Christmas

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For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation) and Christmas Day (disambiguation).

Christmas

Also called Christ's Mass

Nativity
Yule Tide
Noel
Winter Pascha

Observed by Christians
Many non-Christians[1]

Type Christian, cultural

Significance Nativity of Jesus

Date December 25

Observances church services, gift giving, family meetings,

decorating trees

Related to Annunciation, Advent, Epiphany, Baptism of

the Lord, Winter solstice
Christmas (pronounced /ˈkrɪsməs/) or Christmas Day is an annual holiday
celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.[2][3] The
date of commemoration is not known to be Jesus' actual birthday, and may have initially
been chosen to correspond with either a historical Roman festival[4] or the winter
solstice.[5] Christmas Day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide,
which lasts twelve days.[6]
Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, the exchange of
cards, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights,
mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas,
although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often
associated with bringing gifts at Christmas for children. Santa is generally believed to
be the result of a syncretization between Saint Nicholas and elements from pagan
Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have
originated in 19th century media.
Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but has also recently come
to be celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Because gift-
giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity
among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for
many retailers.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
○ 2.1 Dies Natalis Solis Invicti
○ 2.2 Winter festivals
○ 2.3 Patristic developments
○ 2.4 Feast established
○ 2.5 Middle Ages
○ 2.6 Reformation into the 19th century
• 3 Nativity of Jesus
• 4 Santa Claus and other bringers of gifts
• 5 Decorations
• 6 Christmas cards
• 7 Christmas stamps
• 8 Economics of Christmas
• 9 See also
○ 9.1 Christmas time
• 10 References
• 11 Further reading
• 12 External links

Etymology
The Birth of Jesus
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.[3] "Cristes" is from Greek Christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa.
In Greek, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ, and it, or the similar Roman letter
X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ since the mid-16th century.[7] Hence,
Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.
History
For many centuries, Christian writers accepted that Christmas was the actual date on
which Jesus was born.[8] However, in the early eighteenth century, scholars began
proposing alternative explanations. Isaac Newton argued that the date of Christmas was
selected to correspond with the winter solstice,[5] which in ancient times was marked on
December 25.[9] In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was
placed on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis
Invicti and was therefore a "paganization" that debased the true church.[4] In 1889, Louis
Duchesne suggested that the date of Christmas was calculated as nine months after the
Annunciation (March 25), the traditional date of the Incarnation.[10]
Dies Natalis Solis Invicti
Main article: Sol Invictus
Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means "the birthday of the unconquered Sun." The use of the
title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including
Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian; and Mithras, a
soldiers' god of Persian origin.[11] Emperor Elagabalus (218–222) introduced the festival,
and it reached the height of its popularity under Aurelian, who promoted it as an
empire-wide holiday.[12] This day had held no significance in the Roman festive calendar
until it was introduced in the third century.[13]
The festival was placed on the date of the solstice because this was on this day that the
Sun reversed its southward retreat and proved itself to be "unconquered." Several early
Christian writers connected the rebirth of the sun to the birth of Jesus.[3] "O, how
wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born...Christ
should be born", Cyprian wrote.[3] John Chrysostom also commented on the connection:
"They call it the 'Birthday of the Unconquered'. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our
Lord . . .?"[3]
Winter festivals
Main article: List of winter festivals
Mosaic of Jesus as Christo Sole (Christ the Sun) in Mausoleum M in the pre-fourth-
century necropolis under St Peter's Basilica in Rome.[14] Christians consider Jesus to be
the "sun of righteousness" prophesied in Malachi 4:2.
A winter festival was the most popular festival of the year in many cultures. Reasons
included the fact that less agricultural work needs to be done during the winter, as well
as an expectation of better weather as spring approached.[15] Modern Christmas customs
include: gift-giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and
charity from the Roman New Year; and Yule logs and various foods from Germanic
feasts.[16] Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late
December to early January period. As Northern Europe was the last part to Christianize,
its pagan traditions had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call
Christmas Jul. In English, the word Yule is synonymous with Christmas,[17] a usage first
recorded in 900.
Patristic developments

