Christmas Around the World: Celebrations around the World Christmas Symbols: Find out the Symbolisms Santa: A short description about Santa The Real Saint Nick: Find about the Real Saint Nick The Beginning of the Legend : Santa Claus Santa Discovers America: Story Santa's Around the World: Read about the different Santa Clauses around the world. Santa's Other Names: A small list of names Christmas Around the World: A web site devoted to explainations ( most child-written) of holiday celebrations. Navitiy Scene: Read about the Navitiy story. The Symbols, Customs and Traditions of Christmas: Poinsettas, Christmas Star, Misltoe etc The Night Before Christmas: A Short Popular Story. The Orginial Story: Find out the story behind Christmas Christmas Crafts and Activities: Cards, Advent Calendar, Gift tags, Ornaments etc. KinderArt: Christmas Art Activites: Card Gift Boxes, Happy tree, Pine Cone Elf.. Return to Our Page: Festival of Lights Hanukkah: A Festival of Light Diwali: A Festival of Light Kwanzaa: A Festive Celebration Christmas : A Festival of Light |
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Born nearly two thousand years
ago, Christians believe Him to be the Son of God. Whether Jesus was really born on
December 25th, no one can say for certain. It was chosen because it already was a
holiday in ancient times -a pagan feast. But pagans did not believe in Jesus. Around the
third century there was an attempt to fix the day of His birth by tying it to a festival of
the Nativity kept in Rome in the time of Bishop Telesphorus (between A.D. 127 and 139).
Some Christmas observances of the Roman Church are said to be of Bishop Telesphorus'
appointment. There was also a story of Christians being massacred in the catacombs on
the day of the Nativity between A.D. 161 and 180 but the exact year, again is not known.
In A.D. 300, a similar event is said to have taken place at Nicomedia in the reign of
Diocletian. Neither of these stories seem reliable as a measure of the day Christ was
born.
It was believed the Nativity took place, indeed, on the 25th of the month; but which
month was uncertain and every month at one time or another has been assigned.
During the time of Clement of Alexandria (before 220) five dates in three different
months of the Egyptian year were said to be the Nativity. One of those corresponds to
the December 25th date. During the third century, it was a common belief that Christ
was born on the winter solstice based on an interpetation of some prophetic scriptures
and an idea that the Annunciation and the Crucifixion both occured on the same day -
March 25th. Another third century set of writings, The Apostolic Constitutions, indicate
the Apostles ordained that the feast be kept on the 25th day of the ninth month which,
at that time meant December. The works of John Selden, published in 1661, suggested
that in the early Christian ages the winter solstice fell on the 8th of the Kalends of
January, that is, December 25th, though not accepted universally by modern day
students who put the day between the end of July and the end of October.
The Roman Church finally fixed December 25th as the birthday of Jesus Christ after the
great persecution that took place around A.D. 310; which connects the visitation of the
wise men from the East, being celebrated twelve days later. Though questioned for
several generations by the Eastern Church, the Roman day became universal in the fifth
century.
WE SAID "NO NUKES!"