Christmas: traditions that connect the whole world!

Christmas: traditions that connect the whole world!

Bethlehem, Palästina - Christmas, the most important festival for Christians after Easter, is celebrated on December 25th and is reminiscent of the birth of Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, this celebration has developed into a global event that combines around 2.5 billion believers. As katholisch.de , Christmas is not only a commemorative day, but also the beginning of a festive time that is filled with a wealth of customs. Originally, the early Christians only began to celebrate Easter and the festival of the appearance of the Lord before the birth of Jesus in the 4th century in Rome was recognized as a holiday.

The choice of the date on December 25th is symbolic and is not based on the actual date of birth of Jesus. Historically, this day was probably chosen to replace the pagan festival of the invincible sun god, such as meinzirk.at . This shows the change in Christianity, which gained importance after a time of persecution. Christmas symbolizes the light in the dark and is shaped by numerous traditions, including setting up a Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols and gifting from relatives. The tradition of the Christmas crib, which is the newborn Jesus child in its simple environment, is particularly old.

The celebrations and their customs

The celebrations begin with the first Sunday of Advent and extend to the baptism of the Lord on the first Sunday after January 6th. Significant customs are the Christmas mass on Christmas Eve, which announces great joy, as well as the shepherd mass, which addresses the birth of Jesus from the point of view of the shepherds. These celebrations are anchored deep in the Christian liturgy, which is still shaped by the symbolic meaning of light today. The Christmas traditions vary and have developed over the centuries, whereby the festival of love and family connection is always the focus.