C H R I S T M A S

On December 25, Christmas will be celebrated around the world. Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians. Christmas, also referred to as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Christianity, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, thought to have occurred between 7 and 2 BC (before Christ). Eastern Orthodox national churches, including those of Russia, Georgia, Egypt, Ukraine, the Macedonia, Serbia and the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem mark feasts using the older Julian Calendar, and December 25 on that calendar currently corresponds to January 7 on the more widely used Gregorian calendar.
Christians believe that on Christmas God did sent his son into the world who took all the sins of mankind on his shoulders.
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia.
Among countries with a strong Christian tradition, a variety of Christmas celebrations have developed that incorporate regional and local cultures. For many Christians, participating in a religious service plays an important part in the recognition of the season. Christmas, along with Easter, is the period of highest annual church attendance. Family reunions and the exchange of gifts are a widespread tradition of the holiday. Gift giving takes place on Christmas Day or – in many countries – on Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas Day, December 24, which is a culturally significant celebration for most of the Western world and is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas. Others practice gift giving on December 6, Saint Nicholas Day, or January 6, Epiphany.

“Silent Night” -The choir of the Makumbi Children’s Home in Zimbabwe
with the choristers of The London Oratory School Schola:

“Silent Night” (German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) is one of the world’s most popular Christmas carols. Every year it is sung in many different languages throughout the world. Its popularity is owed to its peaceful melody and its simple narration of the Christmas tale.
The original lyrics of the song were written in Austria by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber. In 1859, John Freeman Young (second Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Florida) published the English translation that is most frequently sung today.

Christmas as we know it today is a Victorian invention of the 1860s. Probably the most celebrated holiday in the world, modern Christmas is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions from around the globe. Several similar mythological figures, known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and Santa Claus among many other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season.
The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world. Christmas-related controversy is mainly restricted to concerns of a public focus on secular Christmas themes such as Santa Claus and gift giving rather than what is sometimes expressed by Christians as the “reason for the season”—the birth of Jesus.
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Nativity - by Lorenzo Lotto, 1523

The Story of Christmas

The Christmas story is found in the Bible in the Gospel according to Matthew (1:18-2:18) and in the Gospel according to Luke (1:26-56, 2:1-40). It is also mentioned in Isaiah.

Matthew tells the story largely from the perspective of Joseph, including the dreams that he had and his family genealogy. In this gospel the ‘Kingship’ of Jesus is the major topic. Starting with the Davidic Kingly genealogy through Joseph and the coming of the Magi (Wisemen) who are looking for the new king. Also King Herod’s reaction is in Matthew.
The events in Luke are given from Mary’s view. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces the coming of the child. Mary’s genealogy is also given in Luke (3:23-38), she was also a descendent of David, but not in the ‘Kingly’ line. Chapter 2 begins with the Christmas story that everyone is familiar with:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The Christmas Story

A long artistic tradition has grown of producing painted depictions of the nativity in art. Nativity scenes are traditionally set in a barn or stable and include Mary, Joseph, the child Jesus, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men: Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar, who are said to have followed the star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, which led them to the stable where the long awaited Messiah was born into this world and who presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child in the manger.

The virgin birth of Jesus is a tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while remaining a virgin. While the term “virgin birth” is common, “virgin conception” would be more accurate. This doctrine was a universally held belief in the Christian church by the second century, and is upheld by Anglicanism, the Church of the East, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. It is included in the two most widely used Christian creeds, which state that Jesus “was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary” and was “born of the Virgin Mary”.
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Christmas and Xmas

The term “Xmas”, a popular shortened form of the word Christmas that originates from the use of the Greek letter chi to represent “Christ” (Χριστός), has been a particular topic of controversy.
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning “Christ’s mass”. It is derived from the Middle English “Christemasse” and Old English “Cristes mæsse”, a phrase first recorded in 1038. “Cristes” is from Greek “christos” and “mæsse” is from Latin “missa”. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-16th century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ. Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.
The early church used the first two letters of Christos in the Greek alphabet ‘chi’ and ‘rho’ to create a monogram (symbol) to represent the name of Jesus. This looks like an X with a small p on the top.

The symbol of a fish is sometimes used by Christians. This comes from the time when the first Christians had to meet in secret, as the Romans wanted to kill them (before Emperor Constantine became a Christian). Jesus had said that he wanted to make his followers ‘Fishers of Men’, so people started to use that symbol.
When two Christians met, one person drew half a basic fish shape (often using their foot in the dust on the ground) and the other person drew the other half of the fish. The Greek word for fish is ‘Ikthus’ or ‘Ichthys’. There are five Greek letters in the word. It can also make up a sentence of Christian beliefs ‘Ie-sous Christos Theou Huios So-te-r’ which in English means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”. The second letter of these five letter is X or Christos!
So Xmas can also mean Christmas; but it should also be pronouced ‘Christmas’ rather than ‘exmas’!(www.whychristmas.com).

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Hauling a Yule log, by Robert Chamgers, 1832

Pagan and Winter Solstice Festivals

There are many different theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. The Winter Solstice is the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. It happens on December 21st or 22nd. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.
Early Christians might have given this festival a new meaning – to celebrate the birth of the Son of God ‘the unconquered Son’ (In the Bible a prophecy about the Jewish savior, who Christians believe is Jesus, is called ‘Sun of Righteousness’.)

The Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called ‘Saturnalia’ (a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture) and ‘Dies Natalis Solis Invicti’ took place in December.
Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

Odin the Wanderer, by Georg von Rosen, 1886

In Old Germanic, people honored the pagan god Odin during the mid-winter holiday. They were terrified of Odin, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs (Yule logs), which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.
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Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585)

Different Calendars

The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar or the Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582,
Before this time the ‘Roman’ or Julian Calendar was used (named after Julius Caesar).
The motivation for the Gregorian reform was that the Julian calendar assumes that the time between vernal equinoxes is 365.25 days, when in fact it is about 11 minutes less.
Because of the Protestant Reformation, however, many Western European countries did not initially follow the Gregorian reform, and maintained their old-style systems. Eventually other countries followed the reform for the sake of consistency, or partially adopted the Gregorian calender.

