12/25
(The origin of Christmas and how do we celebrate it)
“Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon.”(History). “One widespread explanation of the origin of this date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer.” (Britannica). Christmas is one of the holidays that is celebrated nearly all over the world. Understandably, countries with a low Christian percentage don’t celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday nor as a traditional holiday, but many Western traditions are adapted into their celebrations.
Every country has different ways of celebrating this day but there are a variety of universal themes. People spend this day giving gifts, decorating their houses, throwing parties and for those that are religious, specifically Christian, spend this day celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Some people might even start their celebrations early on Christmas Eve, or December 24th. Some families let their children open a few presents early and prepare to put out milk and cookies for Santa, who brings gifts on his sleigh and reindeer for the children who were good that year. Families watch Christmas movies and sometimes wear matching pajamas. School is usually out for about 2-3 weeks towards the end of December and start of January to give families time to prepare for the holidays and students a break from their academics. In Germany and Poland, gifts are normally all given on Christmas Eve as they felt that Christmas day should focus on the birth of Christ rather than gifts. Germany is reportedly the first country to put trees in their homes. Countries like Japan and Thailand, that have a small Christian percentage still celebrate and respect those that celebrate religiously by continuing to give gifts and decorate the streets with bright lights. These countries view this day as a time to spend with family and spread happiness.
Christmas is one of the best times of the year and one of the times we are able to spend with family we might not have seen in a while, so make sure you spend this holiday season with the people you love. Take a break from everything keeping you away from your loved ones and get involved in the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas to those that celebrate and happy new year to those that don’t. Stay safe and have fun. Happy Holidays!
