Look this up in encyclopedia, see why I am asking.
2006-10-17 03:42:18 · 8 answers · asked by chris w 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday that marks the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. Aspects of celebration may include gift-giving, Christmas trees, display of Nativity sets, church attendance, the Father Christmas/Santa Claus myth, and family gatherings. Churches using the Gregorian calendar observe the holiday on December 25. Some Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate on December 25 by the Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. These dates are merely traditional; the great majority of scholars agree that the actual birthdate of Jesus is unknown.
The word Christmas is derived from Middle English Christemasse and from Old English Cristes mæsse. It is a contraction meaning "Christ's mass". The name of the holiday is often shortened to Xmas because Roman letter "X" resembles the Greek letter Χ (chi), an abbreviation for Christ (Χριστός).
In Western countries, Christmas is the most economically significant holiday of the year, and is even celebrated by non-Christians. The popularity of Christmas can be traced in part to its status as a winter festival. Many cultures have their most important holiday in winter because there is less agricultural work to do at this time. Examples of winter festivals that are believed by some to have influenced Christmas include the pre-Christian festivals of Yule and Saturnalia, and many of the traditions associated with the holiday have origins in these pagan winter celebrations.
In Western culture, the holiday is characterized by the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of the gifts being attributed to Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Basil and Father Frost). However, various local and regional Christmas traditions are still practiced, despite the widespread influence of American, British and Australian Christmas motifs disseminated by film, popular literature, television, and other media.
2006-10-17 04:12:27 · answer #1 · answered by mswathi1025 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
December 25th is the birthday of a pagan god, Mithra. When Christianity was young, those who were preaching and helping converts in the early days, used familiar images and dates to help converts. It was probably "easier" to use Dec. 25th as Christ's birthday, because it was also the birthday of a familiar god.
Christmas is in the winter because of several reasons. The weeks surrounding Christmas have the longest "nights." Christ is seen as the "light of the world" thereby giving hope and light to those who are fearful. Hanukkah - the Festival of Lights is also in December.
Many theologians and historians feel/think that Jesus was actually born in the spring. (probably because of the census - remember Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem to register for the census when Jesus was born). This was probably underway in the spring (maybe to make it easier for travellers).
I hope this explanation helps!
2006-10-17 04:38:39 · answer #2 · answered by Malika 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may not be the actual day, but it is the day set aside to celebrate the birth of a King, the King of kings, Jesus, the Savior of the world, Immanuel, which means, God with us.
He is the best reason for the best day of the year. I hope you can get passed the questions and arguing over which day it was actually on......celebrate it on whatever day you choose.....just celebrate it.
The Bible talks about straining at a gnat yet swallowing a camel. People will strain at the gnats of dates and unresolved questions, but they will swallow whole the lies of the enemy and miss out on such great love and joy.
2006-10-17 05:32:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The real reason to celebrate Christmas is to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. If, you are a born again believer, you will also know that Easter is to honor the death and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior. One need only to look in the Bible to see why I am giving you these answers.
John 3:16
2006-10-17 05:13:01 · answer #4 · answered by KK 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Majority of Christians (even from population of these responses) believe the man was not born on this day and yet they insist they are practicing important part of the religion by celebrating the day. All other fundamentals of Christianity (Original Sin, Trinity, Death & Resurrection of Christ, etc) are so based on same kind of falsehood. The devil has really succeeded in Christianity.
2006-10-18 00:11:13 · answer #5 · answered by WEBBADGER 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that's September 1st and that's technically nonetheless summer September ability autumn and autumn ability Thanksgiving (American) and snow, the two one in all which recommend Christmas. i'm so excited and ask each and every of the worldwide starts to die my spirits upward thrust. i admire each and every thing approximately Christmas purely such as you and that i'm stoked already. I even style of started preparing. you spot my family contributors is Estonian and we've this previous Estonian Christmas custom called Christmas straw. You unfold it in all over the floor in the process the season and sleep on it Christmas Eve to commemorate the sturdy Jesus became born in. i offered a bale of a harrassed some weeks in the past for our custom i began putting up Halloween decorations at present. My family contributors places up its Christmas land Halloween lights fixtures on an identical day--September sixteen so we sidestep the chilly 20 degree climate of mid-November. On November a million we take the spider webbing off the porch and post the Christmas garland. and that's whilst it starts off. Sorry for the long answer yet i admire Christmas plenty.
2016-10-02 09:32:03 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I beleive that we celebrate this day to remeber a great king who came down to a sinful world in the winter named jesus! This might not be the exact date but it is a day that it set aside and apprecaite him our lord jesus christ! Just think about the Lord jesus christ is the one who created us and is soooooo perfect and he came down to this sinful world just to save us from the death of sin! if you have more ?s look in a book called the BIBLE it will help you alot! God loves you and me alot!
2006-10-17 09:58:23 · answer #7 · answered by living4him24-7 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because its a tradition I choose to have..=)
2006-10-17 07:57:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