Julius Caesar (100-44 BC)

Eastern Orthodox an Coptic Churches, including those of Russia, Georgia, Egypt, Ukraine, the Macedonia, Serbia and the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem mark feasts using the older Julian Calendar. December 25 on that calendar currently corresponds to January 7 on the more widely used Gregorian calendar. Oriental Orthodox churches also use their own calendars, which are generally similar to the Julian calendar.

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the nativity in combination with the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6. Armenian churches customarily use the Gregorian calendar, but some use the Julian calendar and thus celebrate Christmas Day on January 19, and Christmas Eve on January 18 (according to the Gregorian calendar).

In some part of the UK, January 6th is still called ‘Old Christmas’ as this would have been the day that Christmas would have celebrated on, if the calendar hadn’t been changed. Some people didn’t want to use the new calendar as they thought it ‘cheated’ them out of 10 days.
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Mary and Jesus in a manger, early 1900s Bible illustration by O.A. Stemler

Date of Jesus’ Birth

The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. In Western Christianity, it has been traditionally celebrated on December 25 as Christmas (in the liturgical season of Christmastide), a date that can be traced as early as the year 330 among Roman Christians. Before then in Eastern Christianity, Jesus’ birth was generally celebrated on January 6/7 (late at night on January 6) as part of the feast of Theophany, also known as Epiphany, which commemorated not only Jesus’ birth but also his baptism by John in the Jordan River and possibly additional events in his life.
Jesus’s Baptism was originally seen as more important than his birth, as this was when he started his ministry. But soon people wanted a separate day to celebrate his birth.

The church in general adopted Christmas much later than Epiphany, and before the 5th century there was no consensus as to when it should come in the calendar, whether on January 6 or December 25.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor).
A few years later Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December. Some consider this as an attempt to Christianise the Pagan celebrations that already took place at this time of year. By 529, 25th December had become a civil holiday and by 567 the twelve days from 25th December to the Epiphany were public holidays.

Annunciation - by Fabrizio Boschi, 17th century

A very early Christian tradition said that the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus (this is called the Annunciation) was on March 25th – and it’s still celebrated today on the 25th March. Nine months after the 25th March is the 25th December. March 25th was also the day some some early Christians thought the world had been made and also the day that Jesus died on when he was an adult.

The Chronology of Jesus depicts the attempt to establish a historical chronology for the events of the life of Jesus depicted in the four canonical gospels (which allude to various dates for several events). Certain events in the chronology of Jesus as described in the Gospels can be cross-referenced to Jewish festivals (Judaism was the main religion of Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth), and to the tenure of historical rulers and high priests. However, other events such as the specific years of Jesus’s birth and death cannot be accurately determined.
Jesus was born either before 4 BC (when Herod the Great died) or in 6 AD (when the historical Census of Quirinius was undertaken). The traditional date, 25 December 1 BC, is a combination between a symbolic choice (for the day of the year) and a calculation of Dionysius Exiguus (for the year itself).
The New Testament provides no information regarding the date of the birth of Jesus. The traditional date is 25 December, which is mid-winter in Judea. Because the Luke account says that shepherds were outdoors with their flocks it has sometimes been suggested that this implies a spring, summer or autumn date. However, the climate of Palestine is quite mild and in fact sheep are allowed to forage even in December.

However, today, whether or not the birth date of Jesus is on December 25 is not considered to be an important issue in mainstream Christian denominations, rather the believe that God did sent his son into the world who took all the sins of mankind on his shoulders, is considered to be the primary purpose in celebrating Christmas.

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Historical Celebrations

It was around 350 AD, Bishop of Rome, Pope Julius I, declared that Christmas be celebrated on December 25 every year. Early Romans, however, could not profess their religion openly as Christianity had grown up in blood and tears in Rome. The end of late 300s saw the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. By 4th century A.D the religion came to be followed by vast masses of humanity. This community felt the need to celebrate the birth of Christ as a festival in a combination of Christian, Pagan and folk traditions.

During the medieval period (c.400AD – c.1400AD) Christmas was a time for feasting and merrymaking. It was a predominantly secular festival but contained some religious elements.
Medieval Christmas lasted 12 days from Christmas Eve on 24th December, until the Epiphany (Twelfth Night) on 6th January.

The Church attempted to curb Pagan practices and popular customs were given Christian meaning. Carols that had started as Pagan songs for celebrations such as midsummer and harvest were taken up by the Church. By the late medieval period the singing of Christmas carols had become a tradition.

From the middle of the 17th century until the early 18th century the Christian Puritans suppressed Christmas celebrations in Europe and America.
The Puritan movement began during the reign of Queen Elizabeth in England (1558-1603). They believed in strict moral codes, plenty of prayer and close following of New Testament scripture.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs and as a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

In the Victorian Era (1837-1901) Christmas celebrations became highly popular. The Victorian Christmas was based on nostalgia for Christmases past. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843) inspired ideals of what Christmas should be, capturing the imagination of the British and American middle classes.

A brief except from the 1951 film “A Christmas Carol” starring Alastair Sim:

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge’s ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visitations of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

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Christmas Trees

The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century. The Christmas tree is traditionally brought into the home and decorated with Christmas lights (originally candles), ornaments, garlands, tinsel, and candy canes during the days around Christmas. An angel or star is placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.

