Christmas

I've been celebrating Christmas for 21 years.. But then again.. It is only this year when i realise that i did not know the history of this celebration and how true it is that Jesus's birth is to be celebrated on the 25th of December...

Hence, i've browse on some sites and again.. i make my own summary of Christmas which i wish to share with my frens... No Christmas gift from me.. but i hope this will help~~ I'll make it as short as possible...

Pre-Christmas
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. In Scandinavia, the Norse (Norwegian) celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden (a God of death and wealth in gold) during the mid-winter holiday. In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. Members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

Origin of Date and Name
The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131.
It is unknown exactly when or why December 25 became associated with Christ's birth. The New Testament does not give a specific date. Thus, the date as a birthdate for Christ is traditional, and is not considered to be his actual date of birth.

In conclusion, Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth with various cultural customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. Although a Christian holiday, it is also observed as a cultural holiday by many non-Christians. The prominence of Christmas Day increased gradually after Charlemagne (Father of Europe) was crowned on Christmas Day in 800. Around the 12th century, the remnants of the former Saturnalian traditions of the Romans were transferred to the Twelve Days of Christmas (25 December - 5 January). Christmas during the Middle Ages was a public festival, incorporating ivy, holly, and other evergreens, as well as gift-giving.

Ok.. since Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, then why Santa Claus?

Santa Claus

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories is that he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. Over the course of many years, Nicholas's popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors. The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick's Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas). However, the modern depiction of Santa Claus as a fat, jolly man (or elf) wearing a red coat and trousers with white cuffs and collar, and black leather belt and boots, became popular in the US in the 19th century due to the significant influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast. So, basically.. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christianity..

Rudolph - the red nose reindeer

I'm sure everyone has heard of the song, 'Rudolph the red nose reindeer, has a very shiny nose...' But does Rudolph really exist? The red-nosed wonder was the creation of Robert L. May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department store. In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store. May told the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who was teased by the other deer because of his large, glowing, red nose. But, When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn't be able to deliver gifts that night, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh by the light of his red nose. Rudolph's message—that given the opportunity, a liability can be turned into an asset—proved popular. Several years later, one of May's friends, Johnny Marks, wrote a short song based on Rudolph's story (1949). It was recorded by Gene Autry and sold over two million copies. So, sorry to have your fantasy broken~~

Nevertheless, Christmas is still widely celebrated, perhaps, another holiday is better than none. And several writers have wrote stories about Christmas to keep the spirit burning. One of the all time favourite is "The Christmas Carol" but Charles Dickens. I've found a website containing this story online. If you have the time, go read on it.. it really helps recharge your faith and hope... http://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charles/christmas-carol/index.html

Lastly, i came across an article whose title was: Santa: The First Great Lie. It started with the line, "The basic cause of all mankind's flaws is a lack of trust. We have lost faith. We do not know who to believe. We do not know who to trust." but then, it ended with, "The Santa Claus conspiracy is the first conundrum we encounter on a lifetime journey of losing faith, and that's the only thing in life you can trust - the true and certain knowledge that you can't believe in anything."

Hence, never lose Trust, Faith and Hope...

~~MErRy CHrIsTmaS to ALL~~~