Christmas 2018

Christmas is a Christian holiday for the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated all over the worl every year on December 25 with the exception of some Eastern churches which use the older Julian calendar. Now-a-days Christmas is also celebrated by a large number of non-Christian peoples around the world as a cultural events. In many countries it is a public holiday. As of 1870 Christmas is observed in the United States as a federal holiday.

Period of waiting and preparation of Christmas is called the "Advent Season". In most churches start on the 4th Sunday before Christmas.

Customs and traditions:
Due to its long history and the enormous popularity there are countless customs and traditions in Christmas. Some of them are well-known all over the world, while the other are limited to specific countries and regions. The most popular involve Christmas Tree and special decorations like Advent wreaths, mistletoe, representations of Nativity scene and colorful lights. Family gatherings, special meals for the day, singing Christmas carols and gift-giving are also common Christmas. And we cannot forget about the figure of Santa Claus who brings gifts to the well-behaved children on Christmas Eve.

Date:
Bible does not mention any specific date for Jesus' birth. Most historians believe he born in the spring, hence the description of shepherds herding animals. The date of December 25 for the Feast of the Nativity was set by the Western Christian Churchs by the early-to-mid 4th century. It coincided with the pagan celebrations of the birthday of Mithra in the Roman cult of Mithraism. The date of December 25 is also close to the date of winter solstice which was celebrated in many European pagan cultures.

Christmas Tree:
Christmas tree tradition can be traced back to 16th-century Germany with the first documented Christmas tree found on the sculpture of a private home in Alsace (then part of Germany, today France), dating 1576. The first Christmas trees appeared in Strasbourg (Pennsylvania) in the 17th century with the arrival of German immigrants. The custom spread across the country in the second half of 19th century.