Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g. Hong Kong); in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday. Countries such as Japan, where Christmas is popular despite there being only a small number of Christians, have adopted many of the cultural aspects of Christmas, such as gift-giving, decorations, and Christmas trees. A similar example is in Turkey, being Muslim-majority and with a small number of Christians, where Christmas trees and decorations tend to line public streets during the festival.
The prevailing atmosphere of Christmas has also continually evolved since the holiday's inception, ranging from a sometimes raucous, drunken, like state in the Middle Ages to a tamer family-oriented and children-centered theme introduced in a 19th-century transformation. The celebration of Christmas was banned on more than one occasion within certain groups, such as the with the Puritans and Jehovah's Witnesses (who do not celebrate birthdays in general), due to concerns that it was too unbiblical. Celtic winter herbs such as mistletoe and ivy and the custom of kissing under a mistletoe, are common in modern Christmas celebrations in the English-speaking countries.
The traditional colors of Christmas decorations are red, green, and gold. Red symbolizing the blood of Jesus, which was shed during his crucifixion, green symbolizes eternal life, and in particular the evergreen tree, which does not lose its leaves in the winter; and gold is the first color associated with Christmas, as one of the three gifts of the Magi, symbolizing royalty. The Christmas tree was first used by German Lutherans in the 16th century, with records indicating that a Christmas tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strassburg in 1539. In the United States, German Lutherans brought the decorated Christmas tree with them. The Moravians put lit candles on the trees with many individuals placing a star at the top of the tree symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem.
A number of figures are associated with Christmas and the seasonal giving of gifts. Among the best known are Father Christmas or Santa Claus which can be traced back to the Dutch Sinterklaas or Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop known for his saintly attributes, he was noted for the care of children, generosity, and the giving of gifts. His feast day, December 6, came to be celebrated in many countries with the giving of gifts. The modern popular image of Santa Claus was created in the United States. The transformation was accomplished with the aid of notable contributors including Washington Irving and Thomas Nast.
There are several theories as to why December 25 was chosen as the date for Christmas. According to theology professor Susan Roll, liturgical historians agree that it was linked in some way with The sun, the winter solstice and the popularity of solar worship during the Roman Empire. In Roman tradition, December 25 was deemed to be the winter solstice and March 25 the spring equinox. Both dates retained significance despite the Julian calendar drift. Greco-Roman writers in the second and third centuries called December 25 the birth day of the Sun. The early Church linked Jesus to the Sun and referred to him as the true Sun or Sun of Righteousness'. In the early fifth century it was fitting to celebrate Christ's birth at the winter solstice, because it marked the point when the hours of daylight begin to grow. The use of solar imagery for Christ is believed to be part of a broader cosmological symbolism in late antiquity.
Many families today decorate their houses with lights and inflatables to create a festive environment. The origin of Christmas lights began with candles on Christmas trees in 16th-century Germany, where they symbolized Christ as the light of the world.
Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g. Hong Kong); in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday. Countries such as Japan, where Christmas is popular despite there being only a small number of Christians, have adopted many of the cultural aspects of Christmas, such as gift-giving, decorations, and Christmas trees. A similar example is in Turkey, being Muslim-majority and with a small number of Christians, where Christmas trees and decorations tend to line public streets during the festival.
The prevailing atmosphere of Christmas has also continually evolved since the holiday's inception, ranging from a sometimes raucous, drunken, like state in the Middle Ages to a tamer family-oriented and children-centered theme introduced in a 19th-century transformation. The celebration of Christmas was banned on more than one occasion within certain groups, such as the with the Puritans and Jehovah's Witnesses (who do not celebrate birthdays in general), due to concerns that it was too unbiblical. Celtic winter herbs such as mistletoe and ivy and the custom of kissing under a mistletoe, are common in modern Christmas celebrations in the English-speaking countries.
The traditional colors of Christmas decorations are red, green, and gold. Red symbolizing the blood of Jesus, which was shed during his crucifixion, green symbolizes eternal life, and in particular the evergreen tree, which does not lose its leaves in the winter; and gold is the first color associated with Christmas, as one of the three gifts of the Magi, symbolizing royalty. The Christmas tree was first used by German Lutherans in the 16th century, with records indicating that a Christmas tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strassburg in 1539. In the United States, German Lutherans brought the decorated Christmas tree with them. The Moravians put lit candles on the trees with many individuals placing a star at the top of the tree symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem.
A number of figures are associated with Christmas and the seasonal giving of gifts. Among the best known are Father Christmas or Santa Claus which can be traced back to the Dutch Sinterklaas or Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop known for his saintly attributes, he was noted for the care of children, generosity, and the giving of gifts. His feast day, December 6, came to be celebrated in many countries with the giving of gifts. The modern popular image of Santa Claus was created in the United States. The transformation was accomplished with the aid of notable contributors including Washington Irving and Thomas Nast.
There are several theories as to why December 25 was chosen as the date for Christmas. According to theology professor Susan Roll, liturgical historians agree that it was linked in some way with The sun, the winter solstice and the popularity of solar worship during the Roman Empire. In Roman tradition, December 25 was deemed to be the winter solstice and March 25 the spring equinox. Both dates retained significance despite the Julian calendar drift. Greco-Roman writers in the second and third centuries called December 25 the birth day of the Sun. The early Church linked Jesus to the Sun and referred to him as the true Sun or Sun of Righteousness'. In the early fifth century it was fitting to celebrate Christ's birth at the winter solstice, because it marked the point when the hours of daylight begin to grow. The use of solar imagery for Christ is believed to be part of a broader cosmological symbolism in late antiquity.
Many families today decorate their houses with lights and inflatables to create a festive environment. The origin of Christmas lights began with candles on Christmas trees in 16th-century Germany, where they symbolized Christ as the light of the world.
Merry Christmas !