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Christmas 2024
- Wednesday, December 25
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Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
2 days ago · Christmas, Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. December 25 has become widely accepted as the date of Jesus’ birth. Christmas has also become a secular family holiday that is observed by Christians and non-Christians, is marked by the exchange of gifts, and features the mythical figure of Santa Claus.
- How Did Christmas Start?
- Saturnalia and Christmas
- Is Christmas Really The Day Jesus Was born?
- When Christmas Was Cancelled
- Washington Irving Reinvents Christmas in America
- 'A Christmas Carol'
- Who Invented Santa Claus?
- Christmas Facts
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The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and exten...
In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnaliawas a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned ...
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Alt...
In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwelland his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the ret...
It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s piqued American interest in the holiday? The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During thi...
Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday. The family was also bec...
The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholaswho was born in Turkey around A. D. 280. St. Nicholas gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors. St. Nicholas first entered American popular culture in the late 18th cen...
Each year, 25-30 million real Christmas treesare sold in the United States alone. There are about 15,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States, and trees usually grow for between four and 15 ye...In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today’s Mardi Grasparties.When Christmas was cancelled: From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.Learn how Christmas became a holiday celebrated around the world with religious and secular customs. Explore the origins of popular traditions such as exchanging gifts, decorating trees, Santa Claus and more.
Christmas Shopping Ideas
Explore the origins and evolution of Christmas, a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus, and its global cultural and commercial aspects. Discover the stories behind Santa Claus, Christmas trees, carols, candy canes and more.
Dec 10, 2021 · Learn about the history and traditions of Christmas, from its religious origins to its secular celebrations. Discover how Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and other symbols came to be associated with the holiday.
Christmas was traditionally a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, but in the early 20th century, it also became a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Dec 7, 2021 · The Christmas holiday has gathered around it customs and traditions for over two millennia, some of which even pre-date the Christian festival itself. From gift-giving to the sumptuous spread of a Christmas...
