1. 1. ChristmasBy Robert J. MyersRead by James Guarendi
2. 2. Christmas Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebratesthe birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exactdate of Christs birth, but most Christians observeChristmas on December 25. On this day, many goto church, where they take part in specialreligious services. During the Christmas season,they also exchange gifts and decorate theirhomes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees.The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse,an early English phrase that means Mass ofChrist.
3. 3. Christmas The story of Christmas comes chiefly from theGospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew inthe New Testament. According to Luke, anangel appeared to shepherds outside thetown of Bethlehem and told them of Jesusbirth. Matthew tells how the wise men, calledMagi, followed a bright star that led them toJesus.
4. 4. Christmas The first mention of December 25 as the birth date ofJesus occurred in A.D. 336 in an early Roman calendar.The celebration of this day as Jesus birth date wasprobably influenced by pagan (unchristian) festivalsheld at that time. The ancient Romans held year-endcelebrations to honor Saturn, their harvest god; andMithras, the god of light. Various peoples in northernEurope held festivals in mid-December to celebrate theend of the harvest season. As part of all thesecelebrations, the people prepared special foods,decorated their homes with greenery, and joined insinging and gift giving. These customs graduallybecame part of the Christmas celebration.
5. 5. Christmas In the late 300s, Christianity became theofficial religion of the Roman Empire. By 1100,Christmas had become the most importantreligious festival in Europe, and Saint Nicholaswas a symbol of gift giving in many Europeancountries. During the 1400s and 1500s, manyartists painted scenes of the Nativity, the birthof Jesus.
6. 6. Christmas The popularity of Christmas grew until theReformation, a religious movement of the 1500s.This movement gave birth to Protestantism.During the Reformation, many Christians beganto consider Christmas a pagan celebrationbecause it included nonreligious customs. Duringthe 1600s, because of these feelings, Christmaswas outlawed in England and in parts of theEnglish colonies in America. The old customs offeasting and decorating, however, soonreappeared and blended with the more Christianaspects of the celebration.
7. 7. Christmas In the 1800s, two more Christmas customs became populardecoratingChristmas trees and sending Christmas cards to relatives and friends. Many well-known Christmas carols, including "Silent Night" and "Hark! The Herald AngelsSing," were composed during this period. In the United States and other countries,Santa Claus replaced Saint Nicholas as the symbol of gift giving. The celebration of Christmas became increasingly important to many kinds ofbusinesses during the 1900s. Today, companies manufacture Christmasornaments, lights, and other decorations throughout the year. Other firms growChristmas trees, holly, and mistletoe. Many stores and other businesses hire extraworkers during the Christmas season to handle the increase in sales. The word Xmas is sometimes used instead of Christmas. This tradition began in theearly Christian church. In Greek, X is the first letter of Christs name. It wasfrequently used as a holy symbol.
8. 8. Christmas around the world In the United States and Canada, people decorate their homes withChristmas trees, wreaths, and ornaments. City streets sparkle with coloredlights, and the sound of bells and Christmas carols fills the air. During the weeks before Christmas, children write letters to Santa Clausand tell him what presents they would like to receive. Many departmentstores hire people to wear a Santa Claus costume and listen to childrensrequests. People share holiday greetings by sending Christmas cards torelatives and friends. Many companies give presents to their employees. A Christmas tree is the main attraction in most homes. Relatives andfriends may join in trimming the tree with lights, tinsel, and colorfulornaments. Presents are placed under the tree. Many young childrenbelieve the presents are brought by Santa Claus, who arrives on ChristmasEve in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Some youngsters hang up stockings soSanta can fill them with candy, fruit, and other small gifts. Families opentheir presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.
