Christmas Day is the day of celebration to the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, who came into earthy existence to save humankind from sins and misdeeds. People decorate their home and Christmas trees during the day and also hang their stockings and socks, looking forward to the gifts and presents from Christmas father, aka Santa Claus.
The word 'Christmas' etymologically means the Mass of Christ or Jesus. Thus, Christmas is the day of Mass service where the Christians remember the God Jesus died for people and then came back to life.
Christmas comes with diversified significance and enjoyment. Nevertheless, it is the day of the family reunion to share and enjoy the love for each other.
Why Christmas Is Important?
Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December every year, and we all know Christmas Day is the day of celebration for families and friends to come together to share and enjoy the love for each other. Yeah, Christmas Day comes with lots of good vibes, gifts, and celebrations, and it also carries a religious significance in Christianity.
Christmas Day is the annual festival in the respect and recall of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be a God becoming a man to save humanity from the sins.
As of this date, Christmas is celebrated all around the world, and it has numerous worthy importances in many ways. It is an auspicious event to get together with the near and dear ones and share the love and joy enrich with food, music, as well as the charitable projects.
As per the Pew Research Center survey (2017), around 90% of Americans and 95% of Christians celebrate Christmas Day. And they believe that the components of the Biblical story of the special day manifest the real historical events based on the birth of Jesus and his struggles. Not only the Christians but the people with non-faiths, Buddhism, Islamic, and Hinduism beliefs come into the 6% of people who get themselves into the day.
Altogether over 2 billion people in more than 160 countries consider Christmas as one of the biggest festivals in the name and respect of Jesus Christ.
Apart from that, Christmas Day also comes with several other occasions, including Advent, Epiphany, Las Posadas, and Christingles around its celebration.
How Christmas Is Celebrated?
Since Christmas is knocking at people's doors all around the world, they are more eager to celebrate the special day in their own way. A common way to celebrate Christmas goes this way;
1) Decoration
Decoration means the decoration of the environment, and when it comes to Christmas, it includes the decoration of trees and houses. For the decoration of trees, you can have a live tree or an artificial one. Then, you can tie up the string of lights all over the tree from top to bottom. Similarly, you can add the garlands of popcorns and cranberries. Also, you can put your favorite ornaments in the tree.
A Christmas Tree is decorated on the Christmas Day, 25 December (©: Getty Images)
2) Setting Up The Christmas Lights
When you can't stop dreaming of decorating your house, you should not stop acting on it. You can line the roof of your house with electric lights and thread them to the Christmas trees. You can also take the lining to your bookshelf, walls, and tables, which would be a fantastic decoration.
3) Hanging Stocks
Many people, especially children, believe that Santa Claus fills their socks with coins and foods when they hang their socks in the mantle. You can hang your actual socks in the mantle, near Christmas trees, and on a stair railing.
4) Nativity Scenes
Nativity Scene illustrates the birth of Jesus Christ, mother Mary, Joseph, the three wise men, shepherds, and all the animals that were in the present during his birth. You can place the Nativity scene in your homes, mantle, or outside as well.
Christmas In UK
Christmas Day is a holiday in the United Kingdom. Here, people celebrate Christmas with their family to watch open their presents and gifts. Almost all families decorate the Christmas trees and their houses for Christmas. The trend of decorating Christmas trees was popularized by Prince Albert, who was the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert, who was a German, brought the trend to England for good terms.
For the decoration of homes, people of the UK often use Holy, Ivy, and Mistletoe. And the towns, villages are covered with Christmas lights. Similarly, Carol Services and Nativity plays are famous during the time.
Most of the children hang their stockings and socks over the fire or near the bed, believing that Santa Claus would leave the presents for them. Also, they write letters to their parents and Santa Claus, which are often burned into the fire. They believe that the letters go up through the chimney as smoke and Santa reads those letters.
The Christmas meal is usually taken at lunchtime or early afternoon in the UK. The meal features roast turkey, roast vegetables, including carrots and peas. In the meantime, the dinner table is decorated with a Christmas cracker with flowers and candles.
Besides that, the UK is famous for the Christmas cake covered with marzipan and icing. People get involved in Carol singing called 'The Sheffield Carols,' which are performed in the local pubs.
Christmas Events And Programs
During the Christmas holiday, several programs and events are taking place throughout the world.
Some of them are enlisted as Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Banff, Christmas in Calgary: Parades, Carols, Events, Lights & Markets, Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, Christmas at Canada Place, Singing Christmas Tree in Edmonton, Christmas Lights at Spruce Meadows, and Lions’ Festival of Lights in Confederation Park.
Singing Christmas Tree in Edmonton (©: Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree)
There will also be several family and community events during Christmas Day. Similarly, the Christmas Carol and Nativity plays will be the icing to the top of the day.
Christmas And New Year Greetings
Christmas Day comes not only with the celebration of Jesus's birth but also with best wishes and greetings. People exchange their well-wishes to each other during the special day for their prolonged love and prosperity.
We can see the houses and stores filled with the Christmas and New Year greetings in the mid-winter all over the world.
Christmas Greeting card (©: messages.365greetings.com)
Some of the finest greetings for Christmas and New Year are listed below:
'Merry Christmas! Hoping you are surrounded by love this holiday.'
'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! May these special days fulfill your life with happiness and wealth.'
'Skol! to the joyful present and well-remembered past and best wishes for the Christmas and magnificent New Year.'
'I wish you many blessings, happiness, and more love for Christmas time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.'
Brief History of Christmas
Christmas Day has been a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural existence. Generally, it is celebrated as the anniversary of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
However, the mid-winter had been celebrated with joy and love centuries before Jesus came into the earth. History suggests that European used to celebrate the light and birth during the darkest days of winter. The Norsemen or Vikings of Scandinavia used to cherish the winter solstice from 21 December until January.
A portrayal of God Jesus Christ (©: Wikimedia Commons)
Also, at an early age, Easter was celebrated as the main festival of Christians instead of Christmas. Later, in the fourth century, the church officials decided Christmas as a holiday. Although many people believe that the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus is true, some suggest that his birth may have occurred in the spring, questioning the shepherds be herding in the middle of winter.
Despite the baffling stories, the Feast of the Nativity got influence by Egypt by 432 and also to England in the late sixth century. When it came to the end of the eighth century, the culture got seeded in Scandinavia's societies.
However, Christmas was canceled in the early seventeenth century after Oliver Cromwell annexed England in 1645. Later, Charles II restored the tradition of celebrating the day with people's demands.
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Regarding the scenario of America, Christmas Day was not mentioned as a holiday in the early days. As per history.com, anybody who would bestow the Christmas vibes around the society would get fined of five shillings in between 1659 to 1681. Later, the circumstances of the nation changed after the American Revolution, including Christmas Day. However, it was not declared a holiday until 26 June 1870.
Throughout the years and centuries, Americans have re-invented the day from a harsh annual festival into a family-centered enjoyment. As of now, Christmas Day carries numerous significances, including family reunions.