Sarah Mitchell
Christmas is a festival in the Lutheran Church, a solemnity in the Roman Catholic Church, and a Principal Feast of the Anglican Communion. The celebration of Christmas has been a topic of debate among various Christian denominations, with some groups strongly condemning it as a Catholic invention. The Catholic Church decreed that Christmas be celebrated on December 25th in the fourth century, and it has since been observed by many Christian denominations, including the Anglican and Lutheran churches. However, some Christians argue that there is no biblical basis for celebrating Christmas, and it is viewed as a Catholic tradition rather than a Christian one. This distinction between Catholicism and Christianity is not new and is often made by evangelical Pentecostal sects. Despite these differences, Christmas has become a widely celebrated holiday, incorporating regional and local cultural traditions, and has been popularized in media and literature, such as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
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What You'll Learn
- Christmas is a secular family holiday, celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike
- The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Cristes Maesse, meaning Christ's Mass
- The date of December 25 was first identified as Jesus' birthday by Sextus Julius Africanus in 221
- Christmas traditions include decorating trees, feasting, and exchanging gifts
- The Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas
Christmas is a secular family holiday, celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike
Christmas is a holiday that has been celebrated by Christians for centuries. However, over time, it has evolved into a secular family holiday that is celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike. While the religious significance of Christmas remains intact for many Christians, the holiday has also become a commercial and cultural phenomenon that is enjoyed by people from various religious and cultural backgrounds.
The history of Christmas is deeply rooted in Christian tradition. The holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, with the date of December 25th chosen by the Church to associate with the birth of its deity. Following the Protestant Reformation, denominations such as the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church continued to celebrate Christmas, often incorporating regional and local cultural traditions into their celebrations. For example, in Eastern Europe, Christmas celebrations incorporated pre-Christian traditions such as the Koleda, which shares parallels with the Christmas carol.
However, Christmas is not just a Christian holiday. In modern times, Christmas has become a secular holiday celebrated by people from various religious and cultural backgrounds. This secularization of Christmas is largely due to the commercialization and cultural influence of Western societies, where Christmas has become a massive cross-denominational event. Aspects like 'being nice to each other' and 'generosity' are often associated with Christmas and are seen as human values rather than exclusively Christian values.
The celebration of Christmas in a secular context can be observed through the emergence of secular Christmas songs, movies, and symbols. In the late 18th century, secular Christmas songs such as "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells" became popular. Hollywood movies have also contributed to the secularization of Christmas, with songs like "White Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" becoming widely known. Additionally, symbols like Santa Claus, candles, holly, and snow scenes are often used on secular Christmas cards and decorations.
While some people embrace the secularization of Christmas, others argue that it is disrespectful and an attack on the Christian faith. Some Muslims and Jews, for example, view the secularization of Christmas as a form of majoritarian privilege, where Christian culture is treated as the default in society. They argue that the separation of church and state should protect religious minorities from the tyranny of the majority and that redefining Christmas as secular undermines this principle.
In conclusion, Christmas is a holiday that has evolved into a secular family celebration enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike. While the religious significance of Christmas remains important for many Christians, the holiday has also become a cultural phenomenon that brings people together regardless of their faith or background.
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The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Cristes Maesse, meaning Christ's Mass
The word Christmas is derived from Old English, specifically the phrase "Cristes Maesse" or "Crīstesmæsse", which was first recorded in 1038. This phrase combines the Greek "Khristos" (a translation of the Hebrew "Māšîaḥ" or "Messiah", meaning "anointed") with "mæsse", which comes from the Latin "missa", or the celebration of the Eucharist.
The evolution of the word "Christmas" reflects the religious significance of the holiday, as it is rooted in the phrase "Christ's Mass", referring to the liturgical feast commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. This religious aspect of Christmas has been central to its observance, with preparations beginning on the First Sunday of Advent, followed by Christmastide, which historically lasted twelve days and culminated on Twelfth Night.
The religious nature of Christmas is evident in the earliest celebrations, with the first extant Christmas hymns appearing in fourth-century Rome. These hymns, such as "Veni redemptor gentium" by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, affirmed the theological doctrine of the Incarnation. The celebration of Christmas continued to evolve, with the introduction of Christmas "Sequences" or "Proses" in North European monasteries in the 9th and 10th centuries, and the emergence of music more akin to traditional carols in the 12th century by the Parisian monk Adam of St. Victor.
The observance of Christmas has not been without controversy, however. Following the Protestant Reformation, some groups, like the Puritans, strongly opposed the celebration, deeming it a Catholic invention and a form of "popery". In contrast, other denominations, such as the Anglican Church, embraced and promoted a more elaborate observance of Christmas.
Despite differing views on the celebration of Christmas, the holiday has become a significant part of religious and cultural traditions worldwide, with a variety of customs and rituals that incorporate regional and local influences.
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The date of December 25 was first identified as Jesus' birthday by Sextus Julius Africanus in 221
The date of December 25 was first identified as Jesus' birthday in AD 221 by Sextus Julius Africanus, a minor Roman historian. Africanus wrote Chronographiai, a five-volume world history, in which he suggested that 25 March, the traditional spring equinox, was the day of creation and of Jesus' conception. This date was later celebrated by the Christian Church as the Feast of the Annunciation.
