Christmas is both merry and bright—but how did it become so popular? Laden with tradition and brimming with festivity, the Christian holiday, observed in most of the world on December 25, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
In modern times, it has become an increasingly secularised holiday marked by a season of good cheer and festive family fun, punctuated by traditions culled from a variety of cultures. Here’s how Christmas came to be, and what’s behind some of its most cherished customs.
When was Jesus Christ born?
This painting, called the Adoration of the Magi by Juan Correa de Vivar, depicts three wise men visiting the newborn Jesus Christ and bestowing gifts upon him. Although it is now celebrated on December 25, the gospels do not mention the date of Jesus’s birth.
Charlemagne, king of the Franks.
Charlemagne was crowned Christian emperor of the west in St Peter's Cathedral, Rome, on Christmas Day, A.D. 800. By that time, the Christian church had begun to celebrate Christmas on December 25—although historians disagree on how the church settled on that date.
month of December and feast of Christmas, detail from Zodiac column called Souvigny Calendar, Romanesque art, ...
The month of December and the feast of Christmas are detailed on the side of a stone pillar that was carved in the 12th century in Souvigny, France.
The Christian gospels do not mention the date of Jesus’ birth, known as the Nativity. They do tell the story of his immaculate conception and humble birth.
According to the gospels, Jesus’ mother, Mary, was a virgin selected by God to bear his only son. After learning Mary was pregnant, her fiancé, a carpenter named Joseph, wanted to cancel their engagement. But an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid. The newlyweds then made an arduous journey to Bethlehem to participate in a mandatory census. (How the Advent season evolved as a countdown to Christmas.)
The influx of visitors to Bethlehem meant that there was no lodging for the expecting couple to rent. After an innkeeper took pity on them and let them sleep in his stable, Mary gave birth to the son of God. She lay him in a manger as angels sang and a bright star began shining in the sky.
Historians disagree on how December 25 became associated with Christmas. However, by A.D. 336, Christmas was celebrated by the Christian church in Rome on that day, which coincided with the Roman winter equinox festival of Saturnalia.
SOURCE : Nationalgeographic
