Christmas
theFeastofChristmas
Itisnoteasytopin-pointtheoriginsoftheChristmasfeast,anonlysayforcertainthatthebirthofJesusChristwasbeingcelebratedinRomebytheyear336A.D.;afterwardsthefeastwascelebratedinotherChristianchