Christmas is an annual
festival that commemorates the
birth of
Jesus Christ, observed primarily on
December 25 as a
religious and cultural
celebration among billions of
people around the
world. It is preceded by the
season of
Advent and initiates the
Christmas season, which historically lasts
twelve days in the
West, culminating in the Twelfth Night; in some
traditions, the
celebration covers an octave.
Christmas is a day off from
work in
many countries of the
world. It is celebrated religiously by
most Christians as well as culturally by
many non-Christians, and is an integral part of the
Christmas season. The traditional
Christmas narrative in the New Testament
says that
Jesus was born in
Bethlehem according to messianic prophecy. When
Joseph and
Mary arrived in the
city, the inn did not
take place, and therefore they were offered a
stable where the
infant Christ was
soon born, and the
angels preached this
news to the shepherds, who then
spread the
information. The
rituals associated with
Christmas in
different countries have a
mixture of pre-Christian,
Christian and secular themes and sources. Popular
modern customs of this
holiday include handing out
gifts, replenishing the
Advent calendar or an
Advent wreath,
Christmas music and caroling,
rich lighting, creating and viewing
Christmas nativity scenes, exchanging
Christmas cards,
church services,
special meal,
decorated Christmas trees,
garlands,
mistletoe and
holly. In
addition, the
figure of Santa
Claus is inextricably linked with
these holidays, bringing
gifts to
children. As
gift giving and
many other
aspects of
Christmas are associated with increased economic
activity, the
holiday has become an important
event and a key
selling period for retailers and businesses.