The tradition of the Christmas tree has been around for over a thousand years. While a Christmas tree is a popular sight in today’s Christian homes, the Church widely opposed it well into the Middle Ages. In fact, Christmas trees did not become popular until the mid-19th century.
Ancient Germanic tribes were the first to use trees and other evergreens to celebrate the winter solstice or Yule, which occurs every year between December 20 and 23. Other Pagan cultures, such as the Druids and the Celts, also used trees and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life and to honor the coming spring.
The earliest record of an evergreen tree being used and decorated (but without lights) for Christmas is 1521 in the German region of Alsace.
The first hint of the modern use of the Christmas tree happened in the 8th century. St. Boniface, commissioned by Pope Gregory II, was trying to convert Germanic tribes to Christianity and faced several difficulties, including the widespread use of pagan symbols. One of these symbols was the fir tree. Because it looks like a triangle, St. Boniface came up with the idea of using it as a symbol of the Trinity.
In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in 1816, and the custom spread across Austria in the following years. In France, the first Christmas tree was introduced in 1840 by the duchesse d’Orléans.

“O Christmas Tree” is a Christmas carol of German origin (“Oh Tannenbaum”).
The best known version was written in 1824 by the Leipzig organist, teacher and composer Ernst Anschütz.
The melody is an old folk tune:

In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced by Prince Albert, the German born husband of Queen Victoria, who introduced the tradition to Windsor Castle in 1834.
The Christmas tree didn’t make its way to America until the late 1800s, partly due to the Church’s penalization of the practice. With the advent of electricity, Christmas trees started showing up in public squares, parks, and townships.
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Father Christmas
and other legendary gift-bringing Figures

A number of figures of both Christian and mythical origin have been associated with Christmas and the seasonal giving of gifts.

Father Christmas is the name used in many English-speaking countries for a symbolic figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name (in other languages) exists in several other countries. Father Christmas is said to wear (these days) a bright red suit but in Victorian and Tudor times he wore a bright green suit.
Father Christmas typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, but was neither a gift bringer nor particularly associated with children.
The pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history, was Saint Nicholas.
Nicholas lived in the fourth century and was Bishop of Myra in Lycia, which is now a part of Turkey. Following the death of hiswealthy parent’s it is said that Nicholas used his inheritance to help those in need. His acts of kindness and mercy were legendary and he became known throughout Christendom as a saintly man.
The Feast Day of Saint Nicholas on December 6th is a church holiday and a festival for children in many countries in Europe,related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. In many countries , the figure of Saint Nicholas was also blended with local folklore. Due to the modern association with Christmas, Saint Nicholas is also a patron saint of Christmas.
(Please find more about Saint Nicholas here ).

Father Christmas dates back at least as far as the 17th century in Britain, and pictures of him survive from that era, portraying him as a jolly well-nourished bearded man dressed in a long, green, fur-lined robe.
He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, and was reflected as the “Ghost of Christmas Present”, in Charles Dickens’s festive classic A Christmas Carol.

Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history and folklore, notably St. Nicholas and Sinterklaas, merged with the British character Father Christmas to create the character known to Britons and Americans as Santa Claus.
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Christmas Gift-Bringers around the World

Europe and North America

Throughout Europe and North America, Santa Claus is generally known as such, but in some countries the gift-giver’s name, attributes, date of arrival, and even identity varies.

Austria: Christkind (“Christ child”, often falsly translated into English as “Kris Kringle”)
Belgium: “Santa Claus”, called Père Noël by French speakers and Kerstman (“Father Christmas”) by Dutch speakers.
Bulgaria: Дядо Коледа (Dyado Koleda, “Grandfather Christmas”), with the Russian-borrowed version of Дед Мороз (Djed Moroz, “Grandfather Frost”) being somewhat more widespread in Socialist times from the end of World War II until 1989 and still in favour nowadays.
Canada: Santa Claus (among English speakers); Le Père Noël (“Father Christmas”), among French speakers.
Croatia: Djed Božićnjak (“Grandfather Christmas”), or Djed Mraz (Grandfather Frost), Mali Isus (“Baby Jesus”) for religious Christians.
Czech Republic: Ježíšek (diminutive form of Ježíš (“Jesus”)
Denmark: Julemanden, (“The Christmas Man”). Julemanden lives in Greenland.
Estonia: Jõuluvana (“Old man of Christmas”)
Finland: Joulupukki (“Yule Goat”)
France: Le Père Noël (“Father Christmas”)
Germany: Weihnachtsmann (“Christmas Man”) or Christkind (“Christ Child”) (in southern Germany)
Greece: Άγιος Βασίλης (“Saint Basil”)
Hungary: In Hungary the Angels are bringing the Christmas gifts, or the child Jesus (“Jézuska or Kis Jézus “);
Iceland: Jólasveinar. In Icelandic folktales, there are 13 Santa Clauses.
Ireland: Daidí na Nollag (“Father Christmas”) among Irish speakers
Italy: Babbo Natale (“Father Christmas”), sometimes substituted by Gesù bambino (“Baby Jesus”), in order to give to this gift-bringing character a more catholic connotation.
Latvia: Ziemassvētku vecītis
Liechtenstein: Christkind
Lithuania: Kalėdų Senelis
Luxembourg: Klaussenhofer
Macedonia: Dedo Mraz
Netherlands: “Santa Claus”, called Kerstman (“Christmas Man”), is recently celebrated by some people on Christmas Day.
Norway: Julenissen, a small, elderly man. a Christmas dwarf
Poland: Święty Mikołaj / Mikołaj (“Saint Nicholas”)
Portugal: Pai Natal (“Father Christmas”)
Romania: Moş Crăciun (“Old Man Christmas”)
Russia: Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz, “Grandfather Frost”). Gifts are giving to children at the New Year celebration.
Scotland: Bodach na Nollaig (Scots Gaelic: Old Man of Christmas)
Serbia: Deda Mraz (Деда Мраз – Grandfather Frost) – renamed from Božić Bata (Божић Бата – Christmas Brother) during the communist times after the World War II and moved from Christmas to New Year to prevent any religious connections.
Slovakia: Ježiško (Refers to newborn(baby) Jesus);
Slovenia: Bozicek
Spain: Papá Noel (Father Noel); the Tió de Nadal in Catalonia; Olentzero in the Basque Country. A more common and traditional Christmas present-giving figure in Spain are “Los Reyes Magos” (“The Three Kings”; “Magi”).
Sweden: Jultomten (“The Yule/Christmas Gnome”)
Switzerland: Christkind
Turkey: Noel Baba (“Father Noel”) Also, Noel Baba is widely thought to bring new year presents in Turkey due to the country’s predominant Muslim population. Christmas is celebrated among the Christian communities.
Turkmenistan: Aýaz baba
United Kingdom: Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas though they were originally two quite different people, and Father Christmas did not originally bring gifts.
United States: Santa Claus
Wales: Siôn Corn

