When I was young, I always thought that the presents I got were from Santa Claus for being a good child. Ah, the happiness in knowing you got gifts from Santa. Those were the days. But when look back and think of it, neither were the gifts from him nor was I so good to get one from Santa himself. How many times have YOU thought as a child that Santa Claus will come and give gifts to you on Christmas? I’m sure you might have at least once or twice.
Such is the craze of Santa Claus and the gifts, Christmas trees associated with the festival of Christmas. A festival that is equally loved and cherished by adults and kids. Being one of those festivals which is widely celebrated all over the world, it is important for us to know about this festival we call Christmas. It does have a history to it along with some marked traditions which go along with it.
Christmas is celebrated every year on 25th December. It is mainly the festival of Christians. But in today’s time, the festival of Christmas has surpassed the religious boundaries and become a symbol of the holistic culture. The winters in December carry a festive feeling.
Usually, the celebration begins much before the main day and continues for around 2 weeks after that. Men and women celebrate Christmas to honour the birth of Jesus Christ. Religious people go to church and light the candles to pray to their God, Jesus Christ.
People also bring a Christmas tree to their homes and decorate it with colourful balls, ribbons, and red socks. Market shops and showrooms display a theme of glittering red and white colours to set up the Christmas mood.
On Christmas eve, folks enjoy a big feast and share gifts with each other. Homemade traditional plum cakes, cupcakes, and muffins are the special treats on Christmas. Kids are showered with lots of presents and new dresses. They also get to meet the ‘Santa Claus’, dressed in a fluffy red and white costume, who greets them with hugs and gifts.
Origin of Christmas:
Many people assume Christmas is strictly a Christian celebration and they would be right if modern evidence is to be considered. However, with regards to its origin, this notion cannot be farther from the truth. In actual sense, Christmas originated a few decades after the birth of Jesus in the old Roman Empire.
Christmas emanated as the Pagan celebration of the concept known as Saturnalia. This celebration was aimed at celebrating the return of the sun and the end of winter. The celebration is usually a weeklong affair and is marked by lawless activity and a system of penal exemption from lawless acts such as housing breaking.
In the 4th century, Christians adapted the last day of Saturnalia to be the celebration of Christmas. The aim was to get the pagans to associate this period with positive things. Consequently, lots of pagans converted to Christianity on the promise that they could still celebrate their tradition in this day.
Importance of Christmas:
Why do we celebrate Christmas? Why do we go the extra mile to celebrate, give and create an atmosphere of merriment? The answers to these questions are numerous but here are a few.
1. Christmas reminds us of the importance of giving and sharing with friends and family.
2. Christmas shows the importance of joy and happiness.
3. It is also an opportunity to correct actions we aren’t proud of in our lives.
Christmas is such a festival which is celebrated by people from all religions and faith worldwide despite it being a Christian festival. It is the essence of this festival which unites the people so much. We should learn the importance of such unity from this festival and despite our religious differences; we should all celebrate the festivals together. Festivals are probably a medium which has the power to keep people united for the betterment of mankind.
Whether we’re Christian or not, Christmas is an opportunity for us to put our biases and ill thoughts behind in the celebration of a great cause.