Story of Christmas

Christmas - Where did it come from? Where is it going?

In many countries of the world, the celebration of Christmas on December 25th is a high point of the year. But why? Can it have any real meaning for us today? Is there a 'real' Christmas message?

Christmas celebrations in the West today

From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Colored lights decorate many town centers and shops, along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows.

In streets and shops, 'Christmas trees' will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

Shopping centers become busier as December approaches and often stay open until late. Shopping center speaker systems will play Christmas 'carols' - the traditional Christmas Christian songs, and groups of people will often sing carols on the streets. Most places of work will hold a short Christmas party about a week before Christmas.

By mid-December, most homes will also be decorated with Christmas trees, colored lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms. These days, many more people also decorate trees or house walls with colored electric lights, a habit which has long been popular in the USA.

In many countries, most people send Christmas greeting cards to their friends and family.

 

Christmas cards

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in the 1800s. Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures - Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story. Today, pictures are often jokes, winter pictures, family photos, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

 

Santa Claus

'Santa Claus has become the human face of Christmas. Pictures can be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sled pulled by reindeer. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or in front of the family Christmas tree.

 

In shops or at children's parties, someone will dress up as Santa Claus and give small presents to children, or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.

 

Who was he?

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name 'Santa Claus' which comes from the Dutch 'Sinterklaas'. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings.

 

 

Making sense of Christmas

Today in the West, not many people consider the religious meaning to Christmas. Most people in America will not go to church, even on Christmas Day. It has become a busy race to spend money on presents, and get ready for the Day. In the USA, stores stay open late on Christmas Eve. A visitor from another world would think that Christmas was a festival to the gods of money and shopping.

What do you want from Christmas?

Many people do hope for more than presents at Christmas. We want to somehow return to a time in our childhood (or some other good time in the past), when life was simpler and made more sense, before the troubles of adult life arrived. We feel sure that behind all the fun and decorations, there must somehow be a message, something more, some key to life, hope and happiness.

Vocabulary

1.      artificial - made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally

2.      approach - come near or nearer to (someone or something) in distance

3.     chimney – a vertical pipe that conducts smoke up from a fire through the roof of a building

4.     sled or sleigh – a vehicle on runners (skis) for traveling over snow or ice, either pulled by horses or dogs, or allowed to slide downhill. Santa’s sleigh is pulled by reindeer.

5.     eve - the evening or day before a religious festival, e.g., Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve