What Is Christmas And Why Should We Celebrate It?

Crowds of people dressed up, going door to door asking for treats and threatening mischief if homeowners don’t pay… Sounds like Halloween. This was actually one way Christmas was celebrat in the Middle Ages. This is right! Our modern Christmas, which is celebrat with Christmas traditions such as presents and trees, and marked with Christmas symbols such as stars and candy canes, is a far cry from how Christmas started.

What is Christmas, and why is it celebrate in December? Here’s everything you need about America’s most beloved holiday.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is an annual sacred Christian holiday. It commemorates Jesus Christ’s birth. Although many celebrate Christmas to commemorate Jesus’ birth, it is also celebrate around the world as a cultural holiday.

What Time Is Christmas?

The 25th of December is the American Christmas holiday. However, the day of week changes. These are the five days on which Christmas falls over the next five years.

• Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022
• Monday, Dec. 25, 2023
• Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024
• Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025
• Friday, Dec. 25, 2026

What Is The Significance Of Christmas On December 25th?

Why is Christmas always on December 25th each year? It’s believed that Jesus was born on December 25, but this is false. It doesn’t state when Jesus was born. The few clues that we have, such as shepherds protecting their flocks from the elements outside, suggest it could have been in the Spring.

Three-and-a half centuries after Christ’s death, the date of Dec. 25 was adopted to commemorate his birthday. The date was chosen by Pope Julius I in 350 AD. It was officially established in 529 AD when Roman Emperor Justinian made Christmas a public holiday. This timeline is controversial and ongoing research into early Christian history is underway.

This date was not a random choice. Many historians believe the Pope and Emperor enjoyed this date due to the overlap with pagan festivals that celebrate the winter solstice. These pagan festivals go back many centuries. The winter solstice falls on Dec. 21 or 22 depending on the year. The church combined Christmas and these ancient celebrations to preserve the winter holiday tradition, while refocusing the party around the “new” religion Christianity. Many pagan rituals were also dropped.

Another theory suggests that choosing a date close to the shortest day in the year could have been symbolic. The sun would gradually grow brighter each day, just like the Christ child, who went from an infant to becoming immortal.

It Is Called Christmas Because Of Its Origins.

The first step in rebranding an old holiday was to give it another religious name. The Christmas word actually comes from Cristes Maesse, Old English meaning “Christ’s Mass,” and refers to the Catholic tradition of having a special mass to celebrate Jesus.

What Was Christmas Like When It Began?

Christmas today is both a cultural and religious holiday. It centers around Jesus’ birth and is celebrate worldwide. The winter solstice was the center of many cultures’ Midwinter celebrations. Easter became the first big Christian holiday after Jesus’ death.

Three centuries later, however, the Christian church was much more powerful and well-known. Religious and political leaders sought a way to make Christian holidays more popular and still allow for traditional celebrations. The solution was to combine Christmas and the winter solstice, even if it meant that Jesus would have an arbitrary birthday date.

The Christian holidays, which include Christmas, have grown in popularity as Christianity spread around the world. It was celebrated in many different ways over time as different cultures modified it to suit their needs.

How Did Christmas Become The Holiday That We All Know?

Anyone who celebrates Christmas has probably decorated their evergreens for the occasion. But, there is a new meaning to the growing demand for Christmas trees in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. The New York Times reported that some people have used them in order to decorate their homes and spread holiday cheer during the ongoing pandemic.

In recent years, Christmas tree shortages and price increases have become a holiday tradition. Let’s take a look at the history of Christmas trees, both artificial and real.

The Origins Of Christmas Trees

Greenery was used to celebrate the holidays long before the widespread use of the term “Christmas tree.”

There are many myths surrounding the origins and history of Christmas trees. Legend has it that Martin Luther believed pine trees were a sign of God’s goodness. Another myth that was popular in the 15th Century is about St. Boniface. He cut down an oak tree to stop a pagan sacrifice. A fir tree replaced it, its branches representing Christ’s eternal truth. According to some versions, St. Boniface cut down a new fir tree and hung it upside-down to symbolise the Holy Trinity. Sometimes an apple was placed at the point to make the symbol more recognizable. These stories could have contributed to the spread of Christmas traditions.