Christmas is a great holiday established in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Christmas — is one of the most important Christian holidays and a public holiday in more than 100 countries around the world.
On December 25, Christmas is celebrated not only by Catholics, but also by Orthodox Christians in a number of countries around the world, Lutherans and other Protestant denominations.
The first information about Christians celebrating Christmas dates back to the 4th century. The question of the real date of birth of Jesus Christ is controversial and ambiguously resolved among church authors. Perhaps the choice of December 25 is connected with the pagan solar holiday «Birth of the Sun Invincible», which fell on this day, which was filled with new content after the adoption of Christianity in Rome.
According to one modern hypothesis, the choice of the date of Christmas occurred due to the simultaneous celebration by early Christians of the Incarnation (conception of Christ) and Easter. Accordingly, as a result of adding nine months to this date (March 25), Christmas fell on the days of the winter solstice.
The Feast of the Nativity of Christ has five days of pre-feast (from December 20 to 24) and six days of post-feast. On the eve or day of the holiday (December 24), a particularly strict fast is observed, called Christmas Eve, since on this day — wheat or barley grains boiled with honey are eaten as sochivo . According to tradition, Christmas Eve ends with the appearance of the first evening star in the sky. On the eve of the holiday, Old Testament prophecies and events related to the Nativity of the Savior are remembered. Christmas services are performed three times: at midnight, at dawn and during the day, which symbolizes the Nativity of Christ in the bosom of God the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and in the soul of every Christian.
In the 13th century, during the time of St. Francis of Assisi, the custom arose of exhibiting nurseries in temples for worship, in which a figurine of the Child Jesus is placed. Over time, nurseries began to be set up before Christmas not only in churches, but also in houses. Home santons — models in glazed boxes depict a grotto, and the baby Jesus lies in a manger. Next to him are the Mother of God, Joseph, an angel, shepherds who came to worship, as well as animals — bull, donkey. Entire scenes from folk life are also depicted: for example, peasants in folk costumes are placed next to the holy family.
Church and folk customs are harmoniously intertwined in the celebration of Christmas. In Catholic countries, the custom of caroling — of going to the homes of children and youth with songs and good wishes is well known. In response, carolers receive gifts: sausage, fried chestnuts, fruits, eggs, pies, sweets. Stingy owners are ridiculed and threatened with trouble. Various masks dressed in animal skins participate in the processions; this action is accompanied by noisy fun. This custom was repeatedly condemned by church authorities as pagan, and gradually they began to go with carols only to relatives, neighbors and close friends.
The main tradition of the — holiday is to install decorated spruce wood in houses (Photo: Sandra Cunningham, licensed from Shutterstock.com)
The remnants of the pagan cult of the sun in Christmas holidays are evidenced by the tradition of lighting a ritual fire in the home hearth — « Christmas log». The log was solemnly, observing various ceremonies, brought into the house, set on fire, while simultaneously performing prayer and carving a cross on it (an attempt to reconcile the pagan rite with the Christian religion). The log was sprinkled with grain, poured with honey, wine and oil, pieces of food were placed on it, they treated it like a living creature, and glasses of wine were raised in his honor.
During the Christmas celebrations, the custom was established to break «Christmas bread» — special unleavened wafers consecrated in churches during Advent, — and eat it both before the festive meal and during greetings and congratulations to each other on the holiday.
A characteristic element of the Christmas holiday is the custom of installing decorated spruce wood in houses. This pagan tradition originated among the Germanic peoples, in whose rituals the spruce was a symbol of life and fertility. With the spread of Christianity among the peoples of Central and Northern Europe, the spruce decorated with multi-colored balls takes on new symbols: it began to be installed in houses on December 24, as a symbol of the tree of paradise with abundant fruits.
Postcard «December 25 — Christmas among Western Christians» Story «Christmas in the USSR»