Christmas is known as the holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ; however, not everyone knows where the Christmas holiday originated.
Christmas is a significant holiday in Western culture and among Christian communities. Christmas Day (Noel, Christmas Day, or X-mas) is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Christmas holiday originated from Christian followers, aimed at commemorating the birth of their religious leader, whom they believe to be God incarnate.
According to most Christian believers, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the region of Judea, which was part of the Roman Empire at that time, around 7 BC to 2 AD. At that time, Judea was under Roman rule.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the region of Judea, which was part of the Roman Empire.
The story of Jesus’ birth is described in the New Testament as follows: “In the town of Nazareth, there was a virgin named Mary who was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. They were both descendants of King David, the great king of the Jews. One day, the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary, announcing: ‘You will conceive a son named Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.'”
Mary shared everything with Joseph, and she began to conceive while still a virgin. Joseph, troubled by this, received a visit from the Lord’s angel in a dream, revealing God’s blessing, thus he ceased to worry and married Mary.
One day, the couple traveled back to their hometown of Bethlehem, 110 kilometers away, to register for taxation as ordered by Emperor Augustus. Upon arrival, the inns were fully booked, forcing Joseph to take his wife to stay in a stable. At midnight, Mary gave birth to Jesus there. Joseph found a wooden manger, cleaned it thoroughly, and lined it with straw to serve as a crib for the newborn. At that time, only shepherds were awake in the fields. Suddenly, a brilliant light filled the sky, and an angel appeared to announce the great news: ‘Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah. You will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
The shepherds followed the angel’s words and found the Lord lying in the manger in the stable. They told Mary and Joseph everything they had encountered in the fields. As they returned home, their hearts were still filled with excitement, sharing the wondrous events they had witnessed that night.
Although the exact date of Jesus’ birth is unclear, the church established the date of his birth as December 25 in the early 4th century, corresponding to the winter solstice in the Roman calendar.
Christmas is officially celebrated on December 25, but it is often observed from the evening of December 24 because, according to the Jewish calendar, the day begins at sunset rather than midnight. The official celebration on December 25 is known as “the Day Celebration”, while the evening celebration on December 24 is called “Vigil Mass” and usually attracts more attendees.
On the evening of “Vigil Mass”, all locations such as churches or households decorate nativity scenes with mangers, inside of which are statues of the baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Surrounding them are figures of donkeys, the Magi, some angels, and Saint Joseph…
In the past, Christmas was primarily a day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, nowadays, in addition to its Christian significance, Christmas has become a major holiday for families, a special day for people to gather, reunite, and enjoy each other’s company.
Over time, Christmas has transformed into an international holiday, becoming more widely recognized with symbols such as the Christmas tree and Santa Claus.