Adoration of the Magi by Don Lorenzo Monaco (1422)

The New Testament does not give a date for the birth of Jesus.[3][18] Around AD 200,
Clement of Alexandria wrote that a group in Egypt celebrated the nativity on Pachon
25.[3] This corresponds to May 20.[19] Tertullian (d. 220) does not mention Christmas as
a major feast day in the Church of Roman Africa.[3] In Chronographai, a reference work
published in 221, Sextus Julius Africanus suggested that Jesus was conceived on the
spring equinox.[20] The equinox was March 25 on the Roman calendar, so this implied a
birth in December.[21] De Pascha Computus, a calendar of feasts produced in 243, gives
March 28 as the date of the nativity.[22] In 245, the theologian Origen of Alexandria
stated that, "only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod)" celebrated their birthdays.[23] In 303,
Christian writer Arnobius ridiculed the idea of celebrating the birthdays of gods, which
suggests that Christmas was not yet a feast at this time.[3]
Feast established
The earliest reference to the date of the nativity as December 25 is found in the
Chronography of 354, an illuminated manuscript compiled in Rome in 354.[24] In the
East, early Christians celebrated the birth of Christ as part of Epiphany (January 6),
although this festival emphasized celebration of the baptism of Jesus.[25]
Christmas was promoted in the Christian East as part of the revival of Catholicism
following the death of the pro-Arian Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378.
The feast was introduced to Constantinople in 379, and to Antioch in about 380. The
feast disappeared after Gregory of Nazianzus resigned as bishop in 381, although it was
reintroduced by John Chrysostom in about 400.[3]
Middle Ages
In the Early Middle Ages, Christmas Day was overshadowed by Epiphany, which in the
west focused on the visit of the magi. But the Medieval calendar was dominated by
Christmas-related holidays. The forty days before Christmas became the "forty days of
St. Martin" (which began on November 11, the feast of St. Martin of Tours), now
known as Advent.[26] In Italy, former Saturnalian traditions were attached to Advent.[26]
Around the 12th century, these traditions transferred again to the Twelve Days of
Christmas (December 25 – January 5); a time that appears in the liturgical calendars as
Christmastide or Twelve Holy Days.[26]

The Examination and Trial of Father Christmas (1686), Excerpt from Josiah King
published shortly after Christmas was reinstated as a holy day in England.
The prominence of Christmas Day increased gradually after Charlemagne was crowned
Emperor on Christmas Day in 800. King Edmund the Martyr was anointed on
Christmas in 855 and King William I of England was crowned on Christmas Day 1066.
By the High Middle Ages, the holiday had become so prominent that chroniclers
routinely noted where various magnates celebrated Christmas. King Richard II of
England hosted a Christmas feast in 1377 at which twenty-eight oxen and three hundred
sheep were eaten.[26] The Yule boar was a common feature of medieval Christmas feasts.
Caroling also became popular, and was originally a group of dancers who sang. The
group was composed of a lead singer and a ring of dancers that provided the chorus.
Various writers of the time condemned caroling as lewd, indicating that the unruly
traditions of Saturnalia and Yule may have continued in this form.[26] "Misrule"—
drunkenness, promiscuity, gambling—was also an important aspect of the festival. In
England, gifts were exchanged on New Year's Day, and there was special Christmas ale.
[26]

Christmas during the Middle Ages was a public festival that incorporating ivy, holly,
and other evergreens.[27] Christmas gift-giving during the Middle Ages was usually
between people with legal relationships, such as tenant and landlord.[27] The annual
indulgence in eating, dancing, singing, sporting, card playing escalated in England, and
by the 17th century the Christmas season featured lavish dinners, elaborate masques and
pageants. In 1607, King James I insisted that a play be acted on Christmas night and
that the court indulge in games.[28]
Reformation into the 19th century

Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present, by John Leech. Made for Charles
Dickens's novel A Christmas Carol (1843).
During the Reformation, some Puritans condemned Christmas celebration as "trappings
of popery" and the "rags of the Beast."[29] The Roman Catholic Church responded by
promoting the festival in a more religiously oriented form. King Charles I directed his
noblemen and gentry to return to their landed estates in midwinter to keep up their old
style Christmas generosity.[28] Following the Parliamentarian victory over Charles I
during the English Civil War, England's Puritan rulers banned Christmas, in 1647.[29]
Protests followed as pro-Christmas rioting broke out in several cities and for weeks
Canterbury was controlled by the rioters, who decorated doorways with holly and
shouted royalist slogans.[29] The book, The Vindication of Christmas (London, 1652),
argued against the Puritans, and makes note of Old English Christmas traditions, dinner,
roast apples on the fire, card playing, dances with “plow-boys” and “maidservants”, and
carol singing.[30] The Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 ended the ban, but many
clergymen still disapproved of Christmas celebration. In Presbyterian Scotland, James
VI commanded the celebration of Christmas in 1618, however attendance at church was
scant.[31]
In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas.
Celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. The ban by the Pilgrims was
revoked in 1681 by English governor Sir Edmund Andros, however it wasn't until the
mid 1800's that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region.[32] At
the same time, Christian residents of Virginia and New York observed the holiday
freely. Pennsylvania German Settlers, pre-eminently the Moravian settlers of
Bethlehem, Nazareth and Lititz in Pennsylvania and the Wachovia Settlements in North
Carolina, were enthusiastic celebrators of Christmas. The Moravians in Bethlehem had
the first Christmas trees in America as well as the first Nativity Scenes. Christmas fell
out of favor in the United States after the American Revolution, when it was considered
an English custom.[33] George Washington attacked Hessian mercenaries on Christmas
during the Battle of Trenton in 1777. (Christmas being much more popular in Germany
than in America at this time.) By the 1820s, sectarian tension had eased and British
writers, including William Winstanly, began to worry that Christmas was dying out.
These writers imagined Tudor Christmas as a time of heartfelt celebration, and efforts
were made to revive the holiday.
Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, helped redefine the
'spirit' of Christmas and seasonal merriment.[34][35] Its instant popularity played a major
role in reinventing Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and
compassion.[36] Prominent phrases in Dickens' Yultide tale, 'Bah! Humbug!', and 'Merry
Christmas', entered the English language. Also in 1843, the Christmas card was
produced by Sir Henry Cole, in an era Christmas as we know it today was created. The
revival of the Christmas Carol began with William B. Sandys Christmas Carols Ancient
and Modern (1833), with the first appearance in print of 'The First Noel', 'I Saw Three
Ships', 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' and 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' which was
popularized in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Other English carols such as 'We Wish You
A Merry Christmas' and 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' also grew in popularity. Singing
carols in church was later instituted on Christmas Eve 1880 (Nine Lessons and Carols)
in Truro Cathedral, Cornwall, England, and is now seen in churches all over the world.

