Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, It is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25th December as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
It is one of the most important days of the year for Christians, The season of Advent begins on a Sunday about four weeks before Christmas and initiates the season of Christmastide. Generally, Advent is a time when many people start preparation for Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating, buying food and gifts, writing cards and letters, and cooking the Christmas feast. Some churches use special candles during Advent.
The Christmastide Season also known as The Christmas season ends on 6th January, also called the Twelfth Day of Christmas. On this day, Christians celebrate ‘’Epiphany‘’.
Christmas History
It is not uncommon for people to celebrate Christmas without being aware of the history behind the celebration. As Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. There are four different Gospels in the Bible which talk about Jesus’s birth. They are :
As Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. There are four different Gospels in the Bible which talk about Jesus’s birth.
The Gospel of Luke gives details about Jesus’s birth.
The Gospel of Matthew tells another part of the story.
The Gospel of John says that Jesus came from God to bring his message to all people.
The Gospels say that many years before Jesus’ birth, prophets in Christianity, had promise to the Jewish people that God would send them a Messiah. Christians believe that the promised Messiah was Jesus.
About 2000 years ago, when King Herod ruled Judea (now in Israel), God sent the angel Gabriel to a young woman name Mary who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. she was engaged to marry Carpenter called Joseph.
The angel Gabriel said to Mary: ‘Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.’
Mary was very astonished by this and speculate what the angel meant. The angel said to her ‘Don’t be afraid,
God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and
you will call him Jesus. He will be God’s own Son and his kingdom will never end.’
Mary was very scared but she trusted God. ‘Let it happen as God chooses.’ she replied to the angel.
When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant before their marriage, he was worried and was wondering what he should do, Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: ‘Don’t be afraid to have Mary as your wife.’ As the baby was the Holy One and God chosen Mary to be the mother of his son and told Joseph that he must name the baby Jesus which means ‘Savior’ because he would save people.
At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived (currently in Middle East) was ruled by the Roman Empire.
The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. So, he ordered that everyone had to travel back to their home town, where their families originally came from and register their names on the taxation lists. Joseph took his new wife and traveled about 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
When they reached Bethlehem there was nowhere for them to stay, So many people had come to register their names, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the guest rooms, except a stable where the animals slept. So, this is where Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God.
The Baby Jesus Had Two Sets of Visitors
First visitors were Shepherds, In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. On the night he was born, angel appeared before them and the shepherds were scared to see them but the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger (animals’ feed bin)’.
Other visitors were some Wise men when Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky.
Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it mean. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts. The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem.
They followed the star towards Bethlehem. It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was. The Wise men entered the house where the family was now living and found Jesus, They bowed down to him and gave the gift they brought for him. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh.
After visiting Jesus the Wise men were suppose to meet King Harod while returning back to their countries.
But, the Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod.
So, they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.
When Herod realized that he had been fooled by the Wise Men, he was fuming so, he initiated an order to murder all the infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to get rid of the baby Jesus
An angel appeared in Joseph dream and said Get up and ‘take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt.
Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.’
so, they stayed in Egypt until Harod died. But, after Harod died, Joseph wanted to go back to Israel
as per the instruction of an angel. But, when he heard that Harod’s son was the new king.
He was skeptical to go there and instead they went to Galilee, and lived in their old town of Nazareth.
When Christmas Festival Is Celebrated ?
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, It is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25th December as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
All these parts of the Christmas story are remembered and celebrated in different ways at Christmas