For many people around the world Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It is the time where people join with their family and friends to share food, stories and presents. For many, it is a day to honour the birthday of Jesus Christ. Being born in a non Christian family, I have seen people celebrsting the festival time with utmost joy and enthusiasm. I am not aware of the entire celebration process but have seen people going to churches and then enjoying at home with family and relatives. Christmas brings the holidays time too. I have seen people getting excited for the holidays. They have many plans in place, to make the celebration grand. End of the year, with winter around, Christmas is perfect time to make most of the time.
(my own edited image)
However, there are many unknown things of these holidays times which I am not aware of. There is always a curiosity to know much more of the celebration. We have so many religion around the world and unless and untill We do not dig deep into their culture We unable to understand many things. Like any other common Indian, when Christmas comes, It is all about, Cakes, Picnic, churches and candles. But if we look from a Christian prospective, It is about Santa Claus, Christmas Tree, Decoration, Christmas Rhyme.
Christmas Carols
"Jingle bell Jingle bell", happens to be one of the most common song of Christmas. Everyone sings it, everywhere be it shops, market, office this songs made their presence felt. This song was actually written and composed J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie who wrote the fun Christmas song in 1934. The point of bothering me, is why there are no other song associated with the festival time. Like in India, we have many songs for Holi, Durga Puja or Diwali. But why this one songs keeps making the occasion since so many long years. And how does this is associated with the Santa Claus.
Christmas Tree.
I never seen a Christmas tree in real. But have seen the importance Christmas tree during the festival time. In my place, the tree never comes in original. And only an artificial piece were placed at home and people used to decorate them. I am yet to understand the significance of the Christmas tree. These Evergreen trees, were already in existence before Jesus’s birth, but didn’t become a widely held symbol of Christmas until the Renaissance. What makes this tree so popular and why only this particular tree were used during the Christmas time.
Existence of Santa Claus.
Santa Claus happens to be an imaginary figure for me. But unable to co relate how it is associated with the Christmas festival. It has the mention in the famous Christmas carols. But what it has the significance with the festival. The old man with Red and white dress has been a Christmas symbol. Someone dress up and distribute toffees to kids, but unable to understand its relevance with the holiday time. I found them more of a marketing gimmick to woo the people.
Easter above Christmas
Christmas has been an age old festival. With over 2,000 years of history, Christmas season is rife with myths, legends, lies, misconceptions and commonly believed things that are not completely true. People always find the time to make it grand From the origin of the holiday to the modern marketing of iconic Christmas figures like Santa Claus to media’s glorification of the perfect Christmas. However, Is it wrong to say that Easter has far more significance on the Christian calendar than Christmas does? Easter marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion. However it was not so glamorous as this Christmas has been. Why Easter was not so popular.
With so many myths, and question in mind, I find it good opportunity to get rid of all of the queries. It is a perfect time to add some more clarity to my knowledge.