Christmas!

By: Nazira A. '14      

           As it is celebrated in this millennium, Christmas is a holiday based on hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions.  It is estimated that over 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas in some way!

           Christmas is a time to get together with our families and friends and give gifts to show how much we value and appreciate each other.  Biblically, Christians believe that some 2,013 years ago, three wise men visited Jesus, who’s birth had been prophesized, to bestow on the newly-born King of heaven and earth the finest gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

           Some families celebrate only the secular features of Christmas, such as decorating with a tree, Santa, and characters created in the past 50-60 years, like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Christian families sometimes choose to celebrate only the religious aspects including decorating with a nativity scene and angels heralding the news of the birth of their Savior, Jesus Christ.  Still other families enjoy celebrating it all!

            There are some especially Victorian traditions which include Christmas caroling and roasting chestnuts in a hearth burning brightly with a Yuletide log.  The most common traditions can be traced to a generous and jolly, white-bearded portly man wearing red robes, matching hat, and black boots and belt.  The custom of hanging stockings from the fireplace mantle is part of legends surrounding Saint Nicholas, fondly referred to as ole St. Nick and also known as Father Christmas, Santa Claus (Dutch) and Kris Kringle (Austrian/German).

            By whatever name he is called, children the world over anticipate receiving the gifts they asked Santa to bring them on Christmas Eve, toys created by elves in the North Pole and delivered on a sleigh driven by flying reindeer!  With a magical gleam in their eyes, they believe that Santa has a list of good and bad children and that Santa will climb down the fireplace and leave them coal if they had been bad.

            No matter how Christmas is celebrated, it is a season when people are kinder and more generous to the needy.  It is a wonderful season which creates memories to last a lifetime as we enjoy making merry, being of good cheer and hoping for the peace on earth and good will toward man promised by Christ’s birth.