Joy is an abstract noun which describes the emotion of being exuberant and cheerful in an extraordinary fashion. Joy touches the door of every individual at some or the other point of time. Most of us are always in search of joy while many other find joy in every bit of life. But, the day when joy was delivered to the doorsteps of the entire world is celebrated as the Christmas Day. As the Christmas carol “joy to the world” depicts that Christmas is the celebration of arrival of the “Lord” to the earth, quite in the same way entire world today is preparing to welcome the “lord” on the Christmas day. Christmas and days prior to it are filled with pure ecstasy and is celebrated in multiple ways in every corner of the world. Although, almost every person is aware of what is Christmas day about, but those who have no idea about the same, will get to know what Christmas day means by the end of this blog.
What is Christmas Day?
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the lord of Christianity; Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on the 25th of December throughout the world by the Christian community. The day is full of exhilaration and happiness. There are different Christmas activities and Christmas celebrations which, we shall talk about in the blog later. As Christmas is always in the month of December, it is always celebrated during the extremely chilly time of the year. People all around the world wait for an entire year for celebrating Christmas, as it is the most awaited and the greatest festival in the Christian community. It is noteworthy here, that the excitement of Christmas in the world is so high that despite being a Christian festival, even the non-Christian communities also do celebrate the festival.
As Christianity is the world’s largest religion in the world with a total of 31% Christians present within different parts of the world, Christmas hence, is the most widespread festival celebrated in the entire world. Christmas is associated with a number of aspects like that of Christmas carols, Christmas tree, Christmas celebrations, Christmas decorations, Christmas plum cake etc. But the most fascinating of all the Christmas traditions happens to be that of the Christmas gifts from the Santa Claus. More about each aspect of Christmas is present in the following section of the blog.
How is Christmas Celebrated?
As explained before, the festival of Christmas is celebrated throughout the world in different areas but with the same feeling of cheerfulness and joy. Starting it off with religious Christmas traditions first let us talk about Christmas carols and decorations in the church. Christmas celebrations start in the churches at least 15 days prior. This period of preparation of the coming of Lord to the earth is called as advent and is observed by chanting prayers in the church to the lord Jesus. The four Sundays and few weeks prior Christmas day are used by the church priests in order to prepare for the coming of the lord Christmas. During this time the entire church is decorated for the welcoming of the lord and on the Christmas day, Christmas carols are sung by the church choir group. Children are offered gifts and candies on the Christmas day by the church.
Christmas decoration is the most important aspect of Christmas day. People usually decorate their home and churches with Christmas bells, Christmas lights, Christmas star and most importantly Christmas tree. Christmas tree is placed near to the chimney and stockings are hung by the wall around the chimney or the Christmas tree. Christmas cookies are kept around the Christmas tree and it is believed that a red suited man; Santa Claus arrives on the Christmas Eve to every house through the chimney. Children await Christmas because of the belief that Santa Claus will visit their house, eat away the Christmas cookies and leave a present around the Christmas tree and some candies in the Christmas stockings. Christmas plum cake is baked in every house for the purpose of offering the same as a mark of Christmas happiness to neighbors and relatives. It is consumed by everyone with the finest glass of wine on the Christmas Day.
History of Christmas day
Every festival holds a particular history along with it but Christmas actually holds along with the entire history of Christianity and therefore, is an extremely great religious festival. According to the Holy Bible, Christmas day is a sacred day and it Lord Jesus Christ was born on that day. Jesus was born from the womb of his Mother Mary on the holy night of 25th December. According to Christian belief, Mother Mary was blessed with Jesus Christ by the almighty and was told that her child will be the Lord of the World. Mother Mary gave birth to little Jesus in a stable with the help of some shepherds. On the birth of Jesus Christ angels came down on the earth to bless the newborn and the Mother Mary. Soon after Jesus Christ died due to the sins of the human beings on the earth, the day was observed as the Christmas day in the name of Christ. As Jesus is the lord of the world, his coming to the world is celebrated with utmost ecstasy and happiness.
Bells’ jingling all around the world, the most awaited time of the world is just around the corner. Christmas day is the greatest of all the festivals celebrated all over the world. The day celebrates the birth of the king to the earth. The entire Christmas month is the most sacred and the purest month of the year. The day brings in joy, happiness and sense of unity all around the world. The Christmas binds people in different parts of the world with the same emotion of compassion. The Christmas season consists of a long vacation and hence, helps in bringing together of family and relatives. Christmas therefore is not just a festival but an emotion in itself.