Christmas is an important traditional festival in the West. It commemorates the birth of Jesus, who is said to have been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. God also sent Gabriel to Joseph in a dream, telling him not to abandon Mary because she was unmarried and pregnant, but to marry her and name the child Jesus, which meant that he would save the people from their SINS.
When Mary was about to give birth, the Roman government ordered all the people to Bethlehem must declare household registration. Joseph and Mary had to obey. When they arrived in Bethlehem, it was already dark, but two people could not find a hotel to spend the night, only a stable can stay. Just then Jesus was going to be born. So Mary gave birth to Jesus only in the manger. Later generations to commemorate the birth of Jesus, will set December 25 for Christmas, annual hope Mass, to commemorate the birth of Jesus. There is also a long history of snow globe.
Christmas development
Christmas is a religious holiday. In the nineteenth century, the popularity of Christmas cards, Santa Claus, so that Christmas began to gradually popular. After Christmas celebrations became popular in northern Europe, Christmas decorations incorporating the Northern Hemisphere winter also appeared.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the whole of Europe and America began to have Christmas. And derived the corresponding Christmas culture.
Christmas spread to Asia in the middle of the 19th century, Japan, Korea, China and so on are affected by Christmas culture.
After the reform and opening up, the spread of Christmas in China is particularly prominent, to the early 21st century, Christmas organically combined with Chinese local customs, the development of increasingly mature. Eating apples, wearing Christmas hats, sending Christmas cards, attending Christmas parties, Christmas shopping and so on have become part of Chinese life.
Christmas customs
gift
Christmas card
Christmas cards (Christmas cards) are very popular in the United States and Europe. Many families bring annual family photos or family news with the cards. The news usually includes the advantages of family members in the past year and so on. On Christmas Day, it is pointed out that the ideal of one family in the world can only be achieved by words and deeds of peace and kindness. Send Christmas cards, in addition to celebrate the joy of Christmas, is to bless relatives and friends, in order to table miss. Especially in the loneliness of relatives and friends, but also kind care and comfort.
decoration
Christmas stockings
Before the earliest is a pair of red socks, the size of whatever. Because Christmas stockings are to be used to pack gifts, so they are the children's favorite things, they will hang their socks on the bed at night, waiting for the next morning to receive gifts.
Santa hat
It is a red hat, it is said that in addition to sleeping soundly and a little warm, the next day you will find more gifts from your beloved in the hat.
Christmas decorations include Christmas trees decorated with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights, indoor decorations with garlands and evergreen plants, especially Holly and mistletoe are traditional materials. In North and South America and a few parts of Europe, the outdoors is traditionally decorated with lights, including lighted sledges, snowmen, and other Christmas figures. Holly and mistletoe are traditional materials. Municipalities may also support Christmas decorations by hanging Christmas signs in streets or placing Christmas trees in squares.
Christmas tree
On Christmas Day, it is pointed out that the ideal of one family in the world can only be achieved by words and deeds of peace and kindness. Send Christmas cards, in addition to celebrate the joy of Christmas, is to bless relatives and friends, in order to table miss. Especially in the loneliness of relatives and friends, but also kind care and comfort.
Christmas window
Christmas window is also a beautiful landscape, every year before the advent of Christmas shop window design staff will be full of brains, the theme of this Christmas play incisively and vividly, and will never coincide with the style of previous years, here is also the mother most willing to take the children to the place.
Christmas ring
In Western countries, decorations hanging on the door during Christmas are usually made of green branches and leaves or rattan (pine hair, pine needles, etc.), silver metal and gold bells with red ribbons. The main color of green, white, yellow and red represents joy and festival.Merry CHRISMAS is written on them or simply X 'mas.
Christmas in different countries | Christmas in company's countries
The red and white is the Santa Claus, he is the most popular figure in the Christmas activities. Before going to bed on Christmas Eve, western children should put a sock in front of the fireplace or beside the pillow, waiting for Santa Claus to put the gift in the sock after they fall asleep. In the West, playing Santa Claus is also a custom.
