WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?

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Christmas is the most important date in the Christian calendar as its celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, son of God, which was the start of the religion Christianity.  It is celebrated annually on 25 December.

The precise date of Jesus' birth is unknown. Records show that Christmas has been celebrated as early as the 4th century AD.  The date of the 25th December could be as a result of merging roman pagan winter rituals with Christianity when key events were merged, or perhaps because it is exactly nine months after the conception of Christ in the Christian calender.

Now days Christmas is not just a religious festival but also a cultural holiday celebrated by religious and non religious people alike. The Christmas period is observed by many and is marked in the Christian calendar with Christmas Day and Boxing day recognised as Bank Holidays in many countries.

Many of the customs associated with Christmas have pre-Christian or secular origins. These include the giving of presents, exchanging Christmas cards, Christmas trees, decorations, mistletoe and nativity scenes.  In 1647-1660 the celebration of Christmas in England was banned in order to rid the holiday of excess and corruption of the roman catholic church and pagan trappings.

The bringing of gifts to children by Santa Claus is a strong theme of Christmas but was recently added in the early 19th century. Our modern view of Christmas reflect Victorian family values, and is perhaps typified in Charles Dickens 1843 novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. It has become more focused on the family coming together during this time.

Often it is noted that Christmas has become increasingly commercial, with shops and retailers reporting their highest sales around this period.  However, the essence of Christmas still remains and many families consider this time to be a special time for families and a period of reflection.

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