Latin America

Argentina: Papá Noel, El Niño Dios (“God child”)
Brazil: Papai Noel
Chile: Santa Claus is called “Viejito Pascuero” (Old man Christmas)
Colombia: El Niño Dios (“God child”), Papa Noel
Costa Rica: San Nicolás or Santa Claus (pronounced “Santa Clos”)
Dominican Republic: Santa Clos/Papá Noe. However, traditionally, Christmas gifts are given by The Three Kings (Los Tres Reyes Magos) on January 6th and not on Christmas.
Ecuador: El Niño Dios (“God child”), Papá Noel
Mexico: Santa Claus (pronounced “Santa Clos”); El Niño Dios (“God child,”)and also Los Tres Reyes Magos.
Peru: Papá Noel
Puerto Rico: Jesús (Christmas, Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings Day), Santa Clos.
Venezuela: Niño Jesús (“child jesus”); San Nicolás (“Santa”). Depends on the region.

People in East and Central Asia, particularly countries that have adopted Western cultures, also celebrate Christmas and the gift-giver traditions passed down to them from the West.

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The American Santa Claus

The American version of the Santa Claus figure received its inspiration and its name from the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas (a short form of Sint Nikolaas, Dutch for Saint Nicholas), brought by settlers to New Amsterdam (historical name for New York) in the 17th century.
As early as 1773 the name appeared in the American press as “St. A Claus,” but it was the popular author Washington Irving who gave Americans their first detailed information about the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas. In his History of New York, published in 1809 under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, Irving described the arrival of the saint on horseback (unaccompanied by Black Peter) each Eve of Saint Nicholas.
This Dutch-American Saint Nick achieved his fully Americanized form in 1823 in the poem “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas” by writer Clement Clarke Moore. Moore included such details as the names of the reindeer; Santa Claus’s laughs, winks, and nods; and the method by which Saint Nicholas, referred to as an elf, returns up the chimney. (Moore’s phrase “lays his finger aside of his nose” was drawn directly from Irving’s 1809 description.)

“It was The Night Before Christmas”
also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (1822)
It is tradition in many American families to read the poem every Christmas Eve.
The first publication date was the 23rd of December 1823
and it was an immediate success.
The following version is read by Harry E. Humphrey
and is taken from a 1915 Edison Blue Amberol Cylinder:

The American image of Santa Claus was further elaborated by illustrator Thomas Nast, who depicted a rotund Santa for Christmas issues of Harper’s magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s. Nast added such details as Santa’s workshop at the North Pole (in Europe, Father Christmas/Santa Claus is often said to reside in the mountains of Korvatunturi in Lapland, Finland) and Santa’s list of the good and bad children of the world.

A human-sized version of Santa Claus, rather than the elf of Moore’s poem, was depicted in a series of illustrations for Coca Cola advertisements introduced in 1931 that introduced and made the red Santa Suits an icon.

Santa Claus’s reindeer are a team of flying reindeer traditionally held to pull the sleigh of Santa Claus and help him deliver Christmas gifts. The commonly cited names of the reindeer are Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donder and Blitzen.They are based on those used in the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas. Rudolph, the ninth reindeer, with a red and shiny nose, was invented in 1939 by an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward Company.
According to this story, Rudolph’s glowing red nose made him a social outcast among the other reindeer. However, one Christmas Eve Santa Claus was having a lot of difficulty making his flight around the world because it was too foggy. When Santa went to Rudolph’s house to deliver his presents he noticed the glowing red nose in the darkened bedroom and decided it could be a makeshift lamp to guide his sleigh. He asked Rudolph to lead the sleigh for the rest of the night, Rudolph accepted and returned home a hero for having helped Santa Claus.
Rudolph’s story is a popular Christmas story.

Rudolf the red nosed reindeer” – sung by Dean Martin

Santa Claus climbs down chimneys on the night before Christmas to leave his gifts in stockings children set out on the fireplace’s mantelpiece.
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Some Christmas Carols & Traditions
in different Countries

CENTRAL and SOUTH AMERICA

In Central and South American nations, which have a fairly large Christian population, the Nativity or Manger Scene is the main decoration in homes at Christmas time.

Traditional Spanish carols (or Villancicos) are a must for most Spanish-speaking families when it comes to celebrating holidays, and especially Christmas. Villancicos originated around the 15th or 15th century and were a common lyric-form during the Renaissance period on the Iberian Peninsula.
This lyric poem wasn’t originally set to music, but overtime came to be sung in different settings and came to be associated with accompanying music.

