The day before Christmas is one that is filled with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. There's anxiety at putting all the final plans and finishing touches in place and getting all the necessary shopping done. There's also much anticipation about all the merriment and excitement of Christmas day. Children are usually hardly able to control themselves as they think about the Christmas gifts they hope to get the next day. They may try to stay up through the night to catch Santa Claus, or they may just be too excited to sleep.
Christmas Eve is also important for the simple reason that in ancient custom, and among some cultures today, a holiday or other celebrated day really starts from sundown of the day before the actual day that is celebrated. Therefore, festivities and observances for Christmas Day would really begin on Christmas Eve.
One of the most significant aspects of Christmas Eve, however, is related to religion. Attending Midnight Mass or earlier church services is mandatory for many people whose religion is Christianity. This is so even for people who aren't regular churchgoers during the year. Evidence of the importance of these church services can be seen in the overflow of congregations at the churches. Many churches will also have an added service earlier in the evening to accommodate the above normal attendance, and also for individuals, such as the elderly, who would prefer a service that is earlier than Midnight Mass.
Another important aspect of Christmas Eve celebrations is related to retail operations. On the day before Christmas, stores make a last ditch effort to push sales of Christmas and other merchandise. There are often special promotions, advertised at the last minute, to capitalize on late, desperate Christmas shoppers and other impulse buyers. This last effort is also aimed at increasing sales for the Christmas period.
Some stores will remain open late, even up to midnight or just before midnight. Macy's department store in New York City, which bills that particular store branch as the world's largest, stayed open until midnight on Christmas Eve of 1867 for the first time. Christmas Eve is the culmination of the single biggest shopping season, which starts the day after Thanksgiving, for retailers.
Christmas Eve is also important for the traditions associated with it. It is the night when parents have to play the role of Santa Claus and sneak toys and other Christmas gifts under the Christmas tree to the absolute delight and surprise of children who awake on Christmas morning to find the presents.
The idea of Santa Claus coming descending chimneys on Christmas Eve to leave gifts for good boys and girls was made popular by a poem, attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. The poem titled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” which Moore wrote in 1822, is now popularly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” In the poem, Moore described Santa Claus as “a right jolly old elf” who went from house to house, with his sleigh pulled by reindeer flying through the air, to deliver Christmas presents to all the girls and boys who had been well behaved.
Food plays a big role in making Christmas Day special, and much of its preparation often begins on Christmas Eve. Poultry and other meats are often prepared by letting them stand in a mixture of various herbs and spices. Puddings and pies are baked on Christmas Eve, as well as a fresh batch of gingerbread and other cookies and treats.
The scents and flurry of activity related to all these preparations also help to make Christmas Eve a memorable day on its own.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
The Christmas Story
The idea of celebrating Jesus' birth was done to counteract Pagan holidays celebrated in Rome during the Winter Solstice. Church leaders thought Christmas celebrations were more likely to be popular if they coincided with the traditional festivals and merrymaking during the Winter Solstice.
Although some Christmas celebrations are secular, the religious aspect of Christmas remains central to celebrations. This is evident in church services such as Midnight Mass, and primarily in the many forms of the Nativity, or Christmas Story, presented wherever people celebrate Christmas.
That story started in Nazareth, in Galilee, about two thousand years ago. Mary, a young woman, was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. An angel appeared to her one day and told her she was with child. She couldn't understand how that could happen because due to her circumspect nature, she had not laid in bed with Joseph. The angel explained however, that the child would be special as he would be the Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. Mary and Joseph then got married soon after the angel's appearance, but about the time when Mary was to have the baby, the couple had to travel far away to Bethlehem, Joseph's birthplace, to pay a special tax.
It was difficult for them to find a place to stay because many other people were in Bethlehem to pay their taxes. After many rejections, one innkeeper offered a room in his stable where they could spend the night. That's where Jesus, the Holy Child and Son of God, was born and then wrapped in bundles of cloth and placed in a manger for a cradle.
In the same hours that Mary was giving birth, shepherds who were in a field that overlooked Bethlehem saw an extremely bright star over the sky in Bethlehem. They had never seen anything like it and had feelings of curiosity and scariness. An angel appeared and told them the “good news” that the Son of
God had been born in Bethlehem.
The shepherds left their flocks to go to Bethlehem to find the baby. When they reached the stable, they were filled with immense joy at seeing Jesus. They fell to their knees and worshipped Him. They also told Mary and Joseph about the bright star and the angel appearing to say Jesus would be the Savior of the world.
The bright star was also seen by Wise Men in the East. The Wise Men, who studied the stars, learned that a new and great ruler would appear whenever an extraordinarily bright star appeared in the sky. Three of them therefore set out to find the new ruler. They first visited King Herod in Jerusalem because they thought the child would be born in the palace. But when they asked to see the child who would be the new ruler, King Herod was very worried as he thought he would be removed from the throne. King Herod told the Wise Men that when they found the baby, they should return and tell him so that he could also worship the baby.
