Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. 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. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25–Christmas Day–has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight. In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year. The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking. In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
Image from Merry Christmas Photos
What most people think of when they think of Christmas is decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and singing songs about Santa Claus. But for Christians December 25th has a more important significance. The holiday honors the birth of Jesus Christ about 2000 some years ago. On the other hand in the early years of Christianity, Christians didn't celebrate Christmas at all. In fact, there are no mentions of December 25th in the Bible. Early Christians couldn't even agree on which date Jesus was actually born. It was only in the 3rd century that December 25th became the official celebration of the birth of Jesus. Most likely because it coincided already existing Pagan festivals. By the end of the 8th century, Christmas was widely celebrated across Europe but it's Pagan roots died hard and for many centuries people marked the holiday with wild parties similar to Mardi Gras celebrations. This would lead some religious Purists, such as the Puritan Settlers of Colonial America to oppose Christmas celebrations. In 1644, the Massachusetts legislature fined anyone who observed Christmas 5 shillings, which was a lot of money at the time. In fact, Christmas as we know it didn't really begin until the 1800s. That's when Germany's Prince Albert brought his country's long time tradition of decorating Evergreen trees to England, after his marriage to Queen Victoria. When an image of the royal family next to their 40 foot Christmas tree was published in American magazines in 1848, the custom caught on in the United States as well. The tradition of sending Christmas cards also started in England around the same time. Giving gifts is a relatively old Christmas tradition with roots going back many centuries. At first, gift giving had religious significance to remind people of the gifts brought to Baby Jesus by the 3 kings, but the industrial revolution and the rise of advertising in the 19th and 20th centuries made Christmas the comercial holiday it is today. Even as it continues to have religious meaning for Christians, what about the most famous of all Christmas characters, Santa Claus? He's actually based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, a Dutch saint famous for giving gifts, who is known as Sinterklaas. In early incarnations, Santa Claus wore many differnet colors, but after a Coca-Cola ad in the 1930s showed him wearing red and white, the image stuck. From the date of the holiday itself to the traditions associated with it, Christmas has a long and colorful history.
Data on People Who Celebrate and Don't Celebrate Christmas:
| Groups of People | Percent of People Who Celebrate Christmas | Percent of People Who Don't Celebrate Christmas |
|---|---|---|
| In America | 90% | 10% |
| Christians | 96% | 4% |
| Non-Christians | 80% | 20% |
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