What’s Xmas?

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Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is considered the Son of God and the savior of all people. Christianity essentially begins with the birth of Christ; thus Christmas also celebrates the beginning of Christianity.
Although Christmas is normally celebrated on December 25, strong evidence suggests that Jesus may actually have been born in the spring. Although many Christians date Christ’s birth as the end of the “Before Christ” era or BC, most believe that Christ’s birth can actually be dated to 4 BC. This is somewhat ironic, since the Christian era is thought to begin with the birth of Christ, but it actually begins later.

Some of the images inexorably linked to this celebration are things like shepherds in the snow and the bitter cold of a winter night when Jesus was born. This is an unlikely scenario, although it is entirely possible that the Jews who took the census and taxation were extremely crowded in Bethlehem.

Sextus Julius Africanus, a 3rd-century Christian missionary, is believed to have first espoused the theory of Christ’s birth on December 3. This worked well when the Romans later largely converted to Christianity because Christmas could be tied into pagan winter rituals, making it more palatable. Historical records suggest some form of celebration dating back to the early 4th century AD

Some, however, have argued that Christmas should not be celebrated as a holiday date, due to the divine nature of Christ. This position is still held by some minority Christian groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Although most see Jolly Old England as the source of many modern Christmas traditions, England actually banned celebrations from 1647 to 1660 in an attempt to rid the holiday of what were considered its pagan trappings and excess and the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. This, however, was not a popular decision. England reinstated Christmas as a celebratory holiday, even though tensions were still high between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

Charles Dickens must be mentioned as an inspiration for many of the traditions that we now regularly practice as part of Christmas celebrations. His phenomenal classic The Christmas Carol published in 1843 turned it into a moderate, family-oriented holiday. This differed from past celebrations, which often bordered on the anti-Christian, and which involved the pursuit of hedonism with graceless abandon.

Clement Clarke Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” firmly established the link between Christmas and Santa Claus. In fact, many traditions are based on Germanic pagan rituals that predate Christianity. Many consider Thor to be a forerunner as an early Santa figure, and the Christmas tree was once a sacrificial tree to the gods, hung brilliantly with dead animals.

Today, some argue, the holiday has been inexorably corrupted by the commercialism with which it has become associated. For the poor, it could be a time when, to quote Dickens, “longing is keenly felt.” Dickens uses it as an argument for practicing charity and “keeping Christmas in our hearts” every day of the year.

However, it can be argued that for the many joyful family celebrations in which poverty is not a factor, there are still many in which poverty makes itself felt at Christmas and where families despair that there is not even the money to give. I donate basic necessities to my children. Such a thought is sobering when one reflects on the Christian message as one of self-sacrifice, kindness to others, and love for neighbors such as ourselves.

However, many Christians feel that even a Christmas with the obvious trappings of commercialization has a special feeling that can only be attributed to faith. It can be a time to renew one’s faith, or simply approaching the birth of a religion that supports many. By touching Christ’s message, even young children can begin to understand the sacred nature of the celebration for Christians.

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