9. 9. United States and Canada In many parts of the United States and Canada, groups of carolers walkfrom house to house and sing Christmas songs. Some people give thesingers money or small gifts or invite them in for a warm drink. A traditional Christmas dinner includes stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes,cranberry sauce, and a variety of other dishes. Some families have ham orroast goose instead of turkey. Favorite desserts include mince pie orpumpkin pie, plum pudding, and fruitcake. Eggnog is a popular Christmasbeverage in many homes. In some parts of the United States and Canada, various ethnic groupsobserve Christmas customs of their ancestors. For example, Spanishtraditions are popular in the Southwestern United States. Many families inthe province of Quebec follow French customs. Some black Americanscombine Christmas with Kwanzaa, an African American holiday. Kwanzaalasts seven days, from December 26 through January 1. Each day, familieslight a candle symbolizing one of seven principles, including creativity,faith, and unity
10. 10. Ireland Scotland and Wales In England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Many Christmas customs originated in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Thesecustoms include sending Christmas cards and hanging a sprig of mistletoe in a room or hallway. According to tradition, aperson may kiss anyone standing under the mistletoe. On Christmas Eve, children hang up stockings for Father Christmas,the British version of Santa Claus, to fill with presents. On the afternoon of Christmas Day, most British families watch theirmonarch give a special Christmas message on television. In England, dinner on Christmas Day features roast turkey anddessert of mince pie and plum pudding. During the days before Christmas, children or groups of adults go from house to house singing Christmas carols. Children askfor money for themselves, but adults usually ask for money for charity. This tradition began many years ago, when visitorssang carols in return for a drink from the wassail bowl. The bowl contained hot punch made from ale, apples, eggs, sugar,and spices. The word wassail comes from Was haile, an old Saxon greeting that means Be healthy. Today, English people atlarge parties still drink punch, but it is usually made from wine and other alcoholic beverages, fruit, and spices. In Ireland, people put a lighted candle in their window on Christmas Eve as a sign of welcome to Mary and Joseph. In Wales,people have caroling contests during the weeks before Christmas. Roast turkey is the main course for dinner. People inScotland also have roast turkey and exchange small gifts. Some Scottish families decorate a Christmas tree and sing carols,but most hold their main celebrations on New Years Day.
11. 11. France In France, children put their shoes in front of thefireplace so Pere Noel (Father Christmas) can fillthem with gifts. Many families attend midnightMass and then have a festive supper called Lereveillon. Large numbers of French families alsodecorate their homes with small Nativity scenes.In these scenes, clay figures called santons (littlesaints) portray the story of Jesus birth. Somepeople put additional santons in their Nativityscenes every year. They buy these figures atspecial holiday fairs that are held before
12. 12. Germany and Spain In Germany, Saint Nicholas visits childrens homes on St. Nicholas Eve,December 5, and delivers candy and other sweets to be opened onDecember 6, St. Nicholas Day. According to one tradition, the Christkind(Christ child) sends the gifts on Christmas Eve. This tradition is mostpopular in the mainly Roman Catholic region of southern Germany. In thenorthern, mainly Protestant areas, parents usually say theWeihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) brings the gifts. Most German families have a Christmas tree that they decorate withlights, tinsel, and ornaments. Spicy cakes called lebkuchen are made invarious shapes and used as decorations. In Spain, people dance and sing in the streets after midnight Mass onChristmas Eve. Most Spanish homes and churches display a miniatureNativity scene called a Nacimiento. During the evening of January 5,children put their shoes on a balcony or near a window. The next day isEpiphany, the last day of the Christmas season. It celebrates the visit ofthe Magi to the infant Jesus. According to legend, the Wise Men arriveduring the night before Epiphany and fill the childrens shoes with smallgifts.
13. 13. Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg In the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg,according to legend, Saint Nicholas givespresents to children on St. Nicholas Eve,December 5, which they open on December 6,St. Nicholas Day. Wearing a red robe, hearrives on a boat from Spain and rides downthe streets on a white horse. His servant,Swarte Piet (Black Pete), accompanies him.Saint Nicholas goes down the chimney of eachhouse and leaves gifts in shoes that the
14. 14. Italy and Poland In Italy, most homes and churches have a presepio (Nativityscene). On Christmas Eve, the family prays while themother places a figure of the Bambino (Christ child) in themanger. Many Italians serve eels for dinner on ChristmasEve. They also bake a Christmas bread called panettone,which contains raisins and candied fruit. Italian childrenreceive gifts from La Befana, a kindly old witch, on the eveof Epiphany. In Poland, people attend Pasterka (Shepherds Mass) atmidnight on Christmas Eve. Many Polish families follow theChristmas tradition of breaking an oplatek, a thin wafermade of wheat flour and water. Nativity scenes arestamped on the oplatek. The head of the family holds thewafer, and each person breaks off a small piece and eats it.The Christmas Eve meal features fish, sauerkraut, potatopancakes, and beet soup.
15. 15. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden In Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Christmas dinner includes rice pudding, calledjulgrot, which has an almond in it. According to tradition, whoever gets thealmond will have good luck throughout the new year. Santa Claus is a familiar figure in the Scandinavian countries. But many childrenthere believe that a lively elf brings them gifts from Santa on Christmas Eve. TheDanes and Norwegians call this elf Julenissen, and the Swedes refer to him asJultomten. The Christmas season in Sweden begins on Luciadagen (St. Lucia Day), December13. On the morning of this day, a daughter of the family traditionally dresses up asLucy. The family celebrates with a traditional Luciadagen breakfast that includescoffee and special saffron buns. A popular Christmas custom in Norway is ringe in Julen (ringing in Christmas).Throughout the country, people ring church bells at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. InDenmark, people decorate their Christmas tree with small paper cones filled withcandy. Children are not allowed to see the tree until Christmas Eve.
16. 16. Australia and New Zealand In Australia and New Zealand, Decembercomes during the summer. Many peoplecelebrate Christmas by going on a picnic or tothe beach. Schoolchildren have a six-weeksummer vacation at Christmastime. Carolingtakes place in many cities and towns. PopularChristmas foods include turkey and plumpudding. Both Father Christmas and SantaClaus are popular symbols of gift giving inAustralia and New Zealand.
17. 17. Latin America In Latin America. The nine days before Christmas have special importance in Mexico. These days are calledposadas, which means inns or lodgings. On each day, Mexicans reenact Mary and Josephs search for lodgingson the first Christmas Eve. Two children carrying figures of Mary and Joseph lead a procession of people to aparticular house. The people knock on the door and ask for lodgings. They are refused at first but finally areadmitted. After each posada ceremony, Mexicans feast and celebrate. Children enjoy trying to break the piata, a brightlydecorated paper or clay figure containing candy and small gifts. The piata may be shaped like an animal, anelf, a star, or some other object. It is hung from the ceiling, and the children take turns trying to hit it with astick, sometimes while blindfolded. When someone breaks the piata, the gifts and candy fall to the floor, andthe children scramble for them. In Venezuela, people have a late supper after returning from midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Most of thesemeals include hallacas, which are corn-meal pies stuffed with chicken, pork, beef, and spices. A favoriteChristmas dish in Argentina is ninos envueltos (wrapped children). It consists of rolled beef slices filled withseasoned mincemeat. Children in some Latin-American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, and parts of Mexico, receive gifts onChristmas Day. In Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and most areas of Mexico, the wise men leave thepresents on the eve of Epiphany.
18. 18. Asia In Asia. Relatively small numbers of Christians live in the countries of Asia, and soChristmas is not widely celebrated there. In areas where Christmas is observed,people follow such Western customs as attending religious services, givingpresents, singing carols, and decorating Christmas trees. In Japan, Christians are a minority, yet the popular aspects of Christmas areincreasingly seen. Gifts are exchanged, lights decorate business districts, anddepartment stores often display Christmas trees. Even Santa Claus makes hisappearance in the crowded stores. In the Philippines, people attend Misas de Gallo (Masses of the Cock), which arecelebrated early each morning the nine days before Christmas. On Christmas Eve,Filipinos parade through the streets carrying colorful star-shaped lanterns calledparols. These lanterns are also displayed in the windows of most homes. On Christmas Eve, Christians from throughout the world gather for midnight Massin Bethlehem, the town near Jerusalem where Jesus was born. They kneel to kissthe silver star that is set in the ground at the spot where Jesus birth is believed tohave taken place.
19. 19. Africa In Africa, as in Asia, the celebration ofChristmas is not widespread because most ofthe countries have a small Christianpopulation. Missionaries brought Christmascustoms to Africa and so people in theChristian communities generally followWestern traditions. However, Africans singcarols and hymns in their own languages. InEthiopia, members of the Ethiopian OrthodoxChurch hold religious services on Christmas,January 7. The major celebration takes placenearly two weeks later at Epiphany.
20. 20. The first Christmas tree The Christmas tree probably developed in part from the "ParadiseTree." This tree was an evergreen decorated with apples used in apopular play about Adam and Eve held on December 24 in medievalGermany. By 1605, some Germans decorated their homes withevergreens for Christmas. They trimmed the trees with fruits, nuts,lighted candles, and paper roses. Later decorations includedpainted eggshells, cookies, and candies. The first Christmas trees in the United States were used in the early1800s by German settlers in Pennsylvania. During the mid-1800s,the custom of trimming Christmas trees spread rapidly throughoutthe world. Today, some form of Christmas tree is part of everyChristmas celebration. Decorations include tinsel, bright ornaments,and candy canes. A star is mounted on top of many Christmas treesand other Christmas displays. It represents the star that led thewise men to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
21. 21. The Christmas Wreath, Holly, Mistletoe The Christmas wreath, like the evergreens used as Christmas trees,symbolizes the strength of life overcoming the forces of winter. Inancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victoryand celebration. The custom of hanging a Christmas wreath on thefront door of the home probably came from this practice. Holly is an evergreen tree with sharply pointed, glossy leaves andred berries. It is used in making Christmas wreaths and otherdecorations. The needlelike points of the leaves were thought toresemble the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when He wascrucified. The red berries symbolized the drops of blood He shed. Mistletoe is an evergreen plant with dark leaves and shiny whiteberries. Ancient Celtic priests considered the plant sacred and gavepeople sprigs of it to use as charms. The custom of decoratinghomes with mistletoe probably came from its use as a ceremonialplant by early Europeans. In many countries, a person standingunder a sprig of mistletoe may be kissed.
