Christmas is a shortened form of ‘Mass on Christ’s day’.
Mass is a sacrifice, in which the sacred bread and wine, through blessing by an
ordained priest, become the sacrificial body, blood, soul and divinity of
Christ as the sacrifice on Calvary made truly present once again on the altar.
Therefore, Christmas is the day when Jesus was born in order to save the
humanity by dying on the cross for our sins. It is the day when the Good News
of Salvation was proclaimed to the world. That God sent his only son to Earth
to save us from our sins. Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a
dream; it is a glorious reality.
Christmas was believed to be first celebrated in Rome by
Roman Emperor Constantine on 15 December in 336 AD. But Pope Julius I set
December 25 in about 350 AD as the date the Church would commemorate the birth
of Jesus Christ. Hence, the tradition of celebrating Christmas each year on 25
December.
Tradition of 12 Days of Christmas Celebration
The period between Christmas and epiphany is fast-free.
(Epiphany falls on 5th January; it is the commemoration of the manifestation of
Jesus’ divine nature to the Three Wise Men of the East). In the middle ages,
this period was one of continuous feasting and merry-making, which climaxed on
twelfth night, the traditional end of the Christmas season on 5th January. It
is said that Christmas decorations should be taken down after the feast of the
epiphany.
How Should Christmas Be Celebrated?
Every Christmas, we keep saying we are going to keep the
real meaning of Christmas, but then we get distracted by friends/family visits,
by the quantity of meat/fish to buy and by other parties and merry-making. The
key to Christmas is to remember what it is supposed to celebrate: the birth of
Jesus Christ. If it weren’t for Christ, there would be no Christmas. Christmas
has grown increasingly busy and secular and Christ easily gets crowded out by
all the activities and the stress on material things. And the key to keeping
Christ at the centre of our Christmas is to keep our eyes on Him and not let
ourselves be distracted by everything else that is going on. As your family
celebrate Christmas this year, take time to turn your attention to Christ. Go
to church as a family and also take time to read one of the Bible’s accounts of
Christ’s birth, perhaps around the dinner table. You can find them in the first
two chapters of Mathew, and in the second chapter of Luke.
How Christmas is Celebrated in Southern Hemisphere?
While most parts of the world celebrate a white Christmas
covered in snow and more snow, there are some countries where Christmas is a
summer affair. The reason behind is that these countries fall on the southern
hemisphere and hence have sunny Christmas. Following are some countries whose
Christmas fall in summer; Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Madagascar and Angola. In these countries, June and July are
coldest months. Which means summer peak is in December and January. The many
beaches that edge the continent are crowded on this day. You may even see Santa
Clauses entertaining children by the shore. They sprinkle artificial snow to
imitate the northern Christmas climate. Devout Christians religiously attend
the midnight mass/service. Visiting these countries to celebrate summer
Christmas would be a good experience.
There are some fascinating Christmas traditions in different
countries that make Christmas a special time of the year. In many countries,
Christmas is a time for Christians to gather in churches, sing carols, and
reflect on the spiritual meaning of the season. Nativity scenes depicting the
birth of Jesus are a common sight.
But in Mexico, Christmas celebrations begin on December 16th
with the tradition of Las Posadas. This nine-night celebration re-enacts Mary
and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Each night, a procession
of people goes from house to house, singing carols and asking for shelter. On the
final night, everyone gathers for a festive party with traditional Mexican
food.
In Japan, Christmas is not a national holiday, but that
doesn’t mean it goes unnoticed. While it is not traditionally a religious
celebration, the Japanese have embraced the festive spirit in their own unique
way. One popular tradition is to enjoy a Christmas meal at KFC. Kentucky Fried
Chicken has become synonymous with Christmas in Japan. It’s
a quirky tradition that has become deeply ingrained in Japanese culture, thanks
to a successful marketing campaign in the 1970s.
In Ethiopia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th and is
known as Ganna. The day begins with a church service, followed by a festive
feast with family and friends. Ganna is a time of joy and celebration, with
music, dancing, and traditional games adding to the festive atmosphere.
Christmas celebrations in Philippines begin as early as
September. The country is known for having the longest Christmas season in the
world. One of the most unique traditions is the Simbang Gabi, a series of nine
early morning masses (morning church service) leading up to Christmas Eve. The
Philippines also have a tradition of making colourful lantern made from bamboo
and paper that is displayed outside homes and along streets, symbolising the
Star of Bethlehem.
Ritual of Gift Giving
The ritual of giving gifts is a tradition that is practised
all over the world. Like most religions, the tradition of exchanging gifts
during Christmas holds a sentimental and symbolic meaning in Christianity. It
symbolises the tributes given by the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus after he was
born.
However, before Christianity was born there is an old pagan
celebration called Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a festival that was widely
celebrated in the ancient Roman Empire. They believed that they got the
seasonal bounty and harvests by the blessing of Saturn. Hence, they wanted to
please their god and expressed their gratitude by giving presents and offerings
to him. The festivities were week-long. People were unwilling to give up such a
popular tradition of generous gift-giving, carefree ambiance, and lavish
amusement. This made the transition to Christianity a bit more difficult during
the religious conversion in the Empire. Due to fear of backlash, the religious
leaders at that time were unable to ban Saturnalia. Hence, for a smooth
transition, some of the old pagan customs were rationalised into Christianity.
The gift exchanging ritual carried over to the newly established religion. This
tradition was then associated with the gifts given to baby Jesus by the magi
(Three Wise Men). Eventually, Christians moved the custom to December 25,
although many Christians still give gifts on January 6, the feast of the
Epiphany, commemorating the manifestation of Jesus’ divine nature to the Magi.
This practice was also embraced by Saint Nicholas. He was a
4th-century saint who was renowned for his love of giving people gifts. The
kindness and generosity of Saint Nicholas have been honoured since then and are
now embodied in the beloved Santa Claus. The name Santa Claus originated from
this kind and generous saint.
Christmas is a Time for Giving
Christmas is an amazing holiday that honours generosity,
cheerfulness, and overall joyfulness. Celebrate this special holiday with your
loved ones by exchanging thoughtful Christmas gifts. The holiday spirit gets
kindled when you witness that your Christmas gift brought a smile to the
recipient’s face. This joy makes your effort behind the gift worthwhile.
Another common gift giving custom is to donate to charities. We can help some
less fortunate brothers and sisters this Christmas season. In keeping with the
Christian ethic of helping those in need, donors give money or donate items,
such as food and clothing. Give some money to someone who is really in need so
that they could celebrate Christmas in the way they want. Jesus Christ gave his
life to save us. Giving is the best communication. We should imitate Christ and
give something to someone this Christmas season. That will make our Christmas a
real Christmas.
Wishing you a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year!
Kh. Siile Anthony
The writer is retired Director HRD, North-Eastern Council,
Government of India, and Joint
