What is the real reason for Christmas?

For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion.

What was the original purpose of Christmas?

Christmas was traditionally a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, but in the early 20th century, it also became a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike.

What is the true meaning about Christmas?

Because Christmas is about the birth of God's Son – Jesus. It is about how he came to give us love, hope and joy. That message doesn't change from year to year. When there is so much bad news and devastation in the world, this is good news worth celebrating!

What is the dark history of Christmas?

From ancient times, the season that we now know as Christmas was a midwinter celebration called The Winter Solstice, or Yule. A pagan festival, The Winter Solstice was a time to celebrate the fact that the worst of winter was over, and the people could look forward to longer days with more sunlight in the near future.

What does the Bible say about Christmas?

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS

When was Jesus actually born?

The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, the year in which King Herod died.

Is Jesus the reason for Christmas?

Christmas is the annual religious and cultural celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ that is observed by billions of people all over the world. For Christians, the belief that God came into the world in the form of a man to atone for the sins of humanity is the purpose in celebrating Christmas.

What country was Christmas forbidden in?

Somalia. In 2015, Somalia, which adopted Sharia law in 2009, banned the celebration of Christmas outright, warning that such Christian festivities could threaten the nation's Muslim faith.

Why is Christmas is not celebrated in the Bible?

Dec. 25 is not the date mentioned in the Bible as the day of Jesus's birth; the Bible is actually silent on the day or the time of year when Mary was said to have given birth to him in Bethlehem. The earliest Christians did not celebrate his birth.

Why is December 25th Jesus's birthday?

The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus' conception to March 25 (the same date upon which he held that the world was created), which, after nine months in his mother's womb, would result in a December 25 birth.

What does Jesus want for Christmas?

This is what the Spirit becomes and bestows in our lives: love for the Son by the Father through the Spirit. What Jesus wants most for Christmas is that his elect be gathered in and then get what they want most—to see his glory and then savor it with the very savoring of the Father for the Son.

How is Christmas celebrated in Mexico?

There are candlelit processions, elaborate nativity scenes, Spanish Christmas carols, dancing and fireworks. While traditions like Christmas trees and Santa Claus have found a place in Mexican festivities, the holiday celebrations are firmly rooted in Spanish and indigenous culture.

When was Christmas banned and why?

The first Christmas ban was in 1644, as it coincided with Parliament's monthly day of prayer & fasting in the hope of bringing about an end to the war, and a specific ordinance was passed to emphasise this. Church services were not to be carried out that day.

Is there Christmas without Jesus?

"In our day, especially in Europe, we are witnessing a type of 'distortion' of Christmas" in which "all reference to Christ's birth is eliminated from the holiday". In reality, however, "without Jesus there is no Christmas; there is another holiday, but not Christmas".

What religion does not support Christmas?

Most religions like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism don't recognize Christmas and Easter as they are ancient Christian festivals so the only religion to celebrate Christmas and Easter is Christianity.

Who started Christmas?

The origins of Christmas stem from both the pagan and Roman cultures. The Romans actually celebrated two holidays in the month of December. The first was Saturnalia, which was a two-week festival honoring their god of agriculture Saturn. On December 25th, they celebrated the birth of Mithra, their sun god.

Why do atheists celebrate Christmas?

“People who are celebrating anything, no matter their religion, feel a sense of joy. The feeling is infectious and it becomes special to non-religious people too. “Christmas is a nice day and it's just nice to celebrate people's love.”

Which Christians do not celebrate Christmas?

Millions of Christians do not observe Christmas. Among them are Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Churches of Christ. Some of the half-dozen Christian faiths that do no celebrate Dec. 25 contend there is nothing in the Bible that says Christ was born on that day.

What 14 countries do not celebrate Christmas?

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday.

Is Christmas written in the Bible?

The Bible and the Believer. The New Testament contains two Christmas stories, not one. They appear in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2.

When did Christmas come about Jesus?

The first official mention of December 25 as a holiday honoring Jesus' birthday appears in an early Roman calendar from AD 336.

What language did Jesus speak?

Most religious scholars and historians agree with Pope Francis that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic. Through trade, invasions and conquest, the Aramaic language had spread far afield by the 7th century B.C., and would become the lingua franca in much of the Middle East.

Was Jesus born in July?

Thus it is more likely, he said, that Jesus was born sometime between late July and early October. Fleming added that he believed the Star of Bethlehem was an early visitation of Halley's comet.

Is it offensive to say Xmas?

Christians should use Christ's name as much as possible, but “Xmas” is not inherently a blasphemous term. Because of the use of “Xmas”, some Christians get bent out of shape when people take Jesus' name out of the holiday. Evangelist Franklin Graham even called the term “a war against the name of Jesus Christ.”