Christmas is a commemorative date that symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ. This celebration has been taking place for over 1,600 years on December 25th.
Christmas refers to birth or the place where someone was born. For example, the expression "hometown" indicates the city where a particular individual was born. The word "Christmas" means "from birth".
Origin of Christmas
Christmas is the date Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. For many years after his birth, this commemoration was held on different days, as the exact date of his birth was unknown.
It was only in the fourth century that the celebration of Christmas was established on the day December 25th, by Pope Julius.
In addition to the lack of historical documents confirming the date of Christ's birth, one of the explanations for choosing the 25th was the pagan parties that used to be performed on that day.
This was the date the Romans celebrated the winter solstice. The celebration was a tribute to sun god (natalis invicti solis) and it was the moment when the Romans asked for plenty.
Years later, the Sun God was replaced by Miter, a god of Greek mythology.
In addition to these rituals, another celebration that may have influenced the definition of the Christmas date is the Yule or Jol, a commemoration held by the Norsemen of the Viking Age, also in celebration of the winter solstice.
It is believed that the choice of the 25th, therefore, was a way to get more adherents to Christianity, using some references from pagan rituals.
Know who were the pagans and what does it mean Winter Solstice.
Christmas story
According to biblical stories, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem (Palestine) and was the son of Joseph and Mary. Joseph was a Jew and needed to go to Bethlehem to participate in a census that would be carried out by the Roman Empire.
José and Maria left Nazareth and traveled 140 km to Belém, along the banks of the River Jordan. Maria made the trip mounted on a mule, as she needed to save energy for the birth.
Arriving in the city, Maria and José couldn't find a place in the inn, which was full. The couple was then placed in a cave that was used as a stable.
Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ that night and placed the baby in a manger. Soon after her birth, Mary and Joseph received a visit from the Three Wise Men - Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar.
According to Bible stories, the Three Kings were guided by the Star of Bethlehem to the birthplace and gave the family gold, myrrh, and incense as gifts.
Meaning of Christmas Symbols
During Christmas celebrations, various symbols are used to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Discover the main objects and rituals of this celebration:
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is one of the most popular symbols of Christmas. There are many versions of the association of the tree with Christmas. One of them is that the triangular shape of the pine would represent the Holy Trinity.
The custom of bringing trees into the house and decorating them dates back to antiquity, but it began to be used by Christians around 1500, with Martin Luther.
In Latin America, it was only in the 20th century that this tradition began. Nowadays, trees are natural or artificial and are usually decorated with colored balls, lights and stars.
Learn more about Christmas tree.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is one of the most important symbols of Christmas. Its creation was inspired by Bishop St. Nicholas, who used to help poor people and was canonized by the Catholic Church.
The first image of Santa Claus was drawn by the German Thomas Nast, at the end of the 19th century. This drawing inspired Haddon Sundblom, the designer who created Santa Claus for Coca-Cola advertisements.
Soda advertisements were responsible for popularizing the image of Santa Claus as we know it today.
Learn more about Santa Claus.
Star of Bethlehem
According to the Bible's Gospel of Matthew account, the Star of Bethlehem guided the Three Wise Men to the birthplace of Jesus. For the Christian religion, the Star of Bethlehem symbolizes a guide star for Humanity.
One of the most important decorations on the Christmas tree, in fact, is the star, which is placed on top of it.
Learn more about Star of Bethlehem.
Christmas presents
The tradition of Christmas gifts is inspired by the history of Three Wise Men, who brought the boy Jesus gold, myrrh and incense as a gift.
This tradition was also influenced by Bishop Nicolas, who became Saint Nicolas and is the inspiration for the figure of Santa Claus. Nicholas was a generous man and used to help people in need.
Christmas candles
There is a legend that in Germany, a gentleman used to put candles in the windows to lighten the paths of travelers who got lost. This tradition merged with the symbol of Jesus, who would be the one who would light the paths of humanity, who would take it out of darkness.
nativity scene
The tradition of the nativity scene was started by Saint Francis of Assisi in the 13th century, when he reproduced the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ with objects. Of Hebrew origin, the word crib means animal manger or stable.
Nowadays, it is common for people to set up their cribs next to the Christmas tree.
See also the meaning of manger.
garlands
Garlands are made of green branches and red berries. They are believed to be a reference to crown used by Christ during his crucifixion and that the red fruits symbolize the blood.
Today the garlands are usually hung on the doors of the houses and symbolize an invitation for the Christmas spirit to enter the house.
Christmas dinner
Christmas dinners are traditions that come from ancient European peoples, who used to make banquets to celebrate the food and the abundance of the year.
Christmas dinners today are usually held on the evening of December 24th and are one of the most important occasions for Christian family gatherings.
See also the meaning of Jesus and Christ.