Christmas Day 2023

Christmas Day 2023

All you need to know about Christmas 2023

Date: Christmas falls on December 25 every year. This year, December 25 falls on a Monday, hence, people will celebrate Christmas tomorrow across the country. Christmas Eve is observed on Sunday, December 24.

The holiday season is upon us as we gear up to welcome the most joyous time of the year - Christmas. The day commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is marked as a religious and commercial holiday. As we near Christmas week, the holiday cheer starts filling the air as you see twinkling lights decked everywhere, ornaments-adorned Christmas trees at malls and offices, the smell of cinnamon and gingerbreads, and meet close friends and family to make memories.

Christmas History

Christmas, derived from the words 'Mass of Christ', marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to his parents, Joseph and Mary. He was conceived through the Holy Spirit and was born when Mother Mary was engaged to Joseph. It is believed that Mother Mary learned she would be giving birth to a special child on March 25, and nine months later, on December 25, Jesus was born. However, there is no proof that he was born on December 25, as the Gregorian calendar did not exist back then. Instead, the story of Jesus Christ's birth is in the New Testament's gospel of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Christmas was first celebrated on record in 336, during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor and the Roman emperor at the time.

Countries around the world have different names for festivals. It is referred to as Yuletide in Germany, Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, and Noël in French. Moreover, some Christians celebrate Jesus Christ's birth on January 6, the Epiphany, when they believe he was baptized.

Meanwhile, the Christmas holiday came into being with the legend of St Nicholas and his many miracles. Although much of his history is unconfirmed, the man who became St. Nicholas lived in the 4th century and is believed to have been a bishop in Asia Minor. In his honour, the Feast of St Nicholas was marked on December 6 and gifts were given the night before. The tradition was well-established in many European countries by the 12th century. Eventually, because St. Nicholas' Day and Christmas Day are so close together, their traditions generally were combined.

Christmas holds religious importance for Christians. They remember Jesus Christ on this day and recall his sacrifices for humanity. People also hold mass services and thank Jesus for removing hatred and greed from the world, eradicating evil, and prevailing happiness. They believe that since he came to salvage the entire humanity of all the suffering his ultimate sacrifice during crucifixion needs to be commemorated.

Traditions

Several traditions are associated with Christmas. The most common activities are baking cakes and cookies, decorating Christmas trees with ornaments, visiting church, shopping for close friends and family, enjoying Christmas feats with loved ones, singing carols, and going to mass. Kids also wait for Santa Claus to arrive on Christmas Eve and enter their homes through the chimney with their gifts. However, Christmas traditions vary from region to region.