Los Peces En El Rio – Villancicos – traditional Spanish Carol

The interesting thing about Spanish carols sung during Christmas time is that these particular Villancicos were often comical in nature and were designed to make people laugh, especially as they gathered together during the Christmas feasts.
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In Argentina, red and white garlands are used to decorate houses. After attending Midnight Mass, Argentinians have a meal, toast each other, dance and go out to see fireworks. The meal may be roasted pork or turkey, stuffed tomatoes, mince pies, Christmas bread and puddings. Drinks such as cider and juice made from different fruits are used for the toast. Christmas gifts are opened on Christmas Eve just before the family retires to bed.
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Christmas customs in Brazil originate from the many different ethnic groups who make up the country. The national language of Brazil is Portuguese.
The Nativity scene is called the Presepio and can commonly be found displayed in homes, churches and stores.
Papai Noel, or Father Noel, resides in Greenland and brings gifts at Christmas. He is said to wear silk clothing because Christmas occurs during summer when it is very hot in Brazil.
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In Chile, Santa Claus is Father Christmas and is known as ‘Viejito Pascuero.’ He arrives in a similar but slightly different manner than Santa Claus because his reindeer is pulled by a taxicab. Chileans use small figures made from clay to place near the Christmas tree in a display called pesebre to show the Nativity story. The traditional Christmas dinner includes chicken soup with stuffed potatoes, onions and corn on the cob. Another favorite item is a Christmas bread that is called pan de pasqua and which is made with candies and fruits.
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Christmas in Colombia is primarily a religious celebration. Presents are brought by El Niño Jesus / Niño Dios (Baby Jesus) instead of Papá Noél (Father Christmas), whose gift giving role has been downplayed some by the Church. However, Santa Claus is still an important Christmas figure, as Santa decorations are common, and Santa can be seen posing for pictures at shopping malls.
While Christmas decorations may be put up as early as the beginning of November, the unofficial start of Colombian Christmas festivities takes place on December 7, Día de las Velitas, or “Day of the Candles.” At night, the streets, sidewalks, balconies, porches, and driveways are decorated with candles and paper lanterns, which illuminate cities and towns in a yellow glow to honor the Immaculate Conception on the following day, December 8. Activities such as musical events and firework displays are planned by cities and held during this time.

“Campana Sobre Campana”- A Traditional Spanish Carol:

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In Mexico, a Christmas tree may also be set up in some homes along with the Nativity scene or Nacimiento.
The Christmas tree is usually a small artificial tree, called arbolito. It can also be as simple as a branch cut from a special type of tree or a type of shrub that is then minimally decorated.

The primary Christmas celebration in Mexico is called La Posada. It is a religious procession that dramatizes how Joseph and Mary tried to find a place where Jesus could be born. During the procession, the participants carry images of Mary and Joseph and go from house to house seeking a place to stay.

Feliz Navidad and Las Posadas

During Midnight Mass, which is called la misa del gallo or ‘rooster’s mass,’ those in attendance sing lullabies to Jesus. On Christmas Day children receive gifts as well as candies that are stuffed into a piñata.
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Christmas celebrations in Peru are a combination of traditions brought over from Spain and the traditions of the native American experience.
December 25 is the big day for gift giving and receiving. In Peru, the big day is Noche Buena or “Good Night”, on December 24. On this night, after mass (for practicing Catholics) everybody goes home to open gifts and feast on an elaborately prepared Christmas meal of traditional roasted turkey. At midnight, the adults toast with champagne and children raise their glasses of hot chocolate as fireworks shine in the night sky.

Alla Baja Jesucristo – Villancico Navidad Peru

Most Christmas meals served in Peru include the traditional turkey as well as tamales, salads, applesauce and a sweet bread called Panettone. The hot chocolate is usually made from scratch from melted rich dark chocolate, cinnamon and cloves.
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In Venezuela, Christmas is celebrated with a number of religious and traditional customs. As a predominantly Catholic country, Christmas festivities celebrate the birth of the child Jesus. The religious celebrations begin on the 16th of December with masses said every morning until December 24th, when the religious service is held at midnight (Misa de Gallo).
The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, “Noche Buena” as it is called in Spanish. Families get together to enjoy the traditional holiday meal: “hallacas,” “pan de jamón,” “dulce de lechoza.” The pan de “jamón” is a long bread filled with cooked ham and raisins. The “dulce de lechoza” is a dessert made of green papaya and brown sugar, slowly cooked for hours and served cold.
Many homes put up a Christmas tree but the most authentic Venezuelan custom is to display a nacimiento (Nativity scene). A more sophisticated nacimiento is the pesebre. This represents an entire region with mountains, hills, plains and valleys. The central point is a replica of the manger at Bethlehem. The structure is a framework covered with canvas and painted accordingly. Often, the pesebre becomes a real work of art.
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AUSTRALIA

In Australia, as with all of the Southern Hemisphere, 25 December occurs during the height of the summer season.
According to tradition, children are told Santa Claus visits houses on Christmas Eve placing presents for children under the Christmas tree or in stockings or sacks which are usually hung by a fireplace. Gifts are opened the next morning, 25 December. In recent decades many new apartments and homes have been built without traditional combustion fireplaces, however with some innovation the tradition persists. Snacks and beverages (including liquor) may be left out for Santa to consume during his visit.
Traditionally, extended families gather on 25 December for a Christmas lunch similar to a traditional United Kingdom Christmas meal (also with North American influences) that includes decorated hams, roast turkey, roast chicken, salads and roast vegetables, accompanied by Champagne, and followed by fruit mince pies, pavlova, trifle, and plum pudding with brandy butter. Christmas crackers are a feature of the meal. Candy canes are a popular confectionery in Australia in the Christmas period. More recently, as appropriate to the sometimes hot weather on the day, lighter meals featuring fish and seafood may be served, along with barbecue lunches. However, the typical roast remains popular.

Carols by Candlelight is a tradition that started in Melbourne in 1938 and has since spread around Australia and the world. At the event people gather on Christmas Eve, usually outdoors, to sing carols by candlelight in a large-scale concert style event. The Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight which takes place at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on Christmas Eve, is televised nationwide and it has become a tradition for many Australians to watch the performance. Carols in the Domain takes place in Sydney the Saturday before Christmas.

