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Christmas: Origin & Stories
The Origin of Christmas: From Religious Roots to Cultural Integration
- From a religious perspective, the core of Christmas is to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. According to the Christian classic Bible, God sent his son Jesus to earth to save humanity, and Jesus was conceived by the Virgin Mary. At that time, the Roman Empire carried out a national census, and Mary and her husband Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for registration. Since all inns were fully occupied, they had to stay in a stable temporarily, where Jesus was born and later placed in a manger. Early Christians gradually formed celebration rituals to commemorate this sacred moment, but there was no fixed date initially.
- The designation of December 25th as Christmas Day went through a historical process. Before the 4th century AD, Christians attached more importance to Easter, which commemorates Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, and paid less attention to a birth anniversary. Later, in order to unify the commemoration date and combined with the religious dissemination needs and cultural traditions at that time, the church designated December 25th as Christmas Day. This date also coincided with folk festivals such as the Roman "Sol Invictus" (celebrating the rebirth of the sun god) and the Germanic "Winter Solstice Festival". It not only facilitated the spread of Christian culture but also gradually integrated secular celebration elements into the festival.
- Over time, Christmas gradually evolved from a Christian religious festival to a popular celebration. During the Middle Ages, church rituals combined with folk customs, giving rise to activities such as Christmas Mass and Christmas caroling. After the Industrial Revolution, elements such as Christmas cards, Christmas trees, and Santa Claus became increasingly popular, enhancing the joyful atmosphere of Christmas and making it a global festival that transcends religions and regions.
Classic Christmas Stories: The Birth in the Manger and the Transmission of Love
- The most classic Christmas story is the account of Jesus' birth recorded in the Bible. This story is full of sacredness and warmth, and has become the core carrier of Christmas culture.
- The story begins with God's will: the angel Gabriel, sent by God, appeared before the virgin Mary in Nazareth and told her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a child named Jesus, who would be the "Messiah" (Savior) to save humanity. Mary was initially frightened but finally obeyed God's will. Soon after, Mary and her fiancé Joseph learned that Emperor Augustus of Rome had ordered a national census, requiring all residents to return to their ancestral hometowns for registration. The two then traveled together to Joseph's ancestral hometown—Bethlehem.
- When they arrived in Bethlehem in the evening, all inns in the city were fully occupied, and no one was willing to take them in. In desperation, an innkeeper took pity on them and told them they could stay temporarily in the stable at the back of the inn. On that cold night, Mary gave birth to Jesus smoothly. Since there was no cradle, Joseph spread soft hay in a manger and used it as Jesus' cradle.
- The news of Jesus' birth was delivered by angels to the shepherds nearby. At that time, the shepherds were watching their flocks in the wild when a host of angels suddenly appeared in the sky, illuminating the night. The angels said to the shepherds: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
- Upon hearing this, the shepherds immediately went to Bethlehem and indeed found the baby in the manger, along with Mary and Joseph. They told everyone what the angels had said, and everyone rejoiced at the birth of the Savior. Meanwhile, three wise men from the East saw a bright new star in the sky and knew it was a sign of the "Messiah's birth". They brought precious gifts such as gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and followed the guidance of the star to Bethlehem to pay homage to Jesus.
- In addition to this religious story, with the secularization of Christmas culture, many warm folk stories have emerged, among which the story of "Santa Claus" is the most well-known. Legend has it that the prototype of Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, a bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the 4th century AD. He was kind and generous, often secretly helping the poor—for example, throwing gold coins through the windows of poor families at night so that poor girls could have dowries. Later, the image of Saint Nicholas gradually evolved into Santa Claus, who wears a red robe, has a white beard, and drives a reindeer-drawn sleigh to deliver gifts, becoming a symbol of passing on love and warmth.
- Today, the ways of celebrating Christmas have become diversified. Whether it is the Mass prayers of religious families or the Christmas tree decoration and gift-giving of ordinary families, they all carry the core connotations of "peace, friendship, and hope"—which is the fundamental reason why Christmas culture has endured for thousands of years and spread around the world.