CLICmas #10
Welcome to window #10 of the CLICmas Advent Calendar! If you'd like a window of your own to strut your Christmas stuff in (or should that be stuffing - parp!) and have the chance of winning a Nintendo 3DS then email dan@cliconline.co.uk as soon as possible.
Everyone knows about Christmas and the meaning. However, not everyone knows much about the history. Did you know that the birth of Jesus Christ is unknown? In the early-to-mid forth century the Western Christian Church were the first ones to decide the date of 25th December, this was later adopted by the East. One theory behind this date is that it falls exactly nine months after the conception of Jesus Christ.
There are many modern traditions which include gift-giving, music, exchanging Christmas cards, church celebrations and a special meal. Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas or Santa Claus is associated with bringing gifts to children at Christmas. Both Christians and non-Christians believe that the holiday has become a significant event. It is now a key event for retailers and businesses.
One tradition which is used at the Christmas period is that of decorations. However, what is the story behind why we put up decorations? From pre-Christian times, people in the Roman Empire brought branches from evergreen plants indoors in the winter. Decorating with greenery was also part of Jewish tradition. In London in the 15th century it became a tradition at Christmas for every house to be decorated with Holm, ivy, bays and so on in the colour of green. It was believed that the heart-shaped leaves of ivy were to symbolise the coming to earth of Jesus. The white holly was said to protect against pagans and witches. The thorns and red berries of the ivy were seen as a representative of the Crown of Thorns which was worn by Jesus at his crucifixion.
In Germany in the 1860s, the first commercially produced decoration appeared which was inspired by paper chains made by children. The English language phrase "Christmas tree" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. The modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th century though many argue that Martin Luther began the tradition in the 16th century. Some examples of more modern decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths and candles. Wreaths and candles are traditionally placed in windows nowadays.
One significant part of Christmas is the gift-giving process. In the present day, the gift giving process is mainly seen as the main part of Christmas. For businesses and retailers, Christmas is seen as a profitable holiday. Did you know that in the Middle-Ages the Christmas gift-giving process was banned by the Catholic Church due to its suspected pagan origins? It was later rationalised by the Church on the basis that it associated St. Nicholas with Christmas, and that gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were given to the infant Jesus by the Biblical Magi.
Christmas has been subjected to some controversy and this still continues in the present day. In the United States there is a tendency to change the “Merry Christmas” greeting to “Happy Holidays”. In November 2009, the Federal appeals court in Philadelphia endorsed a school district's ban on the singing of Christmas carols.
In the present day the main focus of Christmas has become the gift-giving. Many people are losing sight of the real meaning of Christmas and most people know little about the history of our traditions. It makes me wonder what will happen in the future. Will people lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas all together? Will the Christmas season become more expensive and more commercialised?
What do you think Christmas will be like in the future? Leave a comment below.
