Christmas | History, Tradition, Songs, and Videos

what is Christmas

Christmas is an annual popular Christian celebration, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ. The English interpretation of  Christmas is “mass on Christ’s day.”

In the early 20th century, the Christmas celebration transformed into a worldly family holiday, which is observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. 

The Christmas holiday is now often devoid of Christian components especially among non-Christians, with the mythical figure Santa Claus playing the central role.

This mythical character Santa Claus makes the emphasis of the Christmas celebration to be sharing of gifts and family reunions.

J. Hoover & Son, 1878

Which day is Christmas eve

Christmas Eve is the night, evening or the day before Christmas Day, the festival remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Christmas Eve signifies the end of the Advent season, the period of preparation for the remembrance of the birth of  Christ Jesus, which begins on November 30, or November 15 in the East. 

It was on this night in the bible that the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks outside Bethlehem saw the bright star in the sky that signalled the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas Eve is generally observed globally as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. 

Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally important festivals in Christendom and Western society.

when is Christmas celebrated?

Christmas is celebrated by the majority of Christians across the globe on the 25th of December in the Gregorian calendar.

For the Eastern Orthodox churches that continued to use the Julian calendar for their liturgical observances, this date corresponds to the 7th of January on the Gregorian calendar.

Gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve in most European countries and on Christmas morning in North America.

Christmas is an annual festival celebrated on the 25th of December as a religious and social celebration among billions of people around the world.

History of Christmas

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was given more attention in terms of remembrance and celebration; Christmas was given less importance and was not even celebrated.

In the fourth century, church leaders decided to recognise the birth of Jesus Christ as a holiday. The challenge they had was that the bible was silent on the date of birth of Christ Jesus.

Pope Julius 1, chose the 25th of  December as the day the birth of Christ Jesus will be commemorated.

The commemoration of the birth of Christ was first called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom later spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century.

Christmas tree

A Christmas tree is a tree decorated for the purpose of celebrating Christmas. It is normally an evergreen conifer, such as fir, spruce, or pine, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas.

Christmas tree was traditionally decorated with roses made of coloured paper, apples, wafers, tinsel, and sweetmeats. More recently edible items such as gingerbread, chocolate, and other sweets are also tied to the Christmas tree branches with ribbons.

 Moravian Christians introduced the illumination of Christmas trees with candles, which were later replaced by Christmas lights following the discovery of electricity, a practice that has continued till date.

Today, there is a wide variety of traditional and modern ornaments, such as garlands, baubles, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the Angel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem, respectively, from the Nativity.

The first Christmas was traced to Germany and was associated with a catholic Saint, Saint-Boniface.

The Catholic Church initially resisted this practice, consequently, the Christmas tree was first displayed in Vatican City in 1982.
 

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Christmas song/music

These are songs/music usually played during the period of Christmas. You find below the 20 best Christmas video songs.

♪ All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

♪ Last Christmas by Wham!

♪ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Harry Connick Jr

♪ It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé

♪ The Little Drummer Boy (Peace on Earth) by Bing Crosby & David Bowie

♪ Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes

♪ Pretty Paper by Willie Nelson

♪ Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen

♪ Winter Wonderland by Ella Fitzgerald

♪ Carol of the Bells by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

♪ The Most Wonderful Day of the Year" from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

♪ Believe by Josh Groban

♪ Christmas in New Orleans by Louis Armstrong

♪ Happy Holiday by Peggy Lee

♪ Christmas Wrapping by The Spice Girls

♪ We Need a Little Christmas by Angela Lansbury

♪ Step Into Christmas by Elton John

♪ The Merriest by June Christy

♪ I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard

♪ What Christmas Means to Me by Stevie Wonder

Chrismas messages

These are Christmas goodwill messages and greetings traditionally shared between family, friends and colleagues during the Xmas period.Find below ten Christmas messagesMerry Christmas Wishes

█ Merry Christmas! May the Good Lord shower your life with unlimited blessings during this period.

█ May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy, and blessings! Merry Christmas.

█ May this Xmas season bring Gods grace and good health for you and your family. Merry Christmas.

█ May you receive all your good heart desires this Christmas. Merry Christmas.

█ May the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ fill your family with joy, peace and Happiness. Merry Xmas.

█ Wishing you the best things in life this holiday season. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

█ May this Xmas season bring to you and your family peace, love, joy and pleasant memories merry Christmas.

█ I wish happiness finds you and your family during the yuletide period. Merry Xmas.

█ Wishing you a joy-filled yuletide season. May your holidays be filled with beautiful and memorable moments. Have a great time with family and friends this Christmas.

█  My love, it has been a good year for us thanks to you. Wishing you Gods blessing and grace this  Christmas season. Merry Xmas.

Santa Claus

Santa Claus, also commonly called Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick or Kris Kringle, is a mythical character originating in Western Christian culture.

He is said to bring gifts on Christmas Eve to good children, and either coal or nothing to naughty children. He is said to achieve this with the help of Christmas elves, who produce the toys in his workshop at the North Pole and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

Santa is commonly portrayed as a pot belled, white-bearded man, often with spectacles, wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers and carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He is commonly portrayed as laughing in a way that sounds like "ho ho ho".

The origin of Santa stretches all the way back to the 3rd century when a catholic saint, Saint Nicholas lived on earth and became the patron saint of children.