The Wise Men used the star as a guide to go to Bethlehem where they found Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus who they worshipped and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Wise Men are celebrated in some Christmas celebrations on January 6, known as the Epiphany, to mark the date when they found Jesus. Later in the night the three Wise Men had a dream in which an angel told them that King Herod wanted to kill Baby Jesus. They left Bethlehem to return to the East but didn't return to Jerusalem to tell King Herod where they had found the child.
Joseph also had a dream soon after the Wise Men left in which an angel appeared and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod had ordered that Jesus be killed. In an effort to kill Jesus after the Wise Men did not return to inform him of the baby's whereabouts, Herod later ordered that all baby boys in Bethlehem should be killed, but by then Mary and Joseph had left with Baby Jesus.
Although some Christmas celebrations are secular, the religious aspect of Christmas remains central to celebrations. This is evident in church services such as Midnight Mass, and primarily in the many forms of the Nativity, or Christmas Story, presented wherever people celebrate Christmas.
That story started in Nazareth, in Galilee, about two thousand years ago. Mary, a young woman, was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. An angel appeared to her one day and told her she was with child. She couldn't understand how that could happen because due to her circumspect nature, she had not laid in bed with Joseph. The angel explained however, that the child would be special as he would be the Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. Mary and Joseph then got married soon after the angel's appearance, but about the time when Mary was to have the baby, the couple had to travel far away to Bethlehem, Joseph's birthplace, to pay a special tax.
It was difficult for them to find a place to stay because many other people were in Bethlehem to pay their taxes. After many rejections, one innkeeper offered a room in his stable where they could spend the night. That's where Jesus, the Holy Child and Son of God, was born and then wrapped in bundles of cloth and placed in a manger for a cradle.
In the same hours that Mary was giving birth, shepherds who were in a field that overlooked Bethlehem saw an extremely bright star over the sky in Bethlehem. They had never seen anything like it and had feelings of curiosity and scariness. An angel appeared and told them the “good news” that the Son of
God had been born in Bethlehem.
The shepherds left their flocks to go to Bethlehem to find the baby. When they reached the stable, they were filled with immense joy at seeing Jesus. They fell to their knees and worshipped Him. They also told Mary and Joseph about the bright star and the angel appearing to say Jesus would be the Savior of the world.
The bright star was also seen by Wise Men in the East. The Wise Men, who studied the stars, learned that a new and great ruler would appear whenever an extraordinarily bright star appeared in the sky. Three of them therefore set out to find the new ruler. They first visited King Herod in Jerusalem because they thought the child would be born in the palace. But when they asked to see the child who would be the new ruler, King Herod was very worried as he thought he would be removed from the throne. King Herod told the Wise Men that when they found the baby, they should return and tell him so that he could also worship the baby.
The Wise Men used the star as a guide to go to Bethlehem where they found Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus who they worshipped and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Wise Men are celebrated in some Christmas celebrations on January 6, known as the Epiphany, to mark the date when they found Jesus. Later in the night the three Wise Men had a dream in which an angel told them that King Herod wanted to kill Baby Jesus. They left Bethlehem to return to the East but didn't return to Jerusalem to tell King Herod where they had found the child.
Joseph also had a dream soon after the Wise Men left in which an angel appeared and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod had ordered that Jesus be killed. In an effort to kill Jesus after the Wise Men did not return to inform him of the baby's whereabouts, Herod later ordered that all baby boys in Bethlehem should be killed, but by then Mary and Joseph had left with Baby Jesus.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Christmas in Central and South America
In Central and South American nations, which have a fairly large Christian population, the Nativity or Manger Scene, is the main decoration in homes at Christmas time. In Mexico, a Christmas tree may also be set up in some homes along with a Nativity scene or “Nacimiento.” The Christmas tree is usually a small artificial tree, called an “arbolito.” It can also be as simple as a branch cut from a special type of tree, or a type of shrub that is minimally decorated.
The primary Christmas celebration in Mexico is called “La Posada.” It is a religious procession that dramatizes how Joseph and Mary tried to find a place where Jesus could be born. During the procession, the participants carry images of Mary and Joseph and go from house to house seeking a place to stay.
During Midnight Mass, which is called “la Misa del Gallo” or “rooster's mass,” those in attendance sing lullabies to Jesus. On Christmas Day, children receive gifts as well as candies that are stuffed into a piñata, which is a sculpture made of papier mache that is hung from the ceiling. Children are blindfolded and they take turns hitting the piñata until it breaks and scatters the candies on the floor. All the children then scamper around as they try to get as much candy as they can. Children also receive a gift on January 6 from the Three Wise Men if they were good.