Ave Maria – Anthony Callea at Carols By Candlelight

Anthony Callea (who was then playing Boq in Wicked, Melbourne) and The National Boys’ Choir of Australia sing Ave Maria at Vision Australia’s Carols By Candlelight, Melbourne, Christmas Eve 2008.

The evening is an established Australian Christmas tradition organised by Vision Australia, which raises funds for and supports people with low vision. Entertainers work for nothing, it’s always televised live and is one of the biggest broadcasts of its kind in the world.
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FRANCE

The celebration of Christmas in France varies by region. Most provinces celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, which is a bank holiday. However, in eastern and northern France, the Christmas season begins on 6 December, la fête de Saint Nicolas, and in some provinces la fête des Rois* is one the most important holidays of the Christmas season.
In Lyon, 8 December is la Fête de lumières, when Lyonnais pay hommage to the virgin Mary by putting candles in their windows to light up the city.

Le Réveillon

Although fewer and fewer French attend la Messe de Minuit on Christmas Eve, it is still an important part of Christmas for many families. It is followed by a huge feast, called le Réveillon (from the verb réveiller, to wake up or revive). Le Réveillon is a symbolic awakening to the meaning of Christ’s birth and is the culinary high point of the season, which may be enjoyed at home or in a restaurant or café that is open all night. Each region in France has its own traditional Christmas menu, with dishes like turkey, capon, goose, chicken, and boudin blanc (similar to white pudding).
After Réveillon, it’s customary to leave a candle burning in case the Virgin Mary passes by.

Throughout the French Christmas season, there are special traditional desserts:
La bûche de Noël (Yule log) – A log-shaped cake made of chocolate and chestnuts. Representative of the special wood log burned from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day in the Périgord, which is a holdover from a pagan Gaul celebration.
Le pain calendeau (in southern France) – is a Christmas loaf, of which a part is given to a poor person.

Perhaps the best known traditional French carols, “Il est né, le divin Enfant!” that comes from the region of Provence.

and: “Petit Papa Noël”

Another important aspect of French Christmas celebrations is the crèche filled with santons, which is displayed in churches and many homes. Living crèches in the form of plays and puppet shows based on the Nativity are commonly performed to teach the important ideas of Christianity and the Christmas celebration.

Mistletoe is hung above the door during the Christmas season to bring good fortune throughout the year.
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GERMANY

The actual Christmas gift-giving (German: “Bescherung”) usually takes place on Christmas Eve.
Gifts may be brought by the Weihnachtsmann (translation, “Christmas man”), who resembles either St. Nicholas or the American Santa Claus, or by the Christkind, a sprite-like child who may or may not represent the baby Jesus.

The Christmas Tree is first put up and decorated on the morning of the 24th. The gifts are then placed under the tree. Often after Christmas Vespers in the church and before or after an evening meal the father (or the mother) goes into the room where the tree is standing, lights the candles and rings a little bell.Then the children are allowed to go into the candlelit room. In many families it is still a custom to sing Christmas songs around the tree before opening up the presents. Some families, especially Catholic families, attend a midnight church service after the evening meal and gift-giving.

“Leise rieselt der Schnee” – Softly falls every Snow Flake
A traditional German Christmas carol
composed by Eduard Ebel about 1900
sung by “Total Vocal” at the Church Obervellmar

The culinary feast either takes place at supper on Christmas Eve or on the first day of Christmas, and usually involves poultry (typically roast goose). Some families prefer a lighter and simpler meal on Christmas Eve. They eat potato salad and sausages, carp or a hearty soup and eat goose, duck or pork roast on Christmas Day.

The most famous Christmas market in Germany is the “Nürnberger Christkindl Markt”, which is known for its gold foil angels and locally produced gingerbread cakes. At least 375 years old, it is one of the oldest, and with over 200 vendors participating each year, it is also one of the largest Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) in Germany.
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ITALY

In Italy the Christmas season traditionally begins with the firing of the cannon from the Castle of Saint Angelo.
The Pifferari, which are shepherds that come from the mountains of Abruzzo and Latium, play their bagpipes.

Zampogna e Ciaramella di Montefalcone nel Sannio (Molise)
L’Ancia Sannita Natale 2007

Presepi is an Italian nativity scene. These are greatly embellished. Cathedrals often compete to see who has the best presepi in town. People go around town and view the presepi at the different churches. The Vatican City in Rome and larger cities, like Naples, have exceptionally grand presepi. The one in Naples is one of the most famous.

The day before Christmas Eve, no meat is eaten. A lot of fish is served instead. A traditional eel dish called “Capitone” is served as a traditional main course. Sweet desserts such as panettone, torrone, and panforte make delicious accents to the Christmas celebration. Pandoro is another amazing Italian traditional dessert served at Christmas.

In Italy, presents are also brought by La Befana, who arrives in the night to fill children’s stockings. An Italian legend says that the Wise Men stopped by the home of an old woman asking for directions to help them find the baby Jesus. They invited her to come with them as they searched, but she declined the offer because she was too busy. She regretted the decision and began searching for the Wise Men and the baby Jesus. Every home in which she stopped, she left a gift for the children in case the baby Jesus was there. This legend led to the tradition of the Befana. Children put their shoes by the fireplace, and the Befana is said to fill the shoes and stockings with gifts and treats for good children or coal for naughty children.
A Yule Log is burned as family and friends toast. The Urn of Fate is a large decorative bowl with one gift for each person in it. You take turns drawing from the bowl til you get the gift with your name on it.

“Tu scendi dalle stelle” – Canzoni di Natale

Although Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) and giving presents on Christmas are becoming more common, the main day for gift giving is Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men gave Baby Jesus their gifts. ______________________________________________________________
RUSSIA

Christmas in Russia is most widely celebrated on January 7 (December 25 in the Julian Calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church). It’s a day of both solemn ritual and joyous celebration. Orthodox Russians observe a vegetarian fast for six weeks until Christmas Eve, and for them most of the celebrating takes place on Christmas Eve, the 6th of January, which is mainly related to the Christmas Mass. In some cathedrals this ceremony can go long into the night.
For most people, however, the mass will end early, and people return home for the Christmas dinner with their families.
After dinner, children often go from house to house singing carols, and receiving sweets as gifts.

