History Of Chrismas Day

The first Christmas date, celebrated on December 25, was in 336 during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). It is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and is celebrated on December 25] as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A banquet at the center of the Christian liturgical year precedes the Advent or Nativity Fast season and begins the Christmastide season, historically lasting twelve days in the West and ending on the Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in most countries of the world, it is religiously celebrated by the majority of Christians [16] and culturally non-Christians . and forms an integral part of the focus around the holiday season. The traditional Christmas narrative depicted in the New Testament, The Nativity of Jesus, says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in accordance with the messianic prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, there was no room left in the inn, so they were offered a stable where the Child Christ was born nearby, and the angels announced this news to the shepherds and then spread the knowledge further. Although the month and date of Jesus’ birth are unknown, in the early fourth century the church set the date as December 25. This corresponds to the winter solstice date in the Roman calendar. Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which is almost universally adopted in the civil calendars used around the world. However, some of the Eastern Christian Churches currently celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the old Julian calendar, which corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. For Christians, believing that God came to the world in human form rather than knowing the exact date of birth of Jesus to atone for the sins of mankind is considered the primary purpose of celebrating Christmas.

However, it was not an official Roman state festival at the time. Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two thousand years, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings formed the basis of their religion. Popular traditions include gift shopping, decorating Christmas trees, going to church, sharing meals with family and friends, and of course, waiting for Santa to come. December 25 – Christmas Day – A federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December?

Mid-winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the coming of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many people rejoiced at the winter solstice, when the worst of winter was over and they expected longer days and long hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Nors celebrated Yule from December 21 to January, the winter solstice. Fathers and sons, who accepted the return of the sun, would bring home large logs to burn. The public feasted until the log burned, which could take up to 12 days. The Scandinavians believed that each spark from the fire represents a new pig or calf that will be born next year.

The Winter Solstice is the day with the shortest time between sunrise and sunset. It takes place in the Northern Hemisphere on December 21 or 22. (In the Southern Hemisphere, this time the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice take place at the end of June.) For the pagans, this meant they knew that the days would start to get lighter and longer, and the nights would get shorter – signifying a change in seasons. To celebrate the people, a mid-winter festival was held to celebrate the sun ‘winning’ the darkness of winter. Meanwhile, animals kept for food were also killed to avoid having to feed them all winter, and some drinks that had been brewed since autumn / harvest would also be ready to drink. So it was a good time to celebrate with food and drink before the rest of the winter happened. (We are currently celebrating the New Year near this time!)

In Scandinavia and some other parts of northern Europe, the time around the Winter Solstice is known as Yule (although the word Yule seems to only date up to 300 years). The mid-winter festival in Eastern Europe is called Koleda.