People in Venezuela usually put out “pesebres,” which show the Nativity scene, on December 16. Early morning church services, called “Misa de Aguinaldo,” are also common from December 16 to Christmas Eve. After Mass on Christmas Eve, a grand dinner is traditionally enjoyed.
In Argentina, red and white garlands are used to decorate houses. After attending Midnight Mass, Argentineans have a meal, toast each other, dance, and go out to see fireworks. The meal may be roasted pork or turkey, stuffed tomatoes, mince pies, Christmas bread, and puddings. Drinks such as cider, and juice made from different fruits are used for the toast. Christmas gifts are opened on Christmas Eve just before the family retires to bed.
In Chile, Santa Claus is Father Christmas and is known as “Viejito Pascuero.” He arrives in a similar, but slightly different, manner to Santa Claus because his reindeer are pulled by a taxi cab. Chileans use small figures made from clay to place near the Christmas tree in a display called “pesebre” to show the Nativity story. The traditional Christmas dinner includes chicken soup with stuffed potatoes, onions, and corn on the cob. Another favorite item is a Christmas bread that is called “pan de pasqua,” which is made with candies and fruits.
Christmas customs in Brazil originate from the many different ethnic groups who make up the country. The Nativity scene is called the “Presepio” and can commonly be found displayed in homes, churches, and stores. “Papai Noel,” or Father Noel, resides in Greenland and brings gifts at Christmas. He is said to wear silk clothing because Christmas occurs during summer when it is very hot in Brazil.
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is called “Missa do Gallo,” because the coming day is announced by the rooster and the Mass finishes at 1 am on the following day. A traditional Christmas dinner, called “Ceia de Natal,” includes ham, turkey, colored rice, a variety of vegetables, and fruit dishes. Christmas Day Mass at Catholic churches is mainly held in the late afternoon because people enjoy sleeping late or going to the beach after having Christmas dinner. Christmas festivities, which include folk dancing and singing, continue until January 6th, which is called Three Kings Day.
The primary Christmas celebration in Mexico is called “La Posada.” It is a religious procession that dramatizes how Joseph and Mary tried to find a place where Jesus could be born. During the procession, the participants carry images of Mary and Joseph and go from house to house seeking a place to stay.
During Midnight Mass, which is called “la Misa del Gallo” or “rooster's mass,” those in attendance sing lullabies to Jesus. On Christmas Day, children receive gifts as well as candies that are stuffed into a piñata, which is a sculpture made of papier mache that is hung from the ceiling. Children are blindfolded and they take turns hitting the piñata until it breaks and scatters the candies on the floor. All the children then scamper around as they try to get as much candy as they can. Children also receive a gift on January 6 from the Three Wise Men if they were good.
People in Venezuela usually put out “pesebres,” which show the Nativity scene, on December 16. Early morning church services, called “Misa de Aguinaldo,” are also common from December 16 to Christmas Eve. After Mass on Christmas Eve, a grand dinner is traditionally enjoyed.
In Argentina, red and white garlands are used to decorate houses. After attending Midnight Mass, Argentineans have a meal, toast each other, dance, and go out to see fireworks. The meal may be roasted pork or turkey, stuffed tomatoes, mince pies, Christmas bread, and puddings. Drinks such as cider, and juice made from different fruits are used for the toast. Christmas gifts are opened on Christmas Eve just before the family retires to bed.
In Chile, Santa Claus is Father Christmas and is known as “Viejito Pascuero.” He arrives in a similar, but slightly different, manner to Santa Claus because his reindeer are pulled by a taxi cab. Chileans use small figures made from clay to place near the Christmas tree in a display called “pesebre” to show the Nativity story. The traditional Christmas dinner includes chicken soup with stuffed potatoes, onions, and corn on the cob. Another favorite item is a Christmas bread that is called “pan de pasqua,” which is made with candies and fruits.
Christmas customs in Brazil originate from the many different ethnic groups who make up the country. The Nativity scene is called the “Presepio” and can commonly be found displayed in homes, churches, and stores. “Papai Noel,” or Father Noel, resides in Greenland and brings gifts at Christmas. He is said to wear silk clothing because Christmas occurs during summer when it is very hot in Brazil.
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is called “Missa do Gallo,” because the coming day is announced by the rooster and the Mass finishes at 1 am on the following day. A traditional Christmas dinner, called “Ceia de Natal,” includes ham, turkey, colored rice, a variety of vegetables, and fruit dishes. Christmas Day Mass at Catholic churches is mainly held in the late afternoon because people enjoy sleeping late or going to the beach after having Christmas dinner. Christmas festivities, which include folk dancing and singing, continue until January 6th, which is called Three Kings Day.
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