101 Christmas

Christmas 101

Advent
Advent (four Sunday's before Christmas) is the season in which we prepare for the coming of Christ. The coming of a Saviour was foretold in the Old Testament. The Sundays of Advent are often symbolized by the Advent wreath. A candle is lit each Sunday of Advent. A central candle is sometimes included and is lit on Christmas eve. Some churches don't sing Christmas songs during Advent, but wait until Christmas ... when the "official" Chirstmas season begins in the Church..

So what does Christmas mean to you?
Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth. But over the years many other things have been added to the celebration. Some of the reasons for these Christmas elements are found below. Some of those elements add to the commercialism that sometimes takes away from the real meaning of Christmas. We can celebrate with the various traditionas and customs, but we must always remember that Christ is what Christmas is all about.

Christmas
     Christmas seasons actually begins in the Church on Christmas day (or Christmas eve) and lasts till Epiphany (January 6).
     Christmas literally means "Christ's Mass."   A mass, or service, has long been held on that date to celebrate the coming of Christ. Such services date back to the 2nd century.
     We sometimes see the term "Xmas" as a substitute for Christmas. It is not an attempt to "X" the Christ out of Christmas, but rather a shorthand way of writing it.   "Xristos" is the Greek word for Christ. In the 1500s, people began using the first initial ("X") to represent Christ and this led to Xmas.

Christmas Tree
The idea of using greenery dates back to the Romans and even before. Evergreens and clippings were brought indoors reminded them of life during wintertime. It is said that 1000 years ago in Germany, St Boniface found a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. He cut it down, and a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that trees were brought indoors at Christmas time, again in Germany. Over time, it was decorated with candles and other ornaments. When Prince Albert of Germany married Queen Victoria of England, he brought the Christmas tree tradition with him. From England, it spread to America.

Santa Claus
Nicholas was a real person who was the bishop of Myra (in modern day Turkey) in the 3rd/4th centuries. He was known as a Christian man that gave gifts to the poor (sometimes secretly at night). He was later declared a Saint, hence the name Saint Nicholas. The Dutch form of his name, 'Sinter Klaus', became Santa Claus when it was brought to America by immigrants.
One story about him tells of his throwing gold coins down a chimney to land in little girls' stockings (drying by the fire). This is some of the foundation behind his gift-giving and the notion of putting stockings by the fireplace.

Gifts
The practice of giving gifts during the season may have its roots in the Roman holiday season of the Saturnalia around the winter solstice in December. Instead of a "Merry Christmas!," Romans would exchange a "Jo Saturnalia!" along with a variety of gifts and favors.
As with other traditions, Christians have made this a part of the Christian season. One reason often cited is that gifts were given to the Christ child by the wise men. You could also say that we are giving to others to remember the greatest gift of all ... the gift of Christ to mankind.

Poinsettias
The pointsettia plant was named afer Joel Roberts Poinsett who imported it from Mexico in the 1820s. According to an old Mexican legend, a couple of children had nothing to give the Christ Child on Christmas. They picked some weeds to give him, which sprouted beautiful red petals when placed around the manger. The plant became known as Flowers of the Holy Night.

December 25
     While some early church leaders though it wrong to celebrate Christ's birth, others argued for various dates on which to honor it.   Some say it dates back to the end of the 1st century.
     One of the major pagan festivals at that time was on December 25, which was being used by the Romans as a sun holiday and for the Iranian god Mithras' birthday. Towards the end of the 3rd century, the date of December 25 was proposed in a move to turn a pagan holiday into a Christian one. As a theologian asserted in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."   The Bishop of Rome, Julius I, selected it as the official date for the birth of Christ in 350 A.D. (though the eastern Church celebrated it on January 6). It was made official in 375 A.D. when it was officially declared as the date for the celebration of Christ's birthday.
     So what was the actual date of Christ's birth? Since the shepherds and flocks were out at night, many argue that the date could not be in the wintertime. We may never know. But the important thing is not remembering the actual day of the year it took place, but rather the event itself ... the birth of Christ.

Commercialism vs. Christmas:
Many people today say that Christmas has gotten too commercial. Interestingly enough, they have been saying that for many years ... at least back to the 1800s even. Certainly people are making money from the holiday, so the commercial aspect of the holiday will always be there. But the real issue is how you feel about and celebrate Christmas in your heart and life.

LINKS:
Relevant Books for Further Study:

• Christmas Reflections

• A Treasury of Christmas Miracles

• A Christmas Treasury

• Selected Verses of Christmas

• Christmas Worldwide

• Simplify Your Christmas

• Christmas Traditions

• In Search of Christmas

• The Christ of Christmas

Links to Explore:

• Advent and Christmas