Grace Thompson
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration. It is a secular family holiday that is observed by Christians and non-Christians alike and is marked by the exchange of gifts and the mythical figure of Santa Claus. Christmas is a holy day of obligation for Catholics, who are required to attend Mass and refrain from servile work. The term Christmas is derived from mass on Christ's day, and the holiday has a variety of names in other languages, such as Navidad in Spanish and Natale in Italian. While Christmas is widely celebrated, some groups, such as the Puritans in 17th-century England, have condemned it as a Catholic invention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 25th of December |
| History | The Church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on the 25th of December in the 4th century during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor. |
| Religious Significance | Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. |
| Secular Significance | Christmas has also become a secular family holiday that is observed by Christians and non-Christians, marked by the exchange of gifts and the mythical figure of Santa Claus. |
| Traditions | Traditions include carol singing, gift-giving, attending Nativity plays, church services, and eating special food. |
| Greetings | Traditional greetings include "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" and "Christ is born!", to which others respond, "Glorify Him!" |
| Holy Day of Obligation | Christmas is a holy day of obligation for Catholics, where they are required to attend Mass and avoid servile work. |
| Exceptions | In the Russian Orthodox Church, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January. |
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What You'll Learn
Christmas is a Catholic holy day
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. The English term Christmas means "mass on Christ's day". It is observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people around the world.
In the Catholic Church, Christmas Day (inclusive of its vigil, Christmas Eve) is a solemnity. Catholics observe Christmas as a holy day of obligation. Holy days of obligation are feast days on which Catholics are required to attend Mass and to abstain from work. The Immaculate Conception, the day on which Catholics traditionally mount their Christmas tree, is also a holy day of obligation.
In the 17th century, some groups, such as the Puritans, strongly condemned the celebration of Christmas, considering it a "Catholic invention" and the "trappings of popery". Conversely, the Anglican Church promoted a more elaborate observance of the festival.
Christmas festivities in Italy begin on December 8, with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and end on January 6 with the Epiphany. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in the Greek Catholic Churches and Byzantine-Rite Lutheran Churches, Christmas is the fourth most important feast.
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The history of Christmas
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration. The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin. The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic jōl or the Anglo-Saxon geōl, which referred to the feast of the winter solstice. The corresponding terms in other languages—Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, Noël in French—all probably denote nativity. The German word Weihnachten denotes “hallowed night.”
The celebration of Christmas started in Rome about AD 336, during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, possibly to weaken pagan traditions. However, it did not become a major Christian festival until the 9th century. December 25 was the traditional date of the winter solstice in the Roman Empire, and the Roman festival Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of Sol Invictus) had been held on this date since 274 AD. In ancient Rome, December 25 was also a celebration of the Unconquered Sun, marking the return of longer days. It followed Saturnalia, a festival where people feasted and exchanged gifts.
Many of the holiday’s traditions began in Germany, including decorating trees, which date back to the Middle Ages. German and other European settlers popularised Christmas trees in America by the early 19th century. The custom of exchanging gifts also became well established towards the end of the 18th century. In the 1820s, Episcopal minister Clement Clarke Moore wrote a Christmas poem called “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more popularly known today by its first line: “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.” The poem depicted Santa Claus as a jolly man who flies from home to home on a sled driven by reindeer to deliver toys. The iconic version of Santa Claus as a jolly man in red with a white beard and a sack of toys was immortalized in 1881 by political cartoonist Thomas Nast.
In the 20th century, Christmas also became a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike, devoid of Christian elements, and marked by an increasingly elaborate exchange of gifts. In this secular Christmas celebration, a mythical figure named Santa Claus plays the pivotal role.
Christmas is a public holiday in many countries and is observed religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as celebrated culturally by many non-Christians. It is one of the major holidays of Italy, where festivities begin on December 8 with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when the Christmas tree is traditionally mounted, and end on January 6 with the Epiphany. In the Russian Orthodox Church, Christmastide is referred to as "Svyatki", meaning Holy Days, and is celebrated from the Nativity of Christ (January 7) to the Theophany or Baptism of Christ (January 19). In the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in the Greek Catholic Churches and Byzantine-Rite Lutheran Churches, Christmas is the fourth most important feast.
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Christmas traditions
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. The date of 25 December has become widely accepted as the date of Jesus' birth, and Christmas Day is a Catholic holy day of obligation. The term Christmas comes from the Old English "Crīstes mæss", or Christ-Mass. The English term is of fairly recent origin, and the earlier term "Yule" may be derived from the Germanic "jōl" or Anglo-Saxon "geōl", referring to the feast of the winter solstice.
The celebration of Christmas started in Rome in the 4th century during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, possibly to weaken pagan traditions. However, Christmas did not become a major Christian festival until the 9th century. Many of the holiday's traditions began in Germany, including decorating trees.
