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The English word Christmas is a shortened form of 'Christ's Mass'. [3] The word is recorded as Crīstesmæsse in 1038 and Cristes-messe in 1131. [4] Crīst (genitive Crīstes) is from the Greek Χριστός (Khrīstos, 'Christ'), a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ, 'Messiah'), meaning 'anointed'; [5] [6] and mæsse is from the Latin missa, the celebration of the Eucharist.
- How Did Christmas Start?
- Saturnalia and Christmas
- Is Christmas Really The Day Jesus Was born?
- When Christmas Was Cancelled
- Washington Irving Reinvents Christmas in America
- 'A Christmas Carol'
- Who Invented Santa Claus?
- Christmas Facts
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and exten...
In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnaliawas a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned ...
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Alt...
In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwelland his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the ret...
It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s piqued American interest in the holiday? The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During thi...
Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday. The family was also bec...
The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholaswho was born in Turkey around A. D. 280. St. Nicholas gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors. St. Nicholas first entered American popular culture in the late 18th cen...
Each year, 25-30 million real Christmas treesare sold in the United States alone. There are about 15,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States, and trees usually grow for between four and 15 ye...In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today’s Mardi Grasparties.When Christmas was cancelled: From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.Nov 16, 2023 · Christmas, the cherished annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, is a time-honored tradition observed on December 25th in the Western Church. The origins of this date ...
1 day ago · Theologically, the feast day reminded Christians of God’s gift of Jesus to humankind even as the coming of the Wise Men, or Magi, to Bethlehem suggested that Christmas was somehow related to giving gifts. The practice of giving gifts, which goes back to the 15th century, contributed to the view that Christmas was a secular holiday focused on family and friends.
Dec 8, 2017 · (The period of time between both dates would become known as the 12 days of Christmas.) 17 th Century — Present Day. By the 17 th century, religious reforms were gaining speed, and they also impacted how Christmas was celebrated. Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans cancelled Christmas, and it did not return until Charles II returned to the throne.
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Dec 10, 2021 · Over time, Christmas gained popularity—and new traditions. In medieval England, Christmas was a 12-day festival involving all kinds of revelry, from plays to wild feasts to pageants celebrating ...
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Dec 7, 2021 · It was the longest holiday of the year, typically the full 12 days of Christmas. From the night of Christmas Eve (24 December) to the Twelfth Day (5 January), people took a much-needed rest, largely thanks to the lull in agricultural activity mid-winter. Christmas preparations began in the home of the poor as well as the rich.
