him in a manger.
• Luke tells how shepherds were led to Jesus by an angel.

Why is Christmas celebrated?

Christmas is an annual festival remembering the birth of Jesus, observed on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. It is preceded by the season of Advent Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and ends on Twelfth Night. 

The traditional Christmas narrative, the Nativity of Jesus, says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room and so they were offered a stable where the Christ Child was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds who then further disseminated the information.

Although the month and date of Jesus’ birth are unknown, the church in the early fourth century fixed the date as December 25. This corresponds to the date of the winter solstice on the Roman calendar. Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world. However, some Eastern Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to a January date in the Gregorian calendar.

How is Christmas celebrated?

The celebration starts from the Christmas Eve i.e. 24th December every year, as per the Gregorian calendar. The next day is Christmas Day (the main day), which is celebrated on 25th December. The 3rd day is known as Boxing Day, which is celebrated one day after Christmas i.e. on 26th December.

Christmas is celebrated in different forms across more than 160 nations and among billions of people. Traditionally, Christmas decorations start with – decorations of house with stars, colorful lights, Christmas tree, and the Crib.

Christmas celebration is then followed by the preparation of cakes and cookies. People also sing Christmas carols (songs) expressing their joy and happiness, welcoming Jesus Christ.

The celebration of Christmas incorporates :

The Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is an evergreen trimmed with lights, decorations, and the tree in the Garden of Eden. The use of the Christmas tree began early in the 17th century.

A Christmas without the Christmas tree is incoherent. The fragrance and essence of the Xmas trees have been an integral part of the celebrations as well as of the family unit since time immemorial. The celebrations usually begin with the selection of the tree and carries on with the decorations till the day of Christ, when all the revelry takes place in front of this very tree. Gifts are placed under the tree, as family and friends gather around to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Santa Claus

The whole persona of Santa Claus is well etched out and is a very attractive icon of children. Christmas is a festivity most awaited by children and this has immensely helped in the survival of the legends of Santa Claus and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. 

This version of Santa has given the current myth its visual form and some very curious traditions. A merry old man with red and white clothes, along with eight flying reindeer, which is later joined by Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. The home of Santa Clause is located on or near the North Pole and he is in habit of filling socks or stockings with presents on the night of December 24th. 

How do Christians celebrate Christmas?

• Christmas is celebrated in a variety of ways. The story of Jesus’ birth, called the nativity, is often retold by children in nativity plays.
• Church services often include a carol service. Some Christians start Christmas Day with a midnight service, called Midnight Mass.
• Christians often celebrate Christmas by giving and receiving presents and cards. This reminds them of the gift of Jesus, beginning his earthly life.

What is the Best Way of Celebrating Christmas?

Jesus Christ gave world the lesson of love!! He taught us that we all have the same source and are related to each other in some way or the other. If you speculate you will come to know that only a few of us only understand the real message of the almighty. There are just a few of us who fan the flames of the real potential and savor the beautifully created magic of God.

It’s the time you can find out the best way to celebrate this beautiful day.

1. Help the Poor and underprivileged
And, Jesus was sent to the earth to help people understand the significance of giving and the compassion that it emanates. And, helping somebody soul to fill satisfied can be the greatest investment one can ever make in a lifetime. One of the best ways to assure the almighty that you are following the teachings of Christ.

2. Vow to finance a child’s education
If you really want to be mindful and invest in something really meaningful, then make it point to finance a child’s education on Christmas day celebration. If not all make sure that you choose one life, one child arbitrarily and give him/her a bright future the same as you think of giving to your own child.

3. Gift to Show your affection
Make sure that no one is missed!! Gift everyone, you know closely irrespective of what may be the distance between you two. It does not matter what is the material value of your gift but, it will definitely bring that shower of smile on their face.

4. Spend time in an elderly home
The angels first came to convey the arrival of Jesus on the earth, to the Shepherds and in that way, God wanted to convey us the message that, power is about making others powerful. And, it would be a great idea to spend quality time in an elderly home talking to those beautiful left hearts living in seclusion.

5. Dictate some lessons of Jesus to the children
And, it’s Christmas again and it calls for spreading the message of Jesus, he expects us all to be his messenger. Start it with you own little children who are not that well known to the principles of living. It will be a great way of helping the society and helping your children.

6. Say Bye-Bye to Resentments & Send a Sorry Note
And, Christmas celebration is the perfect time when you can say bye-bye to all the past resentments with people around. It is the perfect time to make up for all the relationships and start it all over again. Let love flow in it’s with its real essence; let the light of enlightenment glow all through the world.

These are some perfectly perfect ways of celebrating Christmas that will not only satisfy your soul and nurture it with positivity but will all help in spreading the pious and generous message of Jesus Christ. Let the crusty experiences vanish with this effort of beautifying not only your said home but the home that the whole universe makes.

How Christmas is celebrated around the world!

Christmas or X-MAS?

Christmas is also sometimes known as Xmas. Some people don’t think it’s correct to call Christmas ‘Xmas’ as that takes the ‘Christ’ (Jesus) out of Christmas. 

But that is not quite right! In the Greek language, the letter that looks like an X is the Greek letter chi / Χ ( ‘kye’) which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Christos.

The early church used the first two letters of Christos in the Greek alphabet ‘chi’ and ‘rho’ to create a monogram (symbol) to represent the name of Jesus. This looks like an X with a small p on the top: ☧

This symbol of a fish is sometimes used by Christians. So Xmas can also mean Christmas, but it should also be pronounced ‘Christmas’ rather than ‘ex-mas’!

Merry Christmas and Happy Christmas

We wish people a ‘Happy Birthday’, and ‘Happy Holidays’, so why do we say ‘Merry Christmas’ more often than ‘Happy Christmas’?!

Saying ‘Merry Christmas’ rather than ‘Happy Christmas’ seems to go back several hundred years. It’s first recorded in 1534 when John Fisher wrote it in a Christmas letter to Thomas Cromwell: “And this our Lord God send you a merry Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire.”

There’s also the song “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” which dates back to the 16th century in England. 

In the English language of the time, the phrase ‘Rest You Merry’ didn’t mean simply to be happy; ‘Rest’ meant “to keep, cause to continue to remain” and ‘merry’ could mean “pleasant, bountiful, prosperous”. So you could write the first line as “[May] God keep you and continue to make you successful and prosperous!

FUN WITH SANTA

READ ALSO: Why We Celebrate Diwali

POEM: The Night Before Christmas – 

It’s the night before Christmas, and all through the town,
St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,
While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child.

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,
The grown-ups wouldn’t bother, “There’s no room,” they said;

When even the innkeeper sent them away,
Joseph was wondering, where they would stay?

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,
“Let’s go there,” said Mary, “it’s silent and still.”

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,
Our Saviour was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,
He sent for His angels, His couriers of love.

More rapid than eagles God’s bright angels came,
Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

“Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,
Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,
Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give.”

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,
And saw in the heavens an unearthly light.

The Angels assured them, they’d nothing to fear,
It’s Christmas they said, the Saviour is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,
Till Mary invited them in to adore.

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,
Ne’er did the Shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,
He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,
And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day.

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,
“Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of goodwill!”

Christmas Wallpapers !!! Christmas Wishes Cards

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