Christmas and the Birth of Jesus Christ

Christmas is celebrated by approximately 2.6 billion people around the world. By comparison, approximately 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Ramadan. The most widely celebrated holiday (while not religious) is New Year’s Eve with 6 billion celebrants worldwide. But what is Christmas and why do we celebrate it?

Christmas is an annual tradition that is most commonly, but not always, celebrated on December twenty-fifth to commemorate the day of Jesus Christ’s birth. The story of his birth is repeated every year but was originally told by the Christian gospels. The gospels explain that Jesus’s mother, the virgin Mary, was chosen by God to carry and deliver his only son. Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, explained to her future husband that she was expecting the child of God. Joseph was in disbelief until an angel appeared in his dreams from heaven and told him not to fear, for Mary was telling the truth. Mary and Joseph then traveled to Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ was to be born. By the time they arrived, the city was full, and Mary and Joseph were told there was no space for them. Luckily an innkeeper decided he had space for them in his stable and allowed them to stay there. That night, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ and placed him in a manger. A star appeared in the sky to show all people that God’s son had been born.

Christmas is a very popular event and is celebrated in many ways all over the world, including countries where Christianity is uncommon. For example, in India where Christianity accounts for less than three percent of the population, Christmas is still a national holiday. In some homes, Christmas is celebrated with a tree decorated with lights and presents set underneath. This tradition began in Germany, where a pine tree was brought indoors, and candles were used to adorn the tree. The Germans called this a Tannenbaum. In Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated with a twelve-course feast, while in Poland, it is common to have carp for dinner, saving the scales for good luck. In medieval England, Christmas was celebrated as a festival that lasted for twelve days. Another widely celebrated tradition is the Christmas tradition of Santa Claus. Santa Claus is a Christmas figure who brings gifts to children around the world. He originated from St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, who supposedly brought gifts to those in need.

In some cultures, Christmas is not celebrated on December twenty-fifth. For example, in Russia and Greece, Christmas is celebrated on January seventh. This is because these cultures are considered Orthodox Christians and do not follow the same belief systems or use the same calendars, as the other forms of Christianity. People who are Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar, rather than using the Gregorian calendar. This led to a small, thirteen-day difference in the calendars, and resulted in the difference in timing of Christmas.

Though Christmas is now celebrated with family, friends, food, and gifts, it all started with the trip made by Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where the Son of God was born. Even though there are many ways Christmas is celebrated, Christmas shares one underlying idea, and that is commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.