What Is Christmas?

Written by: Sitara Nair

You’ve probably heard of Christmas, the Christian holiday filled with cheer, family, and community celebrated in places across the world. You’ve also probably heard of Saint Nick or Santa Clause, the man dressed in red who makes Christmas so memorable. Keep reading to learn some about the history of this holiday, and what traditions come from it!

According to Brittanica, “the word Christmas means “Christ’s mass” or “mass on Christ’s day.” The term originated from the Middle English Christemasse, which came from the Old English Cristes mæsse. (In Roman Catholicism and certain other Christian groups, a mass is a celebration of the Eucharist.)”. Christmas is celebrated annually on December 25th, and people across the world celebrate it in different ways. Some families celebrate it more religiously, following Christian ideals, and some families enjoy the holiday as a time to spend with their families and friends, sharing food and love! 

On the religious side, Christmas commemorates Jesus’ birth. Christians believe in Jesus, or the Son of God, who was born in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago and his birth offered salvation and hope. This holiday symbolizes God’s love, hope, and light overcoming darkness. According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a stable and his  orn was special because Christians belive he was sent to bring love, peace and, hope to the world. Although the Bible does not say the exact date of Jesus’ birth, many historians believe that early Christians chose December 25 to celebrate because it was close to winter festivals that were already celebrated by people long ago. However, as years passed Christmas celebrates changed. It was originally never celebrated with trees, lights, or gifts like we see today, but just recognized between people. During the middle ages, about 1000 years ago, Christmas became a joyful public holidays celebrated with big feasts, music, and plays that told the story of Jesus’ birth. Then, in the 1800s, Christmas became more similar to what we celebrate today. Families celebrated within their homes instead of in public, and people even started to celebrate with Christmas Trees (in places like England and Germany especially). 

Another famous part of Christmas history is Santa Claus. Santa is based of a real person named Saint Nicholas who lived many years ago and was known for being very kind and generous. He gave out gifts and helped the under privileged in need. He was not originally set in stone with that red suit, but later became that man accompanied with his white beard and sleigh of reindeer. 

Nowadays, there are tons of different traditions that come with Christmas, here are a few:

1. Christmas Trees: Many families decorate trees hanging shiny ornaments, colorful lights, and sometimes even a bright star on top

2. Gift Giving: A classic Christmas tradition is gift giving, where people open gifts from underneath the Christmas tree on the morning of the 25th. The whole idea of gift giving is a cherished family tradition that symbolizes love, thanks, and holiday cheer. 

3. Caroling: During Christmastime, people sing songs known as Carols to one another, some examples being s like "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night" or classic favorites such as "Jingle Bells" and "Rockin'. Carols ultimately narrate the birth of Jesus, and explain Christian beliefs about the incarnation with joy and faith. This tradition spreads joy between families and communities, spreading warmth and positivity during winter. 

4. Beyond the West: In places like South and Central America, Christmas can be celebrated differently. In Mexico, there is a tradition called Las Posadas tells the story of Mary and Joseph searching for a place to stay. In Brazil, Christmas happens during summer, so families often enjoy picnics, fireworks, and a special church procession led by a priest. In India, people decorate mango or bamboo trees with mango leaves and paper stars instead of evergreen Christmas trees. In Japan, Christmas is not mainly a religious holiday, but many people still enjoy decorating Christmas trees and singing Christmas songs.

Overall, Christmas is a holiday that spreads joy and fosters community in December. Even though not everyone celebrates, it’s well known and well recognized, and it should be a time for kindness and community for all!