The Queen's Christmas tree at Windsor Castle 1848. Republished in Godey's Lady's
Book, Philadelphia, December 1850. Victoria's crown, and Prince Albert moustache
edited.
In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the time of the personal union with
Hanover, by George III's Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in early 1800's, but
the custom hadn't yet spread much beyond the royal family. After Victoria's marriage to
her German cousin, Prince Albert, by 1841 the custom became more widespread
throughout Britain.[37] A powerful image of the British Royal family with their
Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, initially published in the Illustrated London News
December 1848, was copied in the United States at Christmas 1850, in Godey's Lady's
Book (illustration, right). Godey's copied it exactly, except removed the Queens crown,
and Prince Alberts moustache, to remake the engraving into an American scene.[38] The
republished Godey's image in 1850, the first widely circulated picture of a decorated
evergreen Christmas tree in America, the Art historian Karal Ann Marling called Prince
Albert and Queen Victoria shorn of their royal trappings; "the first influential American
Christmas tree".[39] The book containing the image of the family surrounding a
decorated tree, folk-culture historian Alfred Lewis Shoemaker states; "In all of America
there was no more important medium in spreading the Christmas tree in the decade
1850-60 than Godey's Lady's Book". The image was reprinted in 1860, and by the
1870s, putting up a Christmas tree had become common in America.[38] In 1875 Louis
Prang introduced the Christmas card to Americans, and he has been called the "father of
the American Christmas card".[40] In America, interest in Christmas was revived in the
1820s by several short stories by Washington Irving which appear in his The Sketch
Book of Geoffrey Crayon and "Old Christmas", for which he used the tract Vindication
of Christmas (1652) of old English Christmas traditions, he had transcribed into his
journal as a format for his stories.[28] In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem A
Visit From St. Nicholas (popularly known by its first line: Twas the Night Before
Christmas).[41] Irving's stories depicted harmonious warm-hearted holiday traditions he
claimed to have observed in England. Although some argue that Irving invented the
traditions he describes, they were widely imitated by his American readers. The poem A
Visit from Saint Nicholas helped popularize the tradition of exchanging gifts and
seasonal Christmas shopping began to assume economic importance.[42] This also started
the cultural conflict of the holiday's spiritualism and its commercialism that some see as
corrupting the holiday. In her 1850 book "The First Christmas in New England", Harriet
Beecher Stowe includes a character who complains that the true meaning of Christmas
was lost in a shopping spree.[43] Christmas was declared a United States Federal holiday
in 1870, signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.
Nativity of Jesus
Main articles: Annunciation, Nativity of Jesus, and Child Jesus

A Nativity scene
The Nativity of Jesus refers to the Christian belief that the Messiah was born to the
Virgin Mary. The story of Christmas is based on the biblical accounts given in the
Gospel of Matthew, namely Matthew 1:18-Matthew 2:12 and the Gospel of Luke,
specifically Luke 1:26-Luke 2:40. According to these accounts, Jesus was born to Mary,
assisted by her husband Joseph, in the city of Bethlehem. According to popular
tradition, the birth took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals, though neither
the stable nor the animals are mentioned in the Biblical accounts. However, a manger is
mentioned in Luke 2:7 where it states "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Early iconographic
representations of the nativity placed the stable and manger within a cave (located,
according to tradition, under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem). Shepherds from
the fields surrounding Bethlehem were told of the birth by an angel, and were the first to
see the child.[44] Many Christians believe that the birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies from
the Old Testament.[45]
Remembering is a central way that Christians celebrate Christmas. There is a very long
tradition of the Nativity of Jesus in art. The Eastern Orthodox Church practices the
Nativity Fast in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, while much of the Western Church
celebrates Advent. In some Christian denominations, children perform plays re-telling
the events of the Nativity, or sing carols that reference the event. Some Christians also
display a small re-creation of the Nativity, known as a Nativity scene or crib, in their
homes, using figurines to portray the key characters of the event. Live Nativity scenes
and tableaux vivants are also performed, using actors and live animals to portray the
event with more realism.[46]
Nativity scenes traditionally include the Three Wise Men, Balthazar, Melchior, and
Caspar, and who are said to have followed a star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, and
arrive at his birth. [47] However, this conflicts with Biblical accounts in that their names
and number are never mentioned nor is their arrival at his birth. (Matt. 2:7–8, 16).
Likewise, the Bible makes no mention of farm animals, though their presence might be
inferred because Mary laid her baby in a manger.
In the U.S., Christmas decorations at public buildings once commonly included Nativity
scenes. This practice has led to many lawsuits, as groups such as the American Civil
Liberties Union believe it amounts to the government endorsing a religion, which is
prohibited by the United States Constitution. In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in
Lynch vs. Donnelly that a Christmas display (which included a Nativity scene) owned
and displayed by the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island did not violate the First
Amendment.[48]
Santa Claus and other bringers of gifts
Main article: Santa Claus