There are several Catholic Christmas traditions that help foster a festive spirit while keeping the focus on the coming of Jesus. One such tradition is the Advent wreath, which involves four candles adorning a ring of greenery. The candles are lit on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, each representing the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Another cherished Catholic tradition is the Nativity scene, which portrays the humble birth of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by Mary and Joseph, and witnessed by shepherds and wise men. Catholics traditionally hide the baby Jesus figure until Christmas Day, to help children understand the preparations for Advent. The evergreen tree is another important symbol, representing a sign of hope and life, reminding Christians of the eternal life brought by Jesus.
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is a powerful opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and many Catholic families attend this special service each year. Mass is also celebrated on the Feast of St. Stephen on 26 December, remembering the first Christian martyr, and on 27 December for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, the only apostle who wasn't killed for his faith. The Feast of the Holy Innocents on 28 December commemorates the infant martyrs killed by King Herod.
In addition to these religious traditions, the exchange of gifts is a fun way to celebrate Christmas, with roots in the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh given to Jesus by the wise men.
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Christmas in a secular context
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. However, since the early 20th century, it has also been observed as a secular family holiday, devoid of Christian elements, and marked by an increasingly elaborate exchange of gifts. In this secular context, a mythical figure named Santa Claus plays a pivotal role.
The secular celebration of Christmas is observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. It is often illustrated by English Christmas carols such as "Here We Come A-Wassailing" and "Deck the Halls". The practice of sending Christmas cards, which began in 19th-century England, also exemplifies the secular nature of the holiday. In some European countries, St. Nicholas appears on his feast day (December 6) bringing modest gifts to children. In North America, the influence of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas") transformed St. Nicholas into the figure of Santa Claus as the source of Christmas gifts for the family.
The tradition of decorating trees, which began in Germany, is another example of a secular Christmas tradition. In countries with warmer climates, such as India, people decorate mango or bamboo trees instead of evergreen trees. Other secular Christmas traditions include feasting (picnics and fireworks are popular in warm climates), singing carols, and exchanging gifts.
In some countries, the celebration of Christmas has been controversial due to its religious origins. In post-apartheid South Africa, for example, Christmas remains a public holiday despite the country's secular and diverse nature. In the United States, there has been a movement to replace the greeting "Merry Christmas" with more egalitarian terms like "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings". Similarly, the display of Nativity scenes in public settings has been a subject of debate, with some schools and retailers choosing to showcase less overtly religious symbols like Christmas trees or secular figures like reindeer, snowmen, and elves.
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Christmas in different cultures
Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, but it has also become a secular family holiday observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. The date of December 25th has become widely accepted as the date of celebration, though for Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar, this date corresponds to January 7th on the Gregorian calendar. Christmas traditions vary across the globe, with each region infusing its own distinctive charm into the festivities.
In most European countries, gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve, while in North America, gifts are exchanged on Christmas morning. In France, Christmas Eve is also the most special day of the celebrations, with people holding a large feast called Le Réveillon De Noël with close friends and family, usually after midnight mass. The spread includes seafood, turkey, goose, lobster, and The Yule log or Buche de Noel as dessert.
In Mexico, the Christian Latinx community observes Noche Buena on Christmas Eve, with a big midnight feast, singing, dancing, and smashing piñatas. In Brazil, Christmas is a summer festival with picnics, fireworks, and a solemn procession of priests to the church for midnight mass. In India, the evergreen Christmas tree is replaced by the mango tree or the bamboo tree, and houses are decorated with mango leaves and paper stars.
Christmas festivities in Italy begin on December 8th with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when the Christmas tree is traditionally mounted, and end on January 6th with the Epiphany. In Russia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, which is an official national holiday. This date is also celebrated as the start of Christmastide in the Russian Orthodox Church, which lasts until the Theophany or Baptism of Christ on January 19th. Activities during this period include attending church services, singing Christmas carols and spiritual hymns, visiting relatives and friends, and performing works of mercy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Christmas is a holy day for Catholics. It is a solemnity in the Roman Catholic Church and a Principal Feast of the Anglican Communion. It is also a holy day of obligation, where Catholics are required to attend Mass.
December 25th has become widely accepted as the date of celebration for Jesus' birth. However, the Bible does not mention Christmas. The date was chosen in the 4th century during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, possibly to weaken pagan traditions.
Christmas holds a special place in the hearts of the faithful as they remember and give thanks for God's greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time for prayer and worship, as well as for celebrating with family and exchanging gifts.
Christmas is an important festival for many Christian denominations, including Lutherans and Anglicans. It is a time of high annual church attendance, and many Christians attend a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day church service.
