here are some info
"Simply put, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. "
Additional input:
"•Traditionally, it's supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Historically, it's "winter festival". Christmas is just a couple days following the "shortest day" for the northern hemisphere. That means that the north poll of the earth's axis is pointing AWAY from the Sun. As the earth continues it's trip around the Sun, the days start to get longer. According to older European celebrations, when the Sun started back north, there was reason to celebrate and that was the beginning of the Winter Festival. When Constantine united Europe under the "Universal Religion", he incorporated several of the more familiar holidays into the religion he needed to unite Europe. Winter festival is about the rebirth of the land so it was generally felt that Christmas would fit in. While Constantine's efforts to unite Europe eventually failed, his Catholic (universal) religion continues today"
"The historic record of the birth of Christ can be found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.
Unlike any other baby, the one born that night in Bethlehem was unique in all of history. He was not created by a human father and mother. He had a heavenly pre-existence (John 1:1-3, 14). He is God, the Son—Creator of the universe (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why Christmas is called the incarnation, a word which means “in the flesh.” In the birth of Jesus, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator came to earth in the flesh. "
"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.
Boxing Day
In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called 'Boxing Day'. This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: churches would open their 'alms boxe' (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighbourhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today - small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers. "
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Topic: Hijacking Xmas (Read 923 times)