Santa Claus is known for giving good little children gift

Christmas Presents under a Christmas Tree
Originating from Western culture, where the holiday is characterized by the exchange of
gifts among friends and family members, some of the gifts are attributed to a character
called Father Christmas (also known as Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas or St. Nikolaus,
Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, Père Noël, Joulupukki, Babbo Natale, Weihnachtsmann, Saint
Basil and Father Frost).
The popular image of Santa Claus was created by the German-American cartoonist
Thomas Nast (1840–1902), who drew a new image annually, beginning in 1863. By the
1880s, Nast's Santa had evolved into the form we now recognize. The image was
standardized by advertisers in the 1920s.[49]
Father Christmas, a jolly well nourished bearded man who typified the spirit of good
cheer at Christmas, predates the Santa Claus character, was first recorded in early 17th
century England, but was associated with holiday merrymaking and drunkenness.[50] In
Victorian Britain, his image was remade to match that of Santa. The French Père Noël
evolved along similar lines, eventually adopting the Santa image. In Italy, Babbo Natale
acts as Santa Claus, while La Befana is the bringer of gifts and arrives on the eve of the
Epiphany. It is said that La Befana set out to bring the baby Jesus gifts, but got lost
along the way. Now, she brings gifts to all children. In some cultures Santa Claus is
accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, or Black Peter. In other versions, elves make the
toys. His wife is referred to as Mrs. Claus.
It is often claimed that the basis for the North American figure of Santa Claus is the
Dutch holyman and bringer of gifts Sinterklaas. During the American Revolutionary
War, the inhabitants of New York City, a former Dutch colonial town (New
Amsterdam) which had been swapped by the Dutch for other territories, reinvented their
Sinterklaas tradition, as Saint Nicholas was a symbol of the city's non-English past.[51]
The name Santa Claus supposedly is derived from older Dutch Sinte Klaas. In 1809, the
New-York Historical Society convened and retroactively named Sancte Claus the
patron saint of Nieuw Amsterdam, the Dutch name for New York City.[52] However, the
Saint Nicholas Society was not founded until 1835, almost half a century after the end
of the American War of Independence.[53] Moreover, a study of the "children's books,
periodicals and journals" of New Amsterdam by Charles Jones revealed no references to
Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas.[54] However, not all scholars agree with Jones's findings,
which he reiterated in a booklength study in 1978;[55] Howard G. Hageman, of New
Brunswick Theological Seminary, maintains that the tradition of celebrating Sinterklaas
in New York was alive and well from the early settlement of the Hudson Valley on.[56]
The current tradition in several Latin American countries (such as Venezuela and
Colombia) holds that while Santa makes the toys, he then gives them to the Baby Jesus,
who is the one who actually delivers them to the children's homes. This story is meant
to be a reconciliation between traditional religious beliefs and modern day
globalization, most notably the iconography of Santa Claus imported from the United
States.
In Alto Adige/Südtirol (Italy), Austria, Czech Republic, Southern Germany, Hungary,
Liechtenstein, Slovakia and Switzerland, the Christkind (Ježíšek in Czech, Jézuska in
Hungarian and Ježiško in Slovak) brings the presents. The German St. Nikolaus is not
identical with the Weihnachtsman (who is the German version of Santa Claus). St.
Nikolaus wears a bishop's dress and still brings small gifts (usually candies, nuts and
fruits) on December 6 and is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht. Although many parents
around the world routinely teach their children about Santa Claus and other gift
bringers, some have come to reject this practice, considering it deceptive.[57]
Decorations
Christmas portal

In many countries there are many different types of decorations used depending on the
traditions and available resources.

Christmas Nutcrackers

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City is one of the most famous
Christmas Trees in the world.

A Christmas tree ornament.

