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![]() ![]() The English word "Christmas" is a shortened form of "Christ's Mass". ![]() Over the past few centuries, Christmas has had a steadily growing economic effect in many regions of the world. Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath Christmas music and caroling viewing a Nativity play an exchange of Christmas cards church services a special meal and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins. For Christians, believing that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity, rather than knowing Jesus' exact birth date, is considered to be the primary purpose in celebrating Christmas. However, part of the Eastern Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world. It is exactly nine months after Annunciation on March 25, also the date of the spring equinox. This corresponds to the traditional date of the winter solstice on the Roman calendar. There are different hypotheses regarding the date of Jesus' birth and in the early fourth century, the church fixed the date as December 25. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room and so they were offered a stable where the Christ Child was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds who then spread the word. The traditional Christmas narrative recounted in the New Testament, known as the Nativity of Jesus, says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season organized around it. 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 West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night. Stephen's Day, Boxing DayĬhristmas 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. ![]() (Most Oriental Orthodox and part of the Eastern Orthodox churches)Ĭhristmastide, Christmas Eve, Advent, Annunciation, Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord, Nativity Fast, Nativity of Christ, Old Christmas, Yule, St. ( Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Evangelical Church) Wild and funny and with some heart, but not for the kids.( Western Christianity and part of the Eastern churches) These titles could also be available at your local library.)īAD SANTA – A drunken, foul-mouthed loose cannon department store Santa (Billy Bob Thornton) and his organized elf partner pull off a series of robberies. (Information on streaming services is as of November, and may change. The ones that aren’t exactly family friendly will be noted. Here are a few suggestions of films to watch at home this year either on Christmas Eve or after opening the gifts. There have been Christmas dramas and comedies and musicals, and the ever-popular horror films (favorite titles: “Christmas Evil,” “Santa Claws,” and the shark film “Santa Jaws”). The most recent is the Disney+ fantasy “Godmothered,” about a fairy godmother (Jillian Bell) in training. The first Christmas film was the little one-minute ditty “Santa Claus,” which came out in 1898. There seems to have been more Christmas-themed movies made over the past century than any other genre. There’s an old adage (and old song and old cartoon): “Christmas Comes but Once a Year.” Looks like the folks in Hollywood didn’t get that message. ![]()
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