All You Need to Know About Christmas
by Christmas can be a wonderful time of the year, snow falling, carol singing and waiting for presents from Santa. How much do you really know though about some of the traditions based around Christmas? Read on to find out all you need to know about Christmas and a whole lot more.
Santa Claus
The primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas of Myra. He was a 4th century Greek Christian bishop. For those of you who are interested, Myra is now called Demre and it is in modern Turkey. Saint Nicholas was renowned for his generous gifts to the poor. Once he presented three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries, and all to stop them from becoming prostitutes.
Image by Zanastardust via Flickr
Snowmen
The record for the largest snowman in the world ever was set in 2008 in Maine, US. It stood at an impressive 122ft 1in and was named in honour of Olympia Snowe who was the US senator representing Maine. You might already have worked it out, that snowman was actually a snow-woman.
Star of Bethlehem
Modern translations have the Magi telling King Herod that they saw the star ‘at its rising’. This would suggest that they saw some sort of astronomical object. Some ‘experts’ in the field have said it was probably a comet in about 5BC (seen and recorded by both the Chinese and Korean astrologers of the day). It was observed for 70 days with no movement, allegedly at the same time that Jesus was being born.
Stockings
It is claimed that the tradition of filling a stocking at Christmas dates back to the days of St Nicholas. There was an old man who feared his daughter would be destitute when he died but he was so stubborn he wouldn’t accept charity. Saint Nicholas crept into the mans house one night and filled his daughters stockings with gold coins.
Three Wise Men
If you ever get the chance to visit the Monastery of St Paul in Mount Athos, Greece be sure to ask them about the gifts of the Magi. It is in this monastery that it is said the gifts from the three wise men are stored in a 15th century golden case. It was donated by Ottoman Sultan Murat II and apparently were relics of the Holy Palace of Constantinople.
Tinsel
In its modern form, tinsel was first invented in Nuremberg, Germany in 1610. It was originally made from shredded silver and cost a fair bit of money. Interestingly though, the English word ‘tinsel’ is actually taken, not from German but from the French word ‘estincele’, which translates roughly as ’sparkle’.
Yule Log
In several European cultures, a yule log is burned in the heath as part of Yule or Christmas celebrations. What is a yule log I hear you ask; just a large piece of wood. The first known recording of it in the UK happened in the early 17th century when clergyman Robert Herrick described a group of men who brought a ‘Christmas log’ into his farmhouse. As a reward, the men were served beer.
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Post Commentdeklin42
On December 2, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Very impressive article. I enjoyed reading about the cards selling for so much money.
Joie Schmidt
On December 3, 2009 at 12:06 am
Christmas is my favorite holiday – thank you for this fun & interesting piece! *:)
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
Rask Balavoine
On December 3, 2009 at 3:02 am
Call me a grumpy old man if you want but I can’t wait till it’s all over Ho ho ho. But good article. Hope you have a good one this year.
Juancav
On December 3, 2009 at 8:20 am
Complete matter about Christmas,tasty read.
RonaldGeorge
On December 3, 2009 at 9:55 am
Nice article – those are excellent manger scene pictures.
Lauren Axelrod
On December 3, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Nice one. Just in time for the holidays.
revivor
On December 4, 2009 at 7:50 am
very comprehensive!! – you forgot to mention me (born on Christmas Day)
Faith Hodge
On December 5, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I love this article! It has so very much in it to just sit back and enjoy. thank you for sharing.
yoda
On December 9, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Interesting article–I love Christmas–my favorite time of year!
In the New Testament (Luke Chapter 2) it mentions shepherds were abiding the fields, keeping watch on the flocks by night, then the angel announces His birth, saying “this day” born unto you in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. My understanding is that shepherds did this in the SPRING! I understand we celebrate it in December because it is a pagan tradition.
No where does NT talk about 3 wisemen, only wisemen who brought 3 things (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) to the Christ child as gifts.
A Christmas tree can also relate to Christianity because they are evergreens and their branches point heaven ward–wreaths have no beginning and no ending, just like eternity. (just some thoughts!
I know the article is simply for interest and for realizing where some our tradions came from, or may have come from, which is why thought I’d put my two cents!
Thank you for the atricle!
MountainNana
On December 16, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Christmas has nothing to do with Christ and never has. He was not born anywhere near December. As the scriptures show he was 33 and half in the spring at Passover when he was crucified. As the book of Daniel shows cut off in the midst of the week. He would have been 34 in the Fall of the year end of September or early October before sheep were brought down to the winter folds.
The Wise men or Magi did not visit Christ on the night he was born but many months later as late as 2 years after his birth which is why King Herod wanted all baby boys put to death 2 years of age and under. Christs parents took him into Eygpt during that time.
Jeremiah 10 highly tells us NOT to cut down or put up a tree and decorate it like the pagans do. It is worshipping another deity other than God. The December 25th date comes with the day Mithrus the Persian Sun god was thought to have been born. The Roman Catholic church losing coverts back to paganism decreed it was Christ birthday around 326 BC.
The Yule log was used during the Winter Soltice Saturnalia Celebration a large enough log to burn 12 days built into a bonfire (bone fire) Where often youth and maidens or babies were thrown to feed the fire as a human sacrifice to appease the sun god and have him bring back the light.
99% of Christ comes from paganism the rest from greed and commercialism. It is not Christ day of birth and never has been it is a day God and Christ hate. We live in a modern world where anyone keeping Christmas choose to do so inspite of the truth of it’s origins this day is something the World has embraced to be good. Satan too appears as a god of light and good and is a deceiver of the nations.
If you observe Christmas you do it out of tradition, to be thought well of, to not be different and or out of selfishness, lust and greed. That is the truth and the facts. The day is coming when Christ will abolish all pagan worldly Holidays that he hates. Christmas being one of them.