Christmas Stories - History of Christmas
Christmas Stories - History of Christmas
Looking at the history of Christmas, where did it originate? Traditionally the birth of Jesus is the reason for the season. After all, His name is in the word itself!
But is that really where the beginning of the Christmas holiday comes from? Let's go back to the time before Jesus Christ's birth and see what we can discover.
Centuries before Christ was born there was a group of people who celebrated something they called "The Winter Solstice". In this celebration, early Europeans would gather together and rejoice that the worst part of the winter season was passing and that they had survived another harsh, cold winter. They also celebrated moving into a season of longer days. Winter Solstice was a celebration of light and life.
This celebration took place somewhere around December 21st to the 23nd every year. Pretty close to the time when we traditionally celebrate our Christmas holiday.
All across the European countryside celebrations were held at the end of December. This was the time that cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed throughout winter. And for many people this was the one time of the year that they had fresh meat.
It was also the time that beer and wine, cultivated throughout the year, finished its fermentation cycle and was ready for consumption.
Also during this time in Germany people paid tribute to the pagan god Oden. Many Germans were extremely afraid of him because they believed that Oden would make "nightly rounds" to check up on his people, deciding who would thrive and who would not. Because of this many Germans would stay indoors with their families.
Romans later celebrated Saturnalia, the god of agriculture. His birthday, supposedly, was December 25th.
So, even before Jesus Christ was born, many groups of people in various countries celebrated during the winter months.
And that brings us to the birth of Jesus Christ. It is believed by many through the writing in the Bible that Jesus was born on or around December 25th.
In reality, no one knows for sure. There are no official birth and death records for Jesus' time period we can look at to see exactly when He was born.
Jesus' actual birth date is not mentioned throughout the pages of the Bible. In contrast, His death is.
In the earlier days of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday celebrated with relation to Jesus Christ. His birthday wasn't celebrated at all!
Only in the 4th century did Church officials declare Jesus Christ's birthday to become a celebrated holiday event.
But, if no one knew what His actual birth date was, why did Pope Julius I select December 25th for its celebration?
Some historians believe this was done to try and dissolve the Saturnalia festival in early Roman times along with other pagan worship festivals that were frowned upon by the Church during this time.
The Christmas celebration envisioned by the Church, the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth, was appealing to many in it's earliest form. It allowed different cultures to celebrate as they normally did, but to celebrate at a specific designated time. December 25th.
In the following years the Christmas celebration gained in popularity so much so that it had extended all the way to England by the end of the sixth century and Scandinavia by the end of the eighth. Today Christmas, or a form of it, is celebrated worldwide.
In all cultures, in some form or other, the Christmas holiday is one of joyous celebration of life and goodness, which can also be seen as a celebration of "light". Even if the celebration isn't called "Christmas", the concepts are still rooted i
Now Pay Close Attention --
Using Video Testimonials to increase your websites sales and revenue is simpler than you've been told. Everyone with a website faces the same two problems:
[Problem #1] How To Build Credibility With Potential Customers
[Problem #2] How To Obtain Testimonials Which Have Been Proven To Improve Sales
Fast Video Testimonials has been solving these two problems for hundreds of satisfied customers. Fast Video Testimonials has been tried and tested and known to produce excellent results.
First: Visit Fast Video Testimonials
Fast Video Testimonials always supplies REAL VIDEO TESTIMONIALS created specifically for your website and business.
Second: Order Your Video Testimonials Package of 1, 5 or 10 original Video Testimonials for your website.
Your new Video Testimonials will arrive within 7 days and all Video Testimonials are done by REAL PEOPLE and are guaranteed to boost your sales by up to 30%. Buy Video Testimonials today and boost your businesses online presence overnight. Sightseeing tour to Petra from Makadai by flight Overnight trip to Cairo from Sokhna Port African Honeymoons the latest honeymoon trend Choosing the Right Office Space in Washington DC Summer Farm Pond Maintenance Grab Thomson Late Deals to travel with comfort Forex Robot Triples Deposit Mark Larsen GPS Forex Live Proof Authenticated By Broker Review Alcohol Abuse and the Holidays Cervena Striploin On Mixed Root Vegetables Before You Buy A Franchise, Understand What You're Doing TCL L40FHDF11TA 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV with 2-Year Warranty Comparison Avene Ystheal+ Contour Care Cream Review Economical But Unforgettable As Well As Customized Retreat Courtesy Of Las Vegas Usa Tour Deals