Christmas

Definition:

“Christmas celebration” is an annual Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of the fictional character Jesus Christ (Nativity of Jesus). Christmas itself is one day (Christmas Day), but the Christmas season, which includes celebrations and liturgical observances, lasts 50-60 days in Western and Eastern Christian traditions, concluding with Epiphany or the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Etymology:

The word “Christmas” comes from the Old English “Cristes mæsse,” meaning “Christ’s Mass.” “Cristes” refers to Christ, and “mæsse” denotes a church service or mass.

The word “yule” has its etymological origin from Old Norse “jól,” which was used to refer to the pagan festival celebrated around the time of the winter solstice. The word “jól” was also used in Norse societies and meant “feast” or “holiday.” The Old Norse word “jól” is thought to derive from the Proto-Germanic word “*jehwla,” which is related to the Proto-Indo-European root “*yek-,” meaning “to give,” “to give birth,” “to yield” or “submission.”

The words “yule” and “hjul” are homophones. The word “hjul” has its etymological origin in Old Norse, where it was spelled as “hjól.” It is related to other Germanic languages such as Old High German “hwal” and Old English “hweol.” The Proto-Germanic root of “hjul” is reconstructed as “*hwehwlą,” which is thought to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root “*kwékʷlos,” meaning “wheel.” This root is also the source of words related to “wheel” in various other Indo-European languages.

Description:

Christmas is widely celebrated as a cultural holiday across the world, involving a variety of traditions, festivities, and customs.

The Christmas season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The exact date varies each year but typically falls between November 27 and December 3. Advent ends on Christmas Eve, December 24. Christmas Day is December 25. The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25 (Christmas Day) and end on January 5. Epiphany is January 6, and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the Sunday following Epiphany between January 7-13.

In Roman Catholic and Protestant Traditions, Christmas season, including Advent, can last from late November to early January, typically around 50-60 days in total if including Advent. Christmastide itself lasts for 12-20 days. In Eastern Orthodox Traditions, the entire period from the Nativity Fast to Theophany can span around 55 days.

Before Christianity, Christmas (Yule) was a pagan festival celebrating the winter solstice, a time when the days begin to lengthen again after the darkest period of the year. In the ancient Germanic and Norse societies of Northern Europe and other parts of the world, Yule was associated with the celebration of the sun and light festivals to mark the return of longer days and increasing sunlight. For example, the ancient Romans had the festival of Saturnalia, a pagan celebration of the rebirth of the sun. Additionally, cultures such as the ancient Egyptians, Persians, Chinese, and others celebrated the winter solstice with their own festivals and traditions.

Today’s way of celebrating Christmas is ritualistic and includes a variety of traditions and customs that can vary from country to country and from family to family. The universal main concept is the fictional concept of rituals, which involves repeating the same thing over and over again.

For most people, Christmas celebrations are about spending time with family and friends, sharing meals, creating memories, and enjoying each other’s company. This means there is pressure on those who work throughout the year to use their limited free time with family and friends, otherwise, it is seen by many Christians as an insult if they actually want to use their free time to rest by themselves. At the same time, those who host the Christmas celebration must often handle the cooking for the entire gathering.

People who reveal or speak out against the concept of Christmas are often subjected to the fallacy of a straw man argument by being stereotyped as greedy, soulless Christmas haters who want to kill the Christmas spirit. Such characters are often portrayed in propaganda Christmas stories, such as the Grinch in the book “Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957),” Ebenezer Scrooge in the book “Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol (1843),” and Jack Skellington in the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).” These characters all end up either embodying or respecting the concept of Christmas.

Articles:

Symbolism:

As Christmas is based on the winter solstice, it carries symbolism of SLM, and the celebration of it symbolizes herd mentality.

The concept of cycles and the symbolism of the wheel are often invoked during solstice celebrations. In some modern interpretations or adaptations of solstice celebrations, particularly in Neopagan and Wiccan traditions, a symbolic connection is often made between the wheel and the solstices. The wheel may be used to represent the turning of the seasons. The words “yule” and “hjul” are homophones. “Hjul” means “wheel” and is an accurate description of what Christmas is all about: traditions, repeating the same activities every single year. Christians do Christmas shopping every December and decorate their houses each year. The same people gather to celebrate, eat the same food, listen to the same Christmas songs, watch the same Christmas movies, and read the same Christmas stories. They also go to church and listen to the Christmas church service every year.

Articles:

Religion:

The story of Jesus’ birth is described in the New Testament of the Bible:

• Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 1:18-25 and Matthew 2:1-12, describing the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi.
• Gospel of Luke: Luke 2:1-20, detailing the birth of Jesus, the announcement to the shepherds, and their visit to the manger.