The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianisation of pagan tradition and ritual
surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an
adaptation of pagan tree worship.[58] The English language phrase "Christmas tree" is
first recorded in 1835[50] and represents an importation from the German language. The
modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th
century[58] though many argue that Martin Luther began the tradition in the 16th century.
[59][60]
From Germany the custom was introduced to Britiain, first via Queen Charlotte,
wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the reign of
Queen Victoria, and by 1841 the Christmas tree had become even more widespread
throughout Britain.[61] By the 1870s, putting up a Christmas tree had become common in
America.[38] Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments.
Since the 19th century, the poinsettia, a native plant from Mexico, has been associated
with Christmas. Other popular holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and
Christmas cactus. Along with a Christmas tree, the interior of a home may be decorated
with these plants, along with garlands and evergreen foliage.

A house decorated for Christmas

In Australia, North and South America, the British Isles, and to a lesser extent
continental Europe, it is traditional to decorate the outside of houses with lights and
sometimes with illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures.
Municipalities often sponsor decorations as well. Christmas banners may be hung from
street lights and Christmas trees placed in the town square.[62]
In the Western world, rolls of brightly colored paper with secular or religious Christmas
motifs are manufactured for the purpose of wrapping gifts. The display of Christmas
villages has also become a tradition in many homes during this season. Other traditional
decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels.
In many countries a representation of the Nativity Scene is very popular, and people are
encouraged to compete and create most original or realistic ones. Within some families,
the pieces used to make the representation are considered a valuable family heirloom.
Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down on Twelfth Night, the evening of
January 5.
The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart
red.
Christmas cards
Main article: Christmas card
A 1940 Christmas card
Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding Christmas Day on
December 25 by many people (including non-Christians) in Western society and in
Asia. The traditional greeting reads "wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year", much like the first commercial Christmas card, produced by Sir Henry Cole in
London 1843. There are innumerable variations on this greeting, many cards expressing
more religious sentiment, or containing a poem, prayer or Biblical verse; others stay
away from religion with an all-inclusive "Season's greetings".
A Christmas card is generally commercially designed and purchased for the occasion.
The content of the design might relate directly to the Christmas narrative with
depictions of the Nativity of Jesus, or have Christian symbols such as the Star of
Bethlehem or a white dove representing both the Holy Spirit and Peace. Many
Christmas cards are secular and show Christmas traditions such as Santa Claus, objects
associated with Christmas such as candles, holly and baubles, and Christmastime
activities such as shopping and partying, or other aspects of the season such as the snow
and wildlife of the northern winter. Some secular cards depict nostalgic scenes of the
past such as crinolined shoppers in 19th century streetscapes; others are humorous,
particularly in depicting the antics of Santa and his retinue.
Christmas stamps
Main article: Christmas stamp

