Christas Presents

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Baxter, Keven (December 24, 2021). "Peace for a day: How soccer brought a brief truce to World War I on Christmas Day 1914". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021 . Retrieved December 24, 2021. In Puritan England, Christmas was banned, with Puritans considering it a Catholic invention and also associating the day with drunkenness and other misbehaviour. [92] It was restored as a legal holiday in England in 1660 when Puritan legislation was declared null and void, but it remained disreputable in the minds of some. [113] Sandys, William (1852). Christmastide: its history, festivities and carols. London: John Russell Smith. pp.119–120.

The Provençal Nativity Scene". Simplytreasures.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012 . Retrieved December 25, 2013. Zugger, Christopher Lawrence (2001). Catholics of the Soviet Empire from Lenin Through Stalin. Syracuse University Press. p.210. ISBN 978-0-8156-0679-6. As observed by Nicholas Brianchaninov, writing in 1929–1930, after the NEP and just as the worst of collectivization was beginning, the Soviets deemed it necessary to drive into the heads of the people the axiom that religion was the synthesis of everything most harmful to humanity. It must be presented as the enemy of man and society, of life and learning, of progress.... In caricatures, articles, Bezbozhnik, Antireligioznik, League of Militant Atheists propaganda and films. School courses [were give] on conducting the struggle against religion (how to profane a church, break windows, objects of piety). The young, always eager to be with the latest trend, often responded to such propaganda. In Moscow in 1929 children were brought to spit on the crucifixes at Christmas. Priests in Tiraspol diocese were sometimes betrayed by their own young parishioners, leading to their imprisonment and even death, and tearing their families apart. Stetzer, Ed (December 14, 2015). "What Is Church Attendance Like During Christmastime? New Data From LifeWay Research". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018 . Retrieved December 9, 2018.Browne, Sammy R (April 29, 2012). A Brief Anthology of English Literature, Volume 1. p.412. ISBN 978-1-105-70569-4. His father had wanted him to practice law but Milton considered writing poetry his life's work. At 21 years old, he wrote a poem, "On the morning of Christ's Nativity," a work that is still widely read during Christmas. Socias, James (June 24, 2020). Handbook of Prayers. Midwest Theological Forum. ISBN 978-1-936045-54-9.

The Chronological History of the Christmas Tree". The Christmas Archives. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007 . Retrieved December 18, 2007. Kelly, Joseph F. (2010). The Feast of Christmas. Liturgical Press. p.94. ISBN 978-0-8146-3932-0. German Lutherans brought the decorated Christmas tree with them; the Moravians put lighted candles on those trees. Related to the winter solstice theory above, the "History of Religions" hypothesis proposes the Church chose December 25 as Christ's birthday ( dies Natalis Christi) [75] to appropriate the Roman winter solstice festival dies Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the Unconquered Sun), held on the same date. [64] [76] It honored the sun god Sol Invictus, whose cult was revived by the emperor Aurelian in AD 274. In Rome this yearly festival was celebrated with thirty chariot races. [76] Gary Forsythe, Professor of Ancient History, says "This celebration would have formed a welcome addition to the seven-day period of the Saturnalia (December 17–23), Rome's most joyous holiday season since Republican times, characterized by parties, banquets, and exchanges of gifts". [76] In AD 362, the emperor Julian wrote in his Hymn to King Helios that the agon Solis was a festival of the sun held at the end of the Saturnalia in late December. [77] [78]

How is Christmas celebrated?

Pokhilko, Hieromonk Nicholas. "History of Epiphany". Archived from the original on September 23, 2016 . Retrieved December 27, 2017. In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the early 19th century by the German-born Queen Charlotte. In 1832, the future Queen Victoria wrote about her delight at having a Christmas tree, hung with lights, ornaments, and presents placed round it. [140] After her marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert, by 1841 the custom became more widespread throughout Britain. [141] NEWS, SA (December 24, 2022). "Christmas Day 2022: Facts, Story & Quotes About Merry Christmas". SA News Channel . Retrieved December 26, 2022.

Crossland, David (December 22, 2021). "Truces weren't just for 1914 Christmas". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460 . Retrieved December 24, 2021. Roll, p.89: "Duchesne adds ... a conjecture which he does not support by direct reference to any patristic author or text: that Christ must have been thought to have lived a whole number of years, since symbolic number systems do not permit the imperfection of fractions ... But Duchesne was forced to admit that: this explanation would be the more readily received if we could find it fully stated in some author. Unfortunately we know of no text containing it." The poem helped popularize the tradition of exchanging gifts, and seasonal Christmas shopping began to assume economic importance. [146] In the 17th century, Isaac Newton, who, coincidentally, was born on December 25, suggested the date of Christmas was chosen to correspond with the winter solstice. [80] In 1743, German scholar Paul Ernst Jablonski argued the date was chosen to correspond with the Natalis Solis Invicti. [81] The hypothesis was first developed substantially by fellow German scholar Hermann Usener [66] [82] in 1889 and adopted by many scholars thereafter. [66] a b Melton, J. Gordon (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. p.39. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7. The March 25 date, which tied together the beginning of Mary's pregnancy and the incarnation of God in Jesus as occurring nine months before Christmas (December 25), supplied the rationale for setting the beginning of the ecclesiastical and legal year. ... Both the Anglicans and the Lutherans have continued to observe the March 25 date for celebrating the Annunciation.

Christmas cards for family & friends

In Reading, Pennsylvania, a newspaper remarked in 1861, "Even our presbyterian friends who have hitherto steadfastly ignored Christmas—threw open their church doors and assembled in force to celebrate the anniversary of the Savior's birth." [148] Kelly, Richard Michael (ed.) (2003), A Christmas Carol, p. 20. Broadview Literary Texts, New York: Broadview Press, ISBN 1-55111-476-3. Jacob R. Straus (November 16, 2012). "Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 3, 2014 . Retrieved January 2, 2014. Light brown – countries that do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday, but the holiday is given observance. Many Christians attend church services to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. [166]