Ø Christmas is the most observed and celebrated festival of Christians the world over.
Ø It is the annual festival of Christians celebrated on December 25, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Ø Christmas symbolizes incarnation of God in the form of human being. Christmas also marks an end to the present year and feast for the coming year.
Christmas Means:-
Ø Literally, Christmas means “Mass of Christ” i.e. celebration of Christ.
Ø The name of the festival is often abbreviated to Xmas where 'X' being the first letter of the Greek word Christos.
Ø Christmas is an important festival for every Christian. Along with celebrating birth of their God
Brief History of Christmas Festival:-
Ø Jesus was born as a baby to Mary. This was not an ordinary birth.
Ø Mary learned from lord’s angel that she is caused to be with a child.
Ø Mary and her husband Joseph went to Bethlehem to give birth to their child. There Mary gave birth to Jesus.
Christmas Story:-
Ø The story of Christmas dates back over 4000 years.
Ø During this era, Rome was a great empire ruled by Caesar Augustus and Israel was governed by King Herod.
The Story of Mary and Joseph:-
Ø In the small village of Galilee in Nazareth.
Ø Lived Mary a young virgin who was engaged to be married to Joesph, a Jewish carpenter.
Ø An angel visited Mary in her dream who told her she had been chosen to bear a Son of God and his name was to be Jesus.
Ø And thus, it happened that when Mary was still engaged to Joseph.
Ø She miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. When Mary told Joesph.
Ø Naturally he felt betrayed, but an angel visited him in his dream and verified what Mary had told him to be true.
Ø He thus took Mary to be his wife despite a possible public disgrace.
Mary and Joseph leave Nazareth for Bethlehem:-
Ø At that time, Caesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken of every person in the entire Roman Empire.
Ø Everybody had to go to the place to which they belonged to register.
Ø As Joseph, was of the line of David, he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register.
Ø Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for Bethlehem.
Ø Mary, who was with child, and close to the birth, rode on a donkey while Joseph walked beside her.
Ø They traveled for many days and only rested at night. When they reached Bethlehem it was night. They looked for a place to rest but there were no empty rooms when they reached the inn. Ø As they were being turned away Joseph mentioned that his wife was with child and close to birth.
Ø The inn keeper took pity on them and told them of some caves in the nearby hills where shepherds would stay with their cows and sheep.
Jesus is Born
Ø So Joseph and Mary went up into the hills and found the caves. In one cave was a stable room.
Ø Joseph cleaned it and made beds of fresh hay.
Ø He found a feeding trough which he cleaned and filled with hay to use as a crib.
Ø The next night Mary gave birth to a son and they named him Jesus, as the angel had said.
Christmas Celebrations
Ø Christians start preparing for Christmas several days before the festival.
Ø With the beginning of December, people begin making plans and look forward for shopping.
Ø It is a time of dual celebration, of Christmas and New Year.
Ø All streets and homes are illuminated with colorful lights, candles, chandeliers, ribbons, halogen lights etc.
Ø These days’ people even embellish their garden trees with lights, paper and other decorative to give them a traditional Christmas tree effect.
Ø Shops stay open till mid-night and streets are abuzz with activities by last minute shoppers.
Ø Sound of festive music pervade all over and make the atmosphere in the market even more lively.
Ø Families and friends exchange Christmas gifts to express their good wishes for each other.
Ø All the family members and friends sit together to have a big Christmas meal.
Christmas Morning:-
Ø Christmas mornings are the most spirited time of the year after spending a great Christmas Eve.
Ø All christians attend Christmas services held on the Christmas day.
Ø It is a prayerful service and people pray on Christmas mornings celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ.
Ø The prayer is usually followed by carol songs.
Christmas Evening:-
Ø At several places Christian devotees attend midnight mass on a Christmas Eve.
Ø They offer prayers, light votive candles and pray for the well-being of their near and dear ones.
Ø Christmas Mass is concluded by hugging and wishing each other merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.
Ø Christmas Eve is a very special moment for every child. It is believed that when children go off to sleep, mythical Santa Claus comes on his sleigh pulled by reindeers and fills their stockings with sweets, small gifts and treats for the pets.
Ø This makes Santa Claus favorite of every child.
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