Christmas stamp 2000 from Faroe Island, featuring quote from John 1:14, designed by
Anker Eli Petersen
A number of nations have issued commemorative stamps at Christmastime. Postal
customers will often use these stamps to mail Christmas cards, and they are popular
with philatelists. These stamps are regular postage stamps, unlike Christmas seals, and
are valid for postage year-round. They usually go on sale some time between early
October and early December, and are printed in considerable quantities.
In 1898 a Canadian stamp was issued to mark the inauguration of the Imperial Penny
Postage rate. The stamp features a map of the globe and bears an inscription "XMAS
1898" at the bottom. In 1937, Austria issued two "Christmas greeting stamps" featuring
a rose and the signs of the zodiac. In 1939, Brazil issued four semi-postal stamps with
designs featuring the three kings and a star of Bethlehem, an angel and child, the
Southern Cross and a child, and a mother and child.
The US Postal Service regularly issues both a religious-themed and a secular-themed
stamp each year.
Economics of Christmas
A Christmas market in Clifton Mill, Ohio
See also: Christmas in the media, Christmas tree production, Christmas tree
cultivation, and Christmas Price Index
Christmas is typically the largest annual economic stimulus for many nations. Sales
increase dramatically in almost all retail areas and shops introduce new products as
people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies. In the U.S., the "Christmas shopping
season" generally begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, though many
American stores begin selling Christmas items as early as October.[63] In Canada,
merchants begin advertising campaigns just before Halloween (October 31), and step up
their marketing following Remembrance Day on November 11.
In most areas, Christmas Day is the least active day of the year for business and
commerce; almost all retail, commercial and institutional businesses are closed, and
almost all industries cease activity (more than any other day of the year). In England
and Wales, the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 prevents all large shops from trading
on Christmas Day. Scotland is currently planning similar legislation. Film studios
release many high-budget movies in the holiday season, including Christmas films,
fantasy movies or high-tone dramas with high production values.
An economists analysis calculates that Christmas is a deadweight loss under orthodox
microeconomic theory, due to the surge in gift-giving. This loss is calculated as the
difference between what the gift giver spent on the item and what the gift receiver
would have paid for the item. It is estimated that in 2001 Christmas resulted in a $4
billion deadweight loss in the U.S. alone.[64][65] Because of complicating factors, this
analysis is sometimes used to discuss possible flaws in current microeconomic theory.
Other deadweight losses include the effects of Christmas on the environment and the
fact that material gifts are often perceived as white elephants, imposing cost for upkeep
and storage and contributing to clutter.
Mexican Traditions for Christmas
Christmas for Mexicans, in traditional homes and rural areas, is a religious holiday.
It is a celebration of the Nativity. This means the birthday of Our Lord Jesus. In order to
prepare for the day of symbolic commemoration, we have the "Posadas". These
celebrations are a "Novena" or nine days before the 24 which is the "Noche Buena" or
"Holy Night".
These Posadas are an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary,
called The Pilgrims going to Bethlehem for the Census according to the Scriptures. In
Spanish we called them: "Los Peregrinos, San José y la Virgen María". Each family in
a neighborhood, will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting
on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th on Noche Buena.
Every home will have a Nativity scene. The hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and
the neighborhood children and adults are Los Peregrinos, who have to request lodging
through singing a simple chant. All carry small lit candles in their hands and four
teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry Los Peregrinos, which are two
small statues of St. Joseph leading a donkey, which Virgen Mary is riding sidesaddle.
The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lamp shade that looks
like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a "Farolito" or little lantern.
The Peregrinos will ask for lodging in three different houses but only the third one will
allow them in. That will be the house that is supposed to have the Posada for that
evening. Once the innkeepers let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and
kneels around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary. The Rosary is a traditional Catholic
prayer, which consists of the following prayers: 50 Hail Mary, 5 Our Father , 5 Glory
and the Litany, which is a series of Praises for the Virgin Mary, plus singing traditional
songs like Holy Night in Spanish of course!
After all the prayer is done, then it comes the party for the children. There will be a
Piñata, (pronounce Pignata, for it has an ñ instead of an n), filled with peanuts in the
shell, oranges, tangerines, sugar canes, and seldom wrapped hard candy. Of course,
there will be other types of chants the children will sing while the child in turn is trying
to break the Piñata with a stick while he/she will be blindfolded.
Although the Piñata was originally from Italy, it has become a Mexican tradition for
celebrations where there are children involved. The Piñata was made out of a clay pot
and decorated with crepe paper in different colors. Today's piñatas are made out of
cardboard and paper mache techniques and decorated with crepe paper. This change
was made to prevent the children from cutting their hands when going for the fruit and
candy when the Piñata was broken and the clay piece would become a hazard. They
have all kinds of designs besides the traditional star.
For the adults there is always "Ponche con Piquete"(sting), which is a hot beverage or
"Punch" made out of seasonal fruits and cinnamon sticks, with a shot of alcoholic
spririt. A good substitute here in Ohio is hot apple cider with fruits, without the
"spirits".
On Noche Buena, December 24, everybody goes to Misa de Noche Buena which is at
midnight. After the Mass, everyone goes to their respective homes to have dinner with
family and any friend who does not have a family is always welcome to be part of a
family celebration, and most important of all to place the Baby Jesus in the manger in
the Nativity scene.
The presents are not received on Christmas, for Christmas is a celebration of Life of Our
Savior.
The New Year's Eve, there is a Misa de Gallo, (Rooster's Mass) that takes place at
midnight also. Some families go to church earlies to give thanks for all the blessings
received during the year.
The children's celebration of receiving presents is not until January 6th, "el día de
Reyes", the day of the Kings, or the Wise Men Day. It is the Magi who brought the
presents to the Baby Jesus, thus, they bring the toys to the boys and girls who have been
good. The children place their shoes by the window, so the Magi place the present in the
shoe. It the present is bigger than the shoe, it will be placed next to it. Many children,
get a new pair of shoes for a present.
El dia de Reyes is celebrated with a "Merienda" consisting of hot chocolate and "The
Rosca de Reyes". "La Merienda is the meal that takes. place any time between 5 P.M.
and 7 P.M. it is not a heavy meal but the equivalent of "High Tea".
The Rosca de Reyes is a big oval wreath made out of egg bread (like an egg bagel, but
huge) with dry fruit decorations and sprinkled sugar on top, but inside, there is a little
ceramic doll which represents the Baby Jesus. The person who gets the piece of bread
with the Baby, must be the Godparent of the Baby Jesus in the celebration of the
Candelaria, on February 2nd..
"El dia de la Candelaria" is the day of the Candle or Light, known as the Day of
Purification. That day, the Nativity scene is put away with a party given by the person
who got the Baby Jesus in his/her piece of bread during the Rosca de Reyes celebration.
He or she will be responsible for making a "Ropon" or christening gown for Baby Jesus.
Generally, they have a Dinner with Tamales (Tamales are corn bread filled with meats
in a sauce or raisins wrapped in corn husks).
Lately, these traditions have been modified. For example, the Posadas are now nine
parties that are celebrated in differentes friends homes before Christmas. Also, with the
North American Free Treaty Agreement, known as NAFTA, Christmas is now
celebrated the American style, with Santa Claus, the meals and presentes, mostly among
the afluent people. Others take trips to sky resorts in the United States or Europe, or
travel to turistic places within Mexico.
All the education institutions are on vacation during the holidays, they do not get back
to school until after January 6th. Also, the government offices and the other institutions
connected with the government close during those two weeks.
AN ANCIENT HOLIDAY

