What Is Christmas About
Christmas christian festival celebrating the birth of jesus.
What is christmas about. The word christmas means mass of christ later shortened to christ mass the even shorter form xmas first used in europe in the 1500s is derived from the greek alphabet in which x is the first letter of christ s name. Christians celebrate it on december 25th all over the world. The holiday also celebrates the events surrounding his birth such as an angel s appearance to shepherds telling them to visit the newborn king. 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.
Christmas is the annual christian festival celebrating christ s birth held on december 25. December 25 has become widely accepted as the date of jesus birth. Xristos therefore x mass today we know that christ was not born on the 25th of december. For many christmas is the time to think of jesus christ as a baby in a manger.
Learn about the history of christmas santa claus and holiday traditions worldwide. The central truth of the christmas story is this. Jesus was not born on december 25th exactly but this date was chosen to coincide with the pagan roman celebrations honoring saturnus harvest god and mithras ancient god of light. While the birth of christ is a special and miraculous event it isn t the primary focus.
A feast central to the christian liturgical year it is preceded by the season of advent or the nativity fast and initiates the season of christmastide which historically in the. Christmas is the observance of jesus humble birth to a virgin in a stable in bethlehem. Christmas is the date set aside for the celebration of the birth of jesus christ. The child of christmas is god.
Christmas eve is always a time of family singing carols hanging stockings and remembering past years christmases. Learn all about the history and meaning of christmas it s origins both christian and pagan celebrations.