Africanus did not, however, offer a birth date for Jesus. The identification of 25 December as the date of Jesus' birth is based on the assumption that Christ was born nine months after his conception, which was believed to have occurred on 25 March, the Roman date of the spring equinox. This is known as the "Calculation hypothesis", first proposed by French priest and historian Louis Duchesne in 1889.
The choice of 25 December as Jesus' birthday may also be related to the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the 'Birthday of Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun', which was held on 25 December from AD 274 onwards. The earliest evidence of Jesus' birth being marked on 25 December is the Chronograph of 354, also called the Calendar of Filocalus. Some have argued that Christmas was instituted in Rome by Emperor Constantine (reigned AD 306-337), as a celebration of the pagan sun god Sol Invictus, and that it was later appropriated as Jesus' birthday.
Another theory suggests that Christ was conceived and died on the same day of the year, 25 March in 2 BC, and was therefore born nine months later on 25 December 2 BC, the winter solstice. This theory, however, has been criticized for its lack of supporting evidence and its false assumption that the astronomical dates of the equinox and solstice fell on 25 March and 25 December respectively during the time of Christ.
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Christmas traditions include decorating trees, feasting, and exchanging gifts
Christmas is celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians and includes many traditions that have no origins in Christianity. Three of the most popular Christmas traditions are decorating trees, feasting, and exchanging gifts.
Decorating Trees
The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine, or fir, though less traditional conifers like the giant sequoia and Leyland cypress are sometimes used. The custom of decorating trees originated in Central Europe, particularly Germany, where the main prop of a medieval play about Adam and Eve was a "paradise tree", a fir tree hung with apples, that represented the Garden of Eden. The Germans set up a paradise tree in their homes on December 24, hanging wafers symbolic of the eucharistic host, the Christian sign of redemption. Candles, symbolic of Christ as the light of the world, were often added.
In the 18th century, German Lutherans began bringing decorated trees into their homes, and by the 19th century, it had become a deep-rooted German tradition. The custom was introduced to England in the early 19th century by Queen Victoria and her German-born husband, Prince Albert, and has since spread throughout the world. In India, for example, people decorate mango or bamboo trees at Christmas.
Feasting
Christmas is a time for feasting and gathering with family. The Christmas meal can take place any time from the evening of Christmas Eve to the evening of Christmas Day itself, and the food served varies according to regional cuisines and local traditions. In many parts of the world, particularly former British colonies, the meal shares some connection with the English Christmas dinner involving roasted meats and pudding. In China, Christmas dinner can feature a blend of Western and Chinese culinary traditions, while in Japan, a white sponge cake covered with cream and decorated with strawberries is often consumed.
In Austria, Christmas Day is a national holiday, and most Austrians spend the day feasting with their family, eating foods like fried carp, Sachertorte, and Christmas biscuits. In the Philippines, common traditional dishes for Noche Buena include lechón, various types of pancit (noodles), Filipino spaghetti, and hamonado. In Denmark, the traditional Christmas meal consists of duck, roast pork with crackling, turkey, or goose, served with boiled and roasted potatoes, red cabbage, and gravy.
Exchanging Gifts
The tradition of exchanging gifts at Christmas is tied to the story of the Biblical Magi giving gifts to baby Jesus. In ancient Rome, gift-giving occurred near the winter solstice during the Saturnalia holiday, and as Christianity became widespread in the Roman lands, the custom of gift-giving occurred on New Year's Day. In the early 19th century, the custom spread to the United States, and by the turn of the 20th century, retailers started directing marketing efforts at children. Today, billions of dollars are spent on Christmas gifts each year, with many families dedicating a lot of time to the custom.
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The Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas
The Feast of the Holy Family is a Roman Catholic religious festival that falls on the first Sunday after Christmas. If Christmas falls on a Sunday, the feast is celebrated on 30 December. The feast celebrates the human family unit and the ultimate family unit: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It is a celebration of religious family life.
The Feast of the Holy Family first developed in Canada in the 19th century and was celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. In 1920, it spread to the entire Church, and in 1969, it was moved to the Sunday after Christmas, bringing it within the Christmas season. The feast was formally instituted in 1921 under Pope Benedict XV.
The Feast of the Holy Family is a celebration of the Holy Family of Nazareth as the "true model of life" from which families can draw inspiration and find help and comfort. It is a time to reflect on the role of parents in cultivating and caring for their children from the time they are conceived. The presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the words of Simeon and Anna to His parents reveal Jesus' mission.
The feast is also a time to honour the Holy Family as the ultimate family unit. The devotion to the Holy Family was born in Bethlehem along with baby Jesus. The shepherds went to adore the Child and gave honour to His family. The three wise men also came to adore and honour the newborn King, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that were safeguarded by His family.
The main purpose of the Feast of the Holy Family is to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christian families and for domestic life in general. St. John Chrysostom urged all Christians to make each home a "family church," sanctifying the family unit. This is achieved by making Christ the center of family and individual life through reading scripture regularly, praying daily, attending Mass on Sundays, and going to confession frequently, all done together as a family.
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