A day of Christmas today is a religious festival that coincides with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Day is on December 25, but the entire holiday period runs from 24 December until Epiphany, or until January 6.
The origins of Christmas
On the day of the Christmas, ie December 25, was celebrated since the time of the Celts.
The Celts fact that day they celebrated the winter solstice (which actually takes place on 21 and not 25 December).
Then there are the Romans, who celebrated the god of agriculture, Saturn, exchanging gifts as a wish for prosperity and peace.
These sayings celebration Saturnalia, were later replaced by the Emperor Aurelian with the Feast of the Sun, in honor of the shortest day of the year (the winter solstice for the note).
Always on Dec. 25 instead, in northern Europe there was the harvest festival.
So the origin of Christmas is actually pagan, as the Eastern church was celebrating the birth of Christ on January 6 and not 25 December.
Only later, when in the fourth century A.D. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, Pope Julius I decided to unify the popular home parties with those cristinane, thus giving birth to officially Christmas we all know.
No coincidence that Jesus is also referred to as the "Light of the World" and the "Sun of Justice."
As you can guess from this brief description, the Christian Christmas, in addition to not have an exact date historically recognized as the birth of Christ, he has also incorporated some pagan traditions such as the exchange of gifts, the crib and the tree.
This mix of pagan customs and Christian become ends with Epiphany, which was once the commemoration of Jesus' baptism, but which today is the arrival of the Magi, which bringing the gifts to the Christ symbolize the end of the festivities.
In the past, the Christmas party symbolized a wish for prosperity and serenity, represented the end of one year and the beginning of a new one.
But today, while remaining the principle of good omen for the coming year, Christmas is officially a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, in anything you believe ... Merry Christmas!
