”You’re the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.” (Linus )
“The birth of Jesus has become more about greed, consumerism, and a jolly fat man in red.”
How many of us have felt like Charlie Brown about Christmas? Creator Charles Schultz was onto something long before it became the reality it is today. The birth of Jesus has become more about greed, consumerism, and a jolly fat man in red. Charlie’s sister, Sally, sums it up pretty nicely when she demands, “All I want is what I have coming to me…all I want is my fair share!” Christmas has turned into an entitlement.
The birth of Jesus represents the hope of mankind. “Born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord,” the Angel of the Lord proclaimed. This purpose of this article is not to say it is wrong to celebrate Christmas in the cultural way we do, but don’t miss the true meaning.
When is Christmas?
Christmas is always celebrated in America on the 25th of December, but the day of the week rotates. Here are the days of the week Christmas falls on for the next five years:
- Saturday, December 25, 2021
- Sunday, December 25, 2022
- Monday, December 25, 2023
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
- December 25, 2025
Why is Christmas on December 25th?
December 25th is not the birth date of Jesus Christ, the spiritual leader and founder of Christianity whose birth is the reason why many people celebrate Christmas. The Bible doesn’t say when he was born, and the few clues we havelike shepherds guarding their flocks outside hint that it may have been in the spring.
It wasn’t until three and half centuries after Christ’s birth that the date December 25th was chosen to celebrate his birthday. Pope Julius I picked the date in 350 AD, and it was formalized in 529 AD, when Roman Emperor Justinian declared Christmas to be a civic holiday.
The date wasn’t a random pick. Many historians believe that both the Pope and the Emperor liked this date because it coincided with the pagan festivals celebrating the winter solstice, which dated back for centuries. Combining Christmas with these ancient celebrations allowed the church to keep the winter holiday tradition while refocusing the party on the “new” religion of Christianity; many of the pagan rituals were ditched in the process.
Choosing a date near the shortest day of the year may have also been symbolic, according to another theory. Each day afterward, the sun would grow progressively brighter, much like how the Christ child developed from infant to immortal.
What does the word Christmas mean?
A big step in rebranding the old holiday was to give it a new, religious name. In fact, the word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, Old English for “Christ’s Mass,” which references the Catholic tradition of holding a special mass ceremony to celebrate Jesus.
The origin of Christmas: How did Christmas begin?
Today, Christmas is both a religious and cultural holiday, centered around the birth of Jesus and celebrated all over the world. Mid-winter celebrations, usually surrounding the winter solstice, were a staple of many different cultures. After Jesus died, early Christian celebrations focused mainly on his crucifixion and resurrection, so Easter was the original big Christian holiday.
However, about three centuries later, when the Christian church had become much larger and more influential, religious and political leaders wanted a way to make the Christian holidays more popular while still allowing for the traditional celebrations people already enjoyed. Combining Christmas and the winter solstice even if it meant giving Jesus an arbitrary birth date, as mentioned above was the solution.
As Christianity spread across the globe, so did the Christian holidays, including Christmas. From there, it became celebrated in a wide variety of ways as different cultures adapted it to their specific needs.
Raising a joyful noise is a favorite Christmas tradition for many people. There’s just something special about singing these Christmas songs, especially when you go caroling with a group of loved ones. The best ways to celebrate Christmas are.
1.Christmas Trees
The tradition of cutting down an evergreen tree, setting it up indoors, and decorating it for Christmas originated in Germany in the 16th century. Since then, it’s become one of the most well-loved holiday traditions of all time, whether you have a real or fake tree. Try these DIY Christmas ornaments to make it all the more special.
- Giving Gifts
There are many ways to show your love for others during the holiday season, and giving gifts is a popular one. According to them gift-giving tradition remind them the gifts that the three wise men brought to the baby Jesus.
- DeckingYourHalls
Decorating your home, yard, office, car, or even yourself is a great way to bring a festive, happy touch to the dark days of winter. Many people love making their own Christmas decorations and sporting funny ugly Christmas sweaters to bring the holiday cheer.
4.UpLights
Twinkly lights are an essential component of decorating for the holidays. Whether they hang like icicles, explode like starbursts, take up a whole city block, or just glow merrily in the dark, they add the perfect touch.
5.A Wreath On Your Front Door
Hanging a round evergreen wreath on your door at Christmastime is to represent eternal life. It’s also a good way to make your home more festive in a flash.
6.Creating a Festive Dinner Table
A sumptuous feast becomes more appealing when you put on a beautiful tablecloth or a table laid out with festive decorations.
- Eating Popular Christmas Food
What is Christmas without traditional foods? Each culture and family have their own special menus, but here are some of the most popular treats and traditions:
CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Whether you bake them to share with others or for your own enjoyment, nothing says “it’s the holidays” like the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies.
- Honey Ham
A spiral-cut glazed ham is a popular centerpiece for Christmas dinner. And we pretty much guarantee that the whole family will love these Christmas ham recipes. Roasted turkey is another popular option.
- Canes
These minty red-and-white-striped confections are a staple in both decorating and eating. They’re just one of the Christmas candies you can only find around the holidays.