22. 22. Christmas Carol Christmas carols. The word carol came from a Greek dance called achoraulein, which was accompanied by flute music. The dance laterspread throughout Europe and became especially popular with theFrench, who replaced the flute music with singing. People originallyperformed carols on several occasions during the year. By the1600s, carols involved singing only, and Christmas had become themain holiday for these songs. Most of the carols sung today were originally composed in the1700s and 1800s. They include "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." The words of the famous carol"Silent Night" were written on Christmas Eve in 1818 by JosephMohr, an Austrian priest. Franz Gruber, the organist of Mohrschurch, composed the music that same night, and the carol wassung at midnight Mass. "O Holy Night" was introduced at midnightMass in 1847. Adolphe Adam, a French composer, wrote the music.Popular nonreligious carols include "Jingle Bells" and "WhiteChristmas."
23. 23. Christmas Cards and Feasts Christmas cards. The first Christmas card was created in 1843 by John Callcott Horsley, an English illustrator. It resembled a postcardand showed a large family enjoying a Christmas celebration. The message on the card read, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Yearto You." About 1,000 of the cards were sold. By 1860, the custom of exchanging Christmas cards had spread throughout the UnitedKingdom. The first Christmas cards manufactured in the United States were made in 1875 by Louis Prang, a German-born Bostonprinter. Christmas feasting. The year-end festivities of ancient European peoples included huge feasts, many of which lasted for several days.The preparation of special foods later became an important part of the Christmas celebration throughout the world. At the first Christmas feasts, people roasted boars, pigs, and peacocks over large open fires. Today, roast turkey is the most popularmain course in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, people serve roast goose.Fish is the feature of Christmas Eve dinner in a number of countries. For example, Austrians eat baked carp and Norwegians dine onlutefisk (dried cod). Vegetables, relishes, hot breads, and a variety of other dishes accompany the main course of the Christmas feasteverywhere. Popular beverages served especially at Christmastime include eggnog in the United States and hot, spicy wassail in England. Manypeople in Sweden drink glogg, a hot punch made with spices, liquors, raisins, and nuts. Favorite Christmas desserts in the United States include fruitcake, mince pie, and pumpkin pie. Plum pudding is traditional in Canada,the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The French serve a Christmas cake called buche de Noel, which looks like a miniature log. Italiansfinish their meal with torrone, a candy made of egg whites, honey, and nuts. Fruit-filled breads called stollen are favorites in Germany.In Mexico and other Latin-American countries, thin, round pastries called bunuelos are usually eaten with cinnamon and sugar.
24. 24. Gift Giving Gift giving. The custom of giving gifts to relatives and friends on a special day in winter probably began in ancient Romeand northern Europe. In these regions, people gave each other small presents as part of their year-end celebrations. By 1100, Saint Nicholas had become a popular symbol of gift giving in many European countries. According to legend, hebrought presents to children on the eve of his feast day, December 6. Nonreligious figures replaced Saint Nicholas incertain countries soon after the Reformation, and December 25 became the day for giving gifts. Today, Santa Claus brings presents to children in many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Anumber of other countries have their own versions of Santa Claus, such as Father Christmas in the United Kingdom andIreland, Pere Noel in France, and Weihnachtsmann in Germany. Saint Nicholas still brings presents in some countries, including the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, and parts of Germany.Children fill shoes with straw and carrots for his horse and place them in front of the fireplace. By morning, the strawand carrots have been replaced by presents. Youngsters in many Spanish-speaking nations have a similar custom.However, they leave the food for the camels of the Wise Men and put the shoes outside a window on the eve ofEpiphany. The Magi place small gifts in the shoes during the night. The custom of hanging stockings by the fireplaceprobably developed from those traditions. In some areas of northern Germany, Saint Nicholass assistant, Knecht Ruprecht (Servant Rupert), gives presents to goodchildren. He gives whipping rods to the parents of bad ones. In Sweden, many children receive presents from the elfJultomten, called Julenissen in Denmark and Norway. In Italy, La Befana brings presents on the eve of Epiphany. According to legend, the Wise Men asked the kindly old witchto accompany them to see the infant Jesus. She refused, saying she was too busy and had to clean her house, and so shemissed the wondrous sight. Each year, La Befana goes from house to house, leaving gifts and looking for the Christ child
25. 25. Copyright All of it was taken of the internet not my work. It did take me a couple of hours to get thisthing typed up though.. Myers, Robert J. "Christmas." World BookAdvanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 19 Dec.2012.