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. 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.

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, 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.

The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that

time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the

winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In

addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for

drinking.

In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans

were terrified of Oden, 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.

SATURNALIA

In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in

honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up

to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time,

when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside

down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city.

Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.

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.

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. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later

pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence

suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in

the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the

church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan

Saturnalia festival. 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. Today, in the Greek and

Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also

referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three

wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders

increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability

to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part,

replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously

in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or

student would be crowned the "lord of misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his
subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink.

If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief.

Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or

imagined "debt" to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.

AN OUTLAW CHRISTMAS

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was

celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in

1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled

Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came

the return of the popular holiday.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in

their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early

America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston.

Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. 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.

IRNING REINVENT CHRISTMAS

It wasn't until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-

invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered

day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s peaked American interest in the

holiday?

The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time,

unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during

the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city's first police

force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes

to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon,

gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The
sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast

to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving's

mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together

across lines of wealth or social status. Irving's fictitious celebrants enjoyed "ancient

customs," including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving's book, however, was not

based on any holiday celebration he had attended – in fact, many historians say that

Irving's account actually "invented" tradition by implying that it described the true customs

of the season

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A

Christmas Carol. The story's message-the importance of charity and good will towards all

humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members

of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of

children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could

lavish attention-and gifts-on their children without appearing to "spoil" them.

As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were

unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches

to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a

Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including

decorating trees, sending holiday cards, and gift-giving.

Although most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas

how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really re-invented a holiday to fill the

cultural needs of a growing nation.