Chesnokov’s “Gabriel Appeared” – Russian Orthodox Choir from Moscow
Soloist: Chernegov-Nomerov Egor (choral dir.)
Чернегов-Номеров Егор Глебович

As a religious celebration, Christmas was banned during the Soviet aera. However, many people still carried on their celebrations in secret though and Russian Christmas traditions were largely kept alive by shifting some of them to New Year’s Day.

Since 1992 Christmas became again a very popular celebration in Russian society, whereas Novi Gord (New Year) is of more importance and the most popular Russian holiday celebration.
However, some Russians observe two Christmases (according to both the Gregorian and the Julian Calendar).

A traditional Russian Christmas Song – (V lesu rodilas’ yolochka)

Many traditions associated with a western Christmas are attached to these New Year celebrations, like decorated Christmas Trees, or Yolka (New Year trees), which serve as a symbol of the New Year (The most famous public Yolka is the one at Moscow’s Red Square), and Father Frost (Ded Moroz; Russian: Дед Мороз).
The name Father Frost also appears in the local language of other Slavic countries. The literal translation of the name would be Grandpa Frost, although the name is often translated as Father Frost.
The traditional character Ded Moroz or a diminutive Dedushka Moroz plays a role similar to that of Santa Claus, bringing presents to children at New Year parties by the New Year Tree. He carries a staff, wears Valenki (traditional style of Russian boot made of wool felt) and is carried across Russia in a Troika. The Russian troika is a sledge drawn by three horses harnessed abreast. The troika was a traditional style of cold weather transportation. Passengers would bundle up in furs in the back of the sledge to ward off often dangerously low temperatures.
Ded Moroz is commonly accompanied by Snegurochka (Russian: Снегурочка), or ‘Snow Maiden, who is a unique attribute of the image of Father Frost – none of his foreign colleagues have a similar companion. Snegurochka is a character in Russian fairy tales.
According to one story, she is the daughter of Spring and Frost, who yearns for the companionship of mortal humans. She grows to like a shepherd named Lel, but her heart is unable to know love. Her mother takes pity and gives her this ability, but as soon as she falls in love, her heart warms up and she melts.
This version of the story was made into a play by Aleksandr Ostrovsky (which premiered in 1873), with incidental music by Tchaikovsky.
Modern Snegurochka is also depicted as the granddaughter and helper of Ded Moroz. Typically, Ded Moroz and Snegurochka distribute presents to children, fighting off the evil witch, Baba Yaga, who tries to steal the gifts.

The period after Christmas Day until the 18th of January is known as Svyatki (Christmastide) which is a very joyful part of Russian Christmas celebrations. Like other traditional celebrations, Russian Christmastide fell out of favor with authorities during the 20th century, but Svyatki has returned, along with other notable ancient festivals that are a part of Russian culture. The period of Svyatki is associated with the pagan custom of Kolyada and is traditionally a time for masquerades, carnivals, carol singing and fortune telling.
Many fortune-telling customs revolved around unmarried womens’ search for signs about their future husbands in wax, in mirrors, or in shadows.

Russia Today: Russian Christmastide Svyatki

Old Svyatki customs are referenced in some of the best-known Russian literature. Fortune-telling practices are described in Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, and costumed mummers are described in a Christmas scene from Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
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SWEDEN

Swedish Christmas celebrations begin with the first of Advent. Saint Lucy’s Day (locally known as Luciadagen) which is the first major Christmas celebration before Christmas itself. Electric candles and glowing stars are placed in almost every window in December month in Sweden.

As in many other countries in Northern Europe, the Jultomte – Santa Claus (or simply Tomte) brings the presents on December 24, Christmas Eve, the day generally thought of as Christmas.
The Jultomte was originally a small invisible Christmas house gnome or dwarf from the Nordic mythology, who watched over the house and its inhabitants. An old superstition still calls for feeding the Tomte on Christmas Eve with a small bowl of porridge. If a bowl of porridge is not laid out for him somewhere in or outside the house, he will bring bad luck to everyone in the house the next year.
The modern “Tomten”, nowadays is a version of Santa Claus in red cloth and white beard, except that he doesn’t enter the house through the chimney, but knocks on the door and asks “finns det några snälla barn här?” (are there any good children here?)

“När det lider mot jul” – Traditional Swedish Christmas Carol
Recorded live in Botkyrka Church December 21th 2008.
Voice Ann-Katrin Hegvold, organ Rune Karlsson.

Christmas in Sweden is, as everywhere else, an occasion celebrated with food. Almost all Swedish families celebrate on 24 December with a Christmas table, called Christmas smörgåsbord (julbord),
a display of several Christmas food items. Almost all julbord has Christmas ham, (julskinka) accompanied by other Christmas dishes, such as small meatballs, pickled herring, spareribs, small hot dogs, lutfisk, pork sausage, salmon, Janssons frestelse (potato casserole with anchovy), and rice pudding. The Christmas julbord is served with julmust and beverage like mulled wine, Christmas beer or snaps. A Scandinavian speciality is the glögg (mulled and spiced wine with almonds and raisins), which is served hot in small cups. The different dishes of the julbord may vary throughout Sweden, from South to North. Businesses traditionally invite their employees to a julbord dinner or lunch the weeks before Christmas, and people go out privately to restaurants which also customarily offer julbord during December.
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UKRAINE
& “Carol of the Bells”

“Carol of the Bells” is a Christmas carol performed and sung worldwide during the Christmas season.
The choral miniature work is originally composed by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych and also known as “The Ukrainian Bell Carol”.
Throughout the composition, Leontovych used a four note motif as an ostinato which was taken from an ancient pagan Ukrainian New Year’s chant known in Ukrainian as “Shchedryk”.

