Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Christmas is one Christian The holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus. But did you know that early followers of Jesus did not celebrate his birth annually? or that Santa Claus Inspired by the acts of kindness of a fourth-century Christian saint? And have you heard about modern times? Japani Tradition of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas?
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Christmas has evolved from a religious holiday to an extremely popular cultural holiday celebrated by Christians and secular people around the world, who gather with families, exchange gifts and cards, and decorate Christmas trees.
Here’s a look at the history, beliefs, and evolution of Christmas:
Origin and early history of Christmas
Early followers of Jesus did not celebrate his birth annually, instead focusing on celebrating their belief in his resurrection at Easter.
The story of Jesus’ birth appears in only two of the four New Testament gospels: Matthew and Luke. They provide different accounts, although both say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Christine Shepardson, a University of Tennessee professor who studies early Christianity, said the exact day, month and even year of Jesus’ birth are unknown.
The tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25 emerged in the fourth century, he said.
Shepardson said, “It is hard to overemphasise how important the fourth century was to the formation of Christianity as we experience it in our world today.” It was then, under the Emperor Constantine, that Christians began the practice of gathering in churches rather than meeting in homes.
Some theories say the date coincides with existing pagan winter solstice festivals, including the Roman celebration of Sol Invictus, or “Unconquered Sun”, on December 25.
While most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25, some Eastern Orthodox traditions celebrate the holy day on January 7. This is because they follow the ancient Julian calendar, which lags 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, which is used by the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as most of the secular world.
rowdy medieval celebration
For centuries, especially during the Middle Ages, Christmas was associated with rowdy street celebrations of feasting and drinking, and for many Christians, it “did not have a good standing as a holiday,” said Professor Thomas Ruys Smith. American Literature and Culture at the University of East Anglia in England.
“The Puritans were not fond of Christmas,” he said.
But in the 19th century, he said, Christmas became “respectable” with “the domestic celebration we understand today — focused on home, family, children, gift-giving.”
The roots of modern Christmas can be traced to Germany. In the late 19th century, there are accounts of Christmas trees and gift-giving, which, according to Smith, later spread to Britain and America, helping to revive Christmas on both sides of the Atlantic.
Christmas became more popular with the publication of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens in 1843 and the writings of Washington Irving, who was an admirer of St. Nicholas and helped popularize the celebration of Christmas in America.
The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was planted in 1931 by workers to raise spirits during the Great Depression. The tradition endured as the first tree-lighting ceremony was held in 1933 and remains one of New York City’s most popular holiday attractions.
America’s secular Santa is inspired by a Christian saint
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Christian bishop from the Mediterranean port city of Myra (in modern Türkiye). His acts of generosity inspired the secular Santa Claus legend.
The legends associated with jolly old St. Nicholas – who is celebrated each year on December 6 – go far beyond giving out candy and toys to children. He is believed to have interceded on behalf of wrongfully convicted prisoners and miraculously saved sailors from storms.
Devotion to Saint Nicholas spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and he became a favorite subject for medieval artists and religious plays. He is the patron saint of sailors and children, as well as of Greece, Russia, and New York.
Devotion to Saint Nicholas seems to have faded after the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, except when NetherlandsWhere his legend lived on as Sinterklaas. In the 17th century, Dutch Protestants who settled in New York brought the Sinterklaas tradition with them.
Eventually, St. Nicholas transformed into the secular Santa Claus.
It’s not just Santa who delivers gifts
In the UK, it is Father Christmas; In Greece and Cyprus, Saint Basil (who comes on New Year’s Eve). In some parts of Italy, it is Saint Lucy (in early December) and in other Italian regions, Befana, a witch-like figure, who brings gifts on Epiphany, January 6.
Instead of a friendly Santa Claus, children in Iceland enjoy the blessings of 13 mischievous troll brothers, known as the Yule Lads. According to folklore, they come down from their mountain cave 13 days before Christmas.
Christian Christmas traditions
One of the oldest traditions around Christmas is bringing greenery – holly, ivy or evergreen trees – into the home. But it is difficult to determine whether this is a Christian tradition or not. Smith said, “For many people, the evergreen may symbolize Jesus Christ’s promise of eternal life and his return from death.” “So, you can interpret that timeless tradition within the Christian concept.”
Decorating evergreen trees is a German custom that began in the 16th century, said Maria Kennedy, a professor in the Department of American Studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Later it became popular in England and America.
“Mistletoe, an evergreen shrub, was used in the celebrations of ancient Druids – Celtic religious leaders – about 2,000 years ago,” Kennedy writes in The Surprising History of Christmas Traditions.
“Mistletoe represented immortality because it continued to grow during the darkest time of the year and yielded white berries when everything else had died.”
Other traditions include Christmas services and nativity scenes in homes and churches. Recently, nativity scenes erected on public property in the US have sparked legal battles over the question of separation of church and state.
Christmas caroling can also be traced back to European traditions, writes Kennedy, where people would go from door to door during the darkest time of the year to renew relationships within their communities and wish good luck, health, and wealth for the coming year.
Kennedy writes, “They read poetry, sang, and sometimes even performed a play. The idea was that these acts would bring good luck to influence the future harvest.”
Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas in Japan
One of the many Christmas traditions that have been adopted and localized globally is KFC.
In 1974, KFC started a Christmas campaign where they started selling fried chicken with a bottle of wine so that it could be used for a Christmas party.
KFC says the idea for the campaign came from an employee who overheard a foreign customer at their Tokyo restaurant saying that since he couldn’t get turkey in Japan, he would have to celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken.
“It really stuck,” Smith said. “And even today, you have to order your KFC months in advance to be sure you’ll get it on Christmas Day.”
,
Associated Press religion coverage is supported by the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. AP is solely responsible for this content.