With the joy of winter and the month of December, also comes the happiness of getting to celebrate Christmas. Celebrated every year on 25 December, Christmas is believed to be the birth of Jesus Christ, the one who saved the world from evil, sin, and showed a better way of living. And with the birth of Christ, Christmas became a time of joy, giving, and family.
Origin and facts of Christmas day
According to many skeptics and reports, not many believe that Christmas, or December 25, is the day when Jesus Christ was born! In fact, some even say that the Bible nowhere mentions the birth of Jesus on December 25, and rather was a date chosen by Pope Julius in the 4th century.
And in the initial months, years, and even decades, Christmas was a purely religious observance, focusing on nativity scenes, church service, and the message of peace and goodwill. But over time, it absorbed in itself elements from various cultures, called to many other people, across traditions and beliefs, and became the Christmas as we know today.
See More: Merry Christmas 2024: Top 50 Wishes, Messages and Quotes to share with your loved onesRare facts about Christmas
The most common thing everyone on Earth, across religions, knows about Christmas is that Jesus was born on this day, and one can savour endless amounts of rum cake on the day. But, did you know that back in the 17th century, Puritans in England banned Christmas?
Well, it is said that they viewed Christmas celebrations as frivolous and un-Christian, and thus banned any festivities. It is believed that the Puritans claimed that there was no mention of Christmas celebration in the Bible, and thus it was best to stop all ‘celebrations’ immediately as they were un-holy.
After about 12-14 years when the Monarchy came back to regime, the Christmas celebrations did too.
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75+ Christmas wishes, quotes and messages inspired by famous quotes and poems 2024 How did Santa come into being?
We all know Santa as a happy, jolly, old man in red clothes, singing about while riding the reindeer sleigh. But, how did Santa’s image come into being?
The modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly man in a red suit was popularised by Coca-Cola’s 1930s advertisements.
How did the Christmas tree come into being? The Christmas tree tradition has origins in 16th-century Germany, where people decorated evergreen trees with candles and ornaments.
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Weird yet fascinating Christmas traditions from across the worldThe significance of Christmas
While the main feeling of Christmas is about the birth of Christ, it also extends to the love, happiness, joy, and togetherness people felt when Christ was born.
Today, Christmas celebrations are much more than nativity plays and making cakes in joy! They are also about spreading kindness through charity, teaching people and children about the Bible, highlighting how the Bible too asks every man to donate and help the next man, and much more.
In the reading circuits, people have the stories of Scrooge, the grumpy man who fell in love with the Christmas spirit, and in the singing circles are the choir hymns everybody loves.
In recent years, Christmas has also been the time to celebrate nature. With the decorated trees, the wooden decor elements, hanging the mistletoe, having natural, soft light all along the homes, and much more.
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50+ Merry Christmas Wishes, Messages, Greetings and Quotes to share joy and cheer of the seasonUnique Christmas traditions
Christmas traditions vary all across the world, and there is something special about every celebration. From Japan’s KFC eating, to India’s rum-cake making, here we mention some unique Christmas traditions.
Giant lantern festival In San Fernando, Philippines, the Giant Lantern Festival is the highlight of the Christmas season. It features parol lanterns, that are a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, and these lit up the city through the days building up to Christmas.
KFC for ChristmasIn Japan, Christmas is not a religious holiday but a time for unique traditions. And today, eating KFC has become a popular Christmas custom, with families pre-ordering special meals weeks in advance.
Krampus of Austria A rather scary Christmas tradition comes from Austria, where Krampus, a horned figure, punishes children who misbehave.
La Befana of Italy In the days following Christmas, all the Italian children await La Befana, a kind witch who delivers gifts on January 5th.
Indian Christmas In India, Christmas traditions are wide and varied. From little children waiting for Santa to give them toffees and gifts, to following the West and hanging socks somewhere in the home for Santa. But, the two most famous Indian traditions of Christmas are - Evening choirs and cakes.
Choir groups go from home to home, singing the praises of Christ, talking about his birth, his sacrifices, and much more. The famous song of ‘We three Kings’ is sung through the choir, and the guitar tunes during it are fantastic.
Another tradition is of cake making for which people and Churches organise special classes and days. The cake making and mixing process is open to all, no matter which religion, and people get together to mix fruits, dry fruits, rum, flour, tutti frutti, juice, and much more to the cake mix.
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Merry Christmas 2024: Best Messages, Quotes, Wishes and Images to share on ChristmasFuture-Proof Your Child with AI Skills | Limited Early Bird Seats – 33% OFF! | WhatsApp: 9560500838