The American dictionary Merriam-Webster believes that this word is composed of CHRIST+MASS, which means "Christian sacrifice", while the British dictionary Oxford also makes the same explanation. The Anglo-Saxon word "Christmas" also means Christian sacrifice. In other non-English speaking countries, such as France, Spain and Italy, "Christmas" means "birthday". As for the Germans, Christmas is called "Yule season", but the original word contains the meaning of "holy night".
Christmas is a time of universal celebration and rejoicing. Every country or nation in the world because of different traditional habits, its Christmas customs are also different.
Britain
They think they must eat well at Christmas. So Christmas dinner is extremely rich, including pork, roast Turkey, Christmas pudding, Christmas ground meat...... And so on. Everyone in the house had a present, even the servants, and gifts were distributed on Christmas morning. Sometimes when the choir sings Christmas songs from door to door, they will also be invited into the house by the host to entertain refreshments or give small gifts.
France
They go to midnight Mass in church on Christmas Eve. After Mass, family members gather with their older siblings for a Christmas meal and share the important events of the year. Occasionally there are family disagreements, but often because of the Christmas reunion to bury the hatreds. So Christmas in the eyes of the French, as a time of kindness and peace.
United States
Because the United States is made up of many nationalities, so Americans celebrate Christmas is the most complex situation, immigrants from different countries still follow the customs of their home country. At Christmastime, however, it is the same for Americans to hang wreaths and other fancy decorations outside their doors.
Italy
In Italy, people like to have models of the nativity story in their homes every Christmas. On Christmas Eve, families get together and have a big meal. They go to Christmas Mass at midnight. Then everyone visits relatives and friends, but only children and old people get presents. It is a good custom in Italy at Christmas when children, to thank their parents for a year's upbringing, will hide their compositions or poems in napkins, tablecloths or plates before eating Christmas dinner. After eating the big meal, take it out and read aloud.
Spain
Children in the country often leave shoes at Windows or outside doors to receive Christmas presents. In many cities, boys often have many high gifts to give to beautiful women. Cows also get the best treatment at Christmas. Because there is a local legend: "When Jesus was born, there was a cow to breathe on him, so that he get warm".
Sweden
Swedish people are very hospitable during the Christmas season. Every family, rich or poor, welcomes friends to visit. Even strangers can come in and eat. They put all kinds of food on the table for people to choose from.
Switzerland
The country's Santa Claus wears white robes and masks. They are often dressed up by the poor and come in groups to ask for food and gifts from the rich, splitting the spoils equally when they disperse.
Denmark
The first country to publish Christmas stamps. The Christmas stamps were issued to raise money for tuberculosis. Danes send Christmas cards, mail, all like to stick this stamp.
Chile
A "monkey tail" cold drink is a must for Christmas celebrations in this country. The drink is made from coffee, milk, eggs, wine and already fermented grapes. No one knows why this drink is called Monkey Tail.
Norway
On Christmas Eve, everyone in the family has to line up their shoes in descending order before they go to bed. Norwegians believe that family members doing this will bring peace and peace in the coming year. The next morning, families meet and sing their favorite Christmas songs.
Ireland
On Christmas Eve, families in this country will put a candle or lamp on the window frame to welcome the baby.
Scotland
People in Scotland look for things they have borrowed from others in their homes and must return them to their owners before Christmas. They usually gave presents on the first Monday of the New Year, not at Christmas, when gifts were given to children and servants.
Switzerland
Dutch Christmas presents, often unexpected, are sometimes hidden in the pudding of sheep intestines.
Germany
Every Jesuit family in Germany has a Christmas tree. Christmas trees were the first in Germany. Germans are very particular about making Christmas cakes. There are many kinds of cakes, which are given as gifts between friends and relatives.