Christmas

When is it celebrated?

It is celebrated on December 25.

Who celebrates it?

Christmas is celebrated worldwide.

Where does it originate from?

Christmas is a combination of religious, cultural, and commercial festivities.  In Christianity, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is a prominent figure in Christianity and is believed to be the son of God.  It also has its origins in pre-Christianity winter celebrations. These festivals celebrated the abundance of food and drink, and the end of the difficult parts of winter.  The combination of these two traditions was originally put together by the leaders of the church to increase the amount of those who participated. Commercially, Christmas is the biggest shopping season of the year.  Many retailers take advantage of this holiday and play on the cultural narratives. For example, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was a poem written by Montgomery Ward department store to increase shoppers.

How is it celebrated?

Religious: baby Jesus, the nativity, angels

Cultural: Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, snowmen

Activities/Traditions:

• Attending church ceremonies
• Decorating Christmas trees
• Giving gifts
• Receiving gifts from Santa Claus on Christmas morning
• Attending elaborate dinners with family and friends