In this article, we are going to tell you about the origin of Christmas, the most important aspects of this holiday, review the most important verses of the Holy Scriptures and talk about some of its Christmas curiosities.
Read on to learn everything you should know about Christmas!
Christmas and Christianity
FAQS about Christmas christian
-
What do we celebrate at Christmas?
Christmas is one of the most important holidays around the world. Every December 25 we celebrate one of the most important milestones of Christianity and according to history it seems that we have been doing so since the second century AD.
During these dates, from the night of December 24 (Christmas Eve) to December 25 (Christmas) we celebrate and commemorate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
This day is widely celebrated by the different religious orders in the world such as the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, in Protestant communities and in many Orthodox Churches in Jerusalem. Likewise, millions of people around the world, both Christian and secular, celebrate this day, a fact that reflects the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ the Savior.
-
Meaning of the word “Christmas”.
To know the meaning of the word “Christmas” we must turn to Latin. Thus, the term Christmas comes from “Nativitas” and refers to the word “birth“.
If we analyze the word in other languages, we can find different ways of calling this day, and although the objective is the same, the word can take on different meanings.
For example, if we look at the English word “Christmas”, it means “Mass of Christ”. And in German “Weihnachten”, which corresponds to “Night of Blessing”.
-
The origin of Christmas
Christmas is a deeply rooted tradition in our society, but has it always been celebrated on December 25? And, what day was the first Christmas?
Although it is complicated to answer these questions exactly, according to several studies, it is known that Jesus Christ was not born exactly on December 25. Since the first centuries A.D. there has been much debate as to the exact date of Jesus’ birth.
To understand this, we must know that at the time when Jesus was born, the most widely used calendar in many countries was the Roman calendar. It was not until the fall of the Roman Empire at the beginning of the 5th century that the Christian calendar began to be used.
From this point on, there are many doubts about how these celebrations began, but one of the most widely shared is that of the Christian writer Dionysius Exiguus, in the year 525 AD. Through many studies of the Roman calendar, he came to the conclusion that the exact date of Jesus’ birth was December 25.
Although it is likely that we will never know the exact day of the birth of Jesus the Savior, we know that since many years ago, in the second century A.D., Christmas celebrations were already being held; however, they were considered pagan holidays by the Roman Empire.
-
Evolution of Christmas parties
As we were saying, Christmas festivities are celebrated by millions of people around the world and over time they have evolved to the present day.
In the past, and still today, these holidays have a very strong religious character where Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Even so, the strength of this festivity and the deep-rooted tradition has led believers and laymen to follow these dates with great devotion. Although this may not seem like a problem, this fact leads us to forget the most important part of Christmas, and we submit ourselves to the maelstrom of excessive consumerism.
Therefore, from Your Online Bible, we remind you that it is important to celebrate these holidays NOT as an act of consumerism, but as an act of worship towards the birth of the Messiah.
Let’s celebrate it with happiness, with our family and friends; but it is important not to forget the symbolism and importance of these dates for Christians.
-
Important events during Christmas
The Christmas holidays, encompass many important events that are celebrated on very special dates and that sometimes may vary depending on the country. Let’s take a look at them:
- Christmas Eve – December 24: We celebrate the night Jesus was born.
- Christmas – December 25: We commemorate the birth of the Messiah, the savior of the world.
- Holy Innocents’ Day – December 28: It commemorates a tragic day for Christianity, the slaughter of children under two years of age born in Judea, ordered by King Herod I to get rid of the Baby Jesus.
- New Year’s Day – January 1: In the Catholic Church, the new year is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar.
- Epiphany – January 6: We celebrate the appearance of Jesus and that Jesus makes himself known to the Earth. We also commemorate the gifts that the Magi gave to Baby Jesus.
Although there may be more important dates related to Christmas, these are the most relevant.
-
In which countries is Christmas NOT celebrated?
Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays around the world, therefore, there are very few countries where this tradition is not present during these dates.
Since it is very complicated to name all the countries that do celebrate Christmas, we will list those that do not. These are: Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iran, Tajikistan, Brunei, North Korea, Somalia, China, Thailand and Israel.
-
Why do we give each other gifts?
It is customary to give gifts during Christmas and this is due to the tradition of remembering the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus. Specifically, they brought gifts that had a very special meaning.
- Incense. A perfume widely used in the Jewish cult that showed the population that they should adore the Baby Jesus.
- Gold. This present indicated that Jesus was and is the King of Kings.
- Myrrh. It was the sign that Jesus was going to suffer and die because of the symbolism of this perfume related to death.
So, we have taken this historical fact to our days, and we give gifts to the little ones in our homes and to all our loved ones to commemorate this day.
Christmas verses in the Bible
Before ending this article, we leave you with some of the most outstanding verses about Christmas in the Bible.
-
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
-
“To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
-
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those who enjoy His good pleasure.” Luke 2:14
-
“And, while they were there, her time was fulfilled. So she gave birth to her firstborn son. And she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7
-
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. Behold, I bring you good news that will be a cause of great joy to all the people.”” Luke 2:10
-
“All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”” Matthew 1:22-23.
-
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give them a sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
-
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: the sovereignty shall rest upon his shoulders, and these names shall be given him, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
-
“The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for what they had seen and heard, for everything happened just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20
-
“Joseph also, who was a descendant of King David, went up from Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to Judea. He went to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register with Mary his wife. She was with child.” Luke 2:4-5
-
“But when he was considering doing so, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to wife, for she has conceived by the Holy Spirit.”” Matthew 1:20
-
“The customs of the people are worthless. They cut a log in the forest, and an artificer carves it with a chisel. They adorn it with gold and silver, and fasten it with nails and hammer so that it will not wobble. Their idols cannot speak; they look like scarecrows in a field planted with melons! They have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do you no harm, but no good either.” Jeremiah 10:3-5
-
“-The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy child to be born shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
-
“Do not be afraid, Mary; God has granted you his favor,” the angel said to her. You will become pregnant and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” Luke 1:30-31
-
“The birth of Jesus, the Christ, was like this: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph, but, before she was united to him, she happened to be with child by the work of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18
Here we finish with this publication on Christmas, we hope you liked it and that you have been able to learn more things about these important dates for us Christians.
At the same time, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous year 2021.
We leave you with a prayer to remember during these dates, the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ our savior.
Christmas Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You are love and life.
You wanted to be born as we all are born, of a woman.
In this way you have blessed the family.
Make every family become
into a true sanctuary of life and love.
Let your grace guide
the thoughts and deeds of the spouses,
for the good of their families.
Make the younger generation find in the family
a strong support for their growth in truth and love.
Make children that seed of hope in the family.
and thus, with our love, renew your innocence.
Make love sanctified by the grace of marriage,
prove to be stronger than any weaknesses
and any crisis.
Amen
As the good Christians that you are, we are sure that you already knew the reason for the Christmas celebrations and many of its curiosities. We have made this article for those people who are being introduced to the Christian religion or children who are learning it.
We hope you found it useful 🙂