Content

What is Christmas?

Nativity

History

A CLOSER LOOK AT CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

 MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN THE US

What is Christmas?

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night.

Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians,and forms an integral part of the holiday season organized around it.

Nativity

The gospels of Luke and Matthew describe Jesus as being born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary. In the book of Luke, Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, and Jesus was born there and placed in a manger. Angels proclaimed him a savior for all people, and shepherds came to adore him. The book of Matthew adds that the magi followed a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, born the king of the Jews. King Herod ordered the massacre of all the boys less than two years old in Bethlehem, but the family fled to Egypt and later returned to Nazareth.

History

The nativity sequences included in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke prompted early Christian writers to suggest various dates for the anniversary. Although no date is indicated in the gospels, early Christians connected Jesus to the Sun through the use of such phrases as “Sun of righteousness.” The Romans marked the winter solstice on December 25. The first recorded Christmas celebration was in Rome on December 25, AD 336. In the 3rd century, the date of the nativity was the subject of great interest.

Christmas played a role in the Arian controversy of the fourth century. After this controversy ran its course, the prominence of the holiday declined for a few centuries. The feast regained prominence after 800 when Charlemagne was crowned emperor on Christmas Day.

Inuritan England, Christmas was banned, with Puritans considering it a Catholic invention and also associating the day with drunkenness and other misbehaviour. It was restored as a legal holiday in England in 1660 when Puritan legislation was declared null and void, but it remained disreputable in the minds of some. In the early 19th century, Christmas festivities and services became widespread with the rise of the Oxford Movement in the Church of England that emphasized the centrality of Christmas in Christianity and charity to the poor, along with Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, and other authors emphasizing family, children, kind-heartedness, gift-giving, and Santa Claus (for Irving), or Father Christmas (for Dickens).

A CLOSER LOOK AT CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Christmas is one of the most important holidays for Christians, and every year billions of people around the world celebrate in their own unique way, creating their own unique Christmas traditions. While many people celebrate Christmas on December 25th, it can be celebrated at different times or for longer periods of time depending on where you live in the world. Over 160 countries celebrate this special holiday in some unique ways. While some traditions are religious in nature, such as attending church, others are less formal in nature and may include decorating Christmas trees, watching Christmas movies, or baking cookies for loved ones.

MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN THE US

1. WATCH A CHRISTMAS MOVIE

One uniquely American tradition during the holidays is watching specific movies and TV shows that put us in the holiday spirit. There are a number of favorites that range from old movies to cartoons. What better way to celebrate the holidays than with timeless classics such as “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th St.”, or “The Christmas Story?” Don’t forget those cartoons that will forever be a part of the holidays, such as “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and “Frosty The Snowman.” While some of those older movies and cartoons may not be as popular for the younger generation, you can always find more recent family favorites that bring a smile to your face, such as “Home Alone,” “Elf,” “ or “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”

As most of us have some time off during this time of the year, there are also a number of blockbuster movies that will be released during the holidays. Kick back, relax, and enjoy these great movies and shows during the holidays.

2. SET UP A CHRISTMAS TREE

Once you have had your fill of binge-watching holiday movies, you may want to participate in one of the oldest Christmas traditions, which dates back to the 15th century. That is, of course, selecting and decorating a Christmas tree. Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. Whether you go and cut down your own tree, buy one, or use an artificial tree, decorating a tree is one of the first signs that the Christmas holiday season is upon us.

If you do plan to venture out and find a real tree, finding the perfect one may take some time. You may want to consider things such as the scent, how sturdy the branches are in order to hold all of the ornaments, whether it drops a lot of needles, the price, color, shape, height, and so on. While there are a lot of variables to consider, you will know when you find the perfect one for your home.

Once you do finally get the tree into your home, the decorating fun begins. Start with a festive tree skirt as the base of your Christmas tree. Adorn your tree with lights, tinsel, garlands, ornaments, and a number of other trinkets that suit your family theme and taste.