Shedrik – Carol of the Bells
A swallow visits a farmer and his family during the
Christmas season and wishes them happiness and bounty in all things.

“Carol of the Bells” was premiered in December 1916 by a choral group made up of students at Kiev University. It was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall. It was later adapted into an English language version by Peter Wilhousky in the 1930s, and to this day is performed and sung worldwide during the Christmas season. An alternate English version (“Ring, Christmas Bells”) featuring more Nativity-based lyrics, written by Minna Louise Hohman in 1947, is also widely performed.
The original Ukrainian song is based on an old Slavic legend that every bell in the world rang in honour of Jesus on the night of his birth. This song tells a story of a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.

The Ukrainian Christmas festive days according to the Julian calendar, start on 6 January, Christmas Eve, and end on 19 January, “Jordan” or Epiphany.
Sviata Vecheria or “Holy Supper” on Christmas Eve is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.
Kutia (sweet grain pudding) is traditionally served at the Ukrainian Christmas dinner table. It is often the first dish in the traditional twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper (also known as Svyaty Vechir) and is rarely served at other times of the year.
In Western Ukraine, especially in Carpathian Ruthenia, due to historical multi-culturism, Christmas can be observed twice—on 25 December and 7 January (Christmas Day), often irrespectively whether the family belongs to Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, (Roman) Catholic Church, one of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches or one of the Protestant denominations.
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UNITED STATES
and CANADA

Christmas is a widely celebrated holiday in the United States and Canada. Christmas traditions are essentially the same as the UK and most of Europe, except in Quebec and other French speaking areas, with its réveillon and the Père Noël (“Father Christmas” in French). The Celebration of Boxing Day on the day after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in Canada, as it is in the Commonwealth.

Old Saint Nick, better known as Santa Claus is best known for living in the North Pole and entering people’s homes through their chimneys during the night before Christmas morning to leave gifts. This innocence is best known on children, which Santa has a good list of children and a naughty list of children. The children open their presents on Christmas morning. Children on the Naughty list get coal in their stockings , while good children get presents in their stockings, and underneath their Christmas trees. Stockings are hung above the chimney/mantle piece for Santa Claus to fill with presents. A Christmas tree is set up, usually decorated with ornaments and tinsel, with something like a star, or an angel at the top of the tree. Presents are left under the tree by Santa Claus.

“Joy to the World” – sung by Nat King Cole
words: Isaac Watts based on Psalm 98
music: arranged by Lowell Mason
based on themes in Handel’s Messiah

Many Christmas-related tourist attractions, such as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and elaborate animated department store windows in New York City are heavily visited by non-Christian tourists from all over the world. Christmas is celebrated by almost everyone, no matter what religion the person has.
Christmas Day is a public and federal holiday in both the United States and Canada. Christmas Day is the only day where almost all retailers, banks and government offices are closed.

“The little Drummer Boy” (Carol of the Drum),
written by Katherine K. Davis – sung by Bob Seger

“Jingle Bells” is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” in 1857. Even though it is commonly refered to as a Christmas song, it was actually written and sung for Thanksgiving. It was mistakenly branded as a Christmas song because being extremely popular at Thanksgiving, it was sung again around Christmas.

„Jingle Bells” – sung by Dean Martin

“White Christmas” is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.
Accounts vary as to when and where Berlin wrote the song. One story is that he wrote it in 1940, poolside at the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. He often stayed up all night writing — he told his secretary, “Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I’ve ever written — heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody’s ever written!”

“White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
from “The Holiday Inn” soundtrack, 1942

Peace on Earth is a one-reel 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon short directed by Hugh Harman, about a post-apocalyptic world populated only by animals.
Two young squirrels ask their grandfather on Christmas Eve who the “men” are in the lyric “Peace on Earth, good will to men.” The grandfather squirrel then tells them a history of the human race, focusing on the neverending wars men waged. Ultimately the wars do end, with the deaths of the last men on Earth, two soldiers shooting each other. Afterwards, the surviving animals discover a copy of the Bible in the ruins of a church. Inspired by the book’s teachings, they decide to rebuild a society dedicated to peace and nonviolence (using the helmets of soldiers to construct houses).

Peace On Earth. Classic Christmas cartoon (MGM 1939)

The cartoon features an original song written to the tune of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”.
According to Hugh Harman’s obituary in the New York Times and Ben Mankiewicz, host of Cartoon Alley, the cartoon was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. However, it is not listed in the official Nobel Prize nomination database. Mankiewicz also claimed that the cartoon was the first about a serious subject by a major studio. In 1994, it was voted #40 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field. It was also nominated for the 1939 Academy Award for Short Subjects (Cartoons).

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“Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” – John Lennon

“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1971 by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records in the US and in the UK.
Although ostensibly a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard and has appeared on several Christmas albums. Down to the present day, the song is the most prevalent “hymn of peace” throughout the world.

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I wish all who celebrate it

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Best wishes,

Angela Nilsson
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Sources:
http://answersforthefaith.com/biblestudy/2007/12/25/bible-study-the-christmas-story/
http://www.history.com/topics/christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_Jesus
http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/christmas_1.shtml
http://www.the-north-pole.com/history/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ded_Moroz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_worldwide
http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2272203/a_traditional_italian_christmas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol
http://www.spanish-translation-help.com/traditional-spanish-carols.html
http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/index.htm
http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytraditions/traditions-Venezuela.htm
http://ourdance.info/tag/venezuelas-favorite-christmas-songs/
http://www.russian-language-for-lovers.com/russian-christmas.html
http://goeasteurope.about.com/b/2010/01/11/russian-culture-svyatki-russian-christmastide.htm
http://christmas.lovetoknow.com/Christmas_Traditions_in_Peru
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_carols

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