In US, peope will celebate Christmas on December 25th. It is also a day
combined with customs from pre-Christmas winter celebrations. In United
States, a big variety peope will eret Christmas trees, decorate homes,
visit friends, families and also exchange gifts.
What do they do?At
homes, people will decorate homes with Christmas trees, lights and
other elements. They will make their own Christmas tree bright and
beautiful, full of gift and colors. It is also common for families to
organize a special meal with turkey and other festive foods. Friends and
families will exchange gifts to express love and wish. So, childern in
particular will receive lots of gifts.
Many Sunday schools,
churches and communities organize special events. These can include
decorating the neighborhood or a shopping mall, putting up a Christmas
tree and planning a Nativity display, concert or performance. A lot of
plays and songs have a aspect of Christmas as a theme. Some groups
arrange meals, shelter or charitable projects for people without a home
or with very little money.
Public LifeGovernment
offices, organizations, businesses and schools are closed, almost
without exception. Many people visit relatives or friends and are out of
town. This may cause congestion on highways and at airports. Public
transit systems do not run on their regular schedules. In general,
public life closes down completely.
BackgroundThe
original meaning of Christmas is a special church service, or mass, to
celebrate the birth of Christ. The story of the Nativity, or the events
surrounding the birth of Jesus, are particularly important in religious
celebrations of Christmas. However, many traditions that are around
today have their roots in pre-Christian winter festivals. These include
the importance of candles and decorations made from evergreen bushes and
tree, symbolizing everlasting light and life.
In Roman times, a
mid-winter festival was held. This was a relaxing time with a lot of
parties and merry making. It was also common to give other people small
gifts, such as dolls for children and candles for adults. This festival
culminated with the celebration of the winter solstice, which fell on
December 25 in the Roman calendar. In Scandinavia, a festival called
Yule and lasting up to twelve days was held in late December and early
January. In this time people burnt logs and held parties. These customs
have influences how Christmas Day is celebrated today in the United
States.
The Bible does not give a precise date for the birth of
Jesus. It is also unclear when December 25 became associated with the
birth of Jesus, although it may have been around two hundred years after
his birth. In the early centuries of Christianity, the anniversary of
the birth of Jesus was not a cause for celebrations. The idea of turning
this day into a celebration started in the early Middle Ages in Europe.
During
Reformation and up until the middle of the 1800s, Christmas was often
not celebrated because partying and merry making was seen as
unchristian. From about 1840, celebrating Christmas became more
widespread. December 25 was declared a federal holiday in the United
States in 1870. Since then Christmas Day has become a steadily more
important holiday.
SymbolsA
wide range of people and objects represent Christmas. These include
baby Jesus, the Nativity and the Three Kings, but also Santa Claus,
reindeer and elves. Common objects at this time of year are pine trees,
holly, decorations, fairy lights, candles and presents. Christmas Day is
now truly a mix of religious celebration and commercial interests.
Of course, many other countries also celebrate Christmas. For them all, this day is special and meaningful.
Have a nice Christmas day!
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