Many families hang a special ornament each year that holds a special significance to them. Start a family Christmas tradition of adding one special ornament each year to your tree. Minted offers personalized Christmas photo ornaments in case you wanted to create special ornaments to send out to your loved ones this year.

MY CHRISTMAS TREE

3. STRING HOME & YARD DECORATIONS

Holiday decorations are not limited to the tree. Decorate your home with Christmas light displays and be the envy of the neighborhood. As you decorate your home, be sure to hang socks for each member of your family, even that special pet. Remember, you don’t have to have a fireplace to hang socks. You can hang them on the stair railing, garlands, bookcase, headboard or headboard, TV stand and many other places. Be creative!

MY CHRISTMAS DECORATION IN SCHOOL

4. HOST OR JOIN CHRISTMAS DINNER

Of the many Christmas traditions celebrated around the world, the most common thread is the celebration of a shared meal. Create memories and reflect on the year by joining friends and family together to enjoy a delicious meal. If the idea of interacting with a larger group this holiday season has you feeling uneasy, look to just host a special meal with your immediate household.

As you might imagine, there are countless food choices that people enjoy throughout the world during Christmas, however, there are some main staples that are a part of many Christmas meals. Some classics include roast turkey, ham or chicken, potatoes, stuffing, and of course you cannot forget the gravy. You can also pair the food with some cocktails too.

If you’re hosting, you can create a merrier ambiance around the dining room and kitchen with napkin sets and tea towels in Christmas patterns. Some candles and garland in the dining table set the mood for this Christmas dinner with your loved ones. Little accents and decorations here and there in the house will certainly make the season brighter and warmer for everyone.

Not everyone shares the same seasons and climate. In some parts of the world, there could be hotter temperatures during Christmas, which would result in serving colder or lighter dishes. Serving roasted meats cold or enjoying seafood recipes may be more common in warmer climates.

5 BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND DECORATE GINGERBREAD HOUSES

While we all love a good meal, the actual process of baking together is often a family tradition in itself. Making cookies, baking pies, or building gingerbread houses falls in line with the holiday spirit that it is better to give than receive. Don’t forget to set a few cookies aside (with a glass of milk) for when Santa pays a visit. Some popular Christmas snacks include:

• Sugar cookies with intricate decorations

• Gingerbread men

• Yule log

• Pumpkin Pie

• Puppy chow/reindeer chow (Chex Mix treat)

MY RECEPTIONS

CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

NECESSARY PRODUCTS

flour – 250 g butter

125 g soft salt 

1 pinch sugar 

150 g eggs 

1 piece salt 

1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. vanilla 

1 tbsp. vanilla essence sweet – optional, for gluing as desired

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Separately, beat the butter with a pinch of salt and the sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again until the dough has absorbed the egg. Gradually add the flour and knead a soft dough. Wrap it in foil and refrigerate for 2 hours. Then roll the dough into a crust about 6-7 millimeters thick. Cut desired figures from it with the help of molds. Arrange them in a greased pan, sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar and put the cakes to bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. If desired, glue some of the Christmas sweets together with jam. Decorate as desired!

Fluffy cake with apples and walnuts

NECESSARY PRODUCTS

eggs – 2 pcs.

sugar – 200 g

oil – 120 ml

yogurt – 100 g

walnuts – 100 g

apples – 1 tsp

grated lemons – peel of 1 pc.

baking powder – 1 pc.

flour – 240 g

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the oil, yogurt, walnuts chopped into larger pieces, apples grated on a large grater, grated lemon peel and pre-mixed sifted flour with baking powder. Mix until smooth and pour into an oiled and floured cake pan. Bake the cake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees and bake until ready, for about 40 minutes. Fluffy cake with apples and walnuts is ready.

7 EXCHANGE GIFTS

Gift giving is one of the most beloved Christmas traditions (especially for children) and dates back to when the Three Wise Men presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus in the manger. Gifts are usually placed under the Christmas tree or in stockings in holiday patterns. The time and place of the gift exchange may vary depending on where you live in the world. For example, in some European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic) some presents are opened as early as December 5th, just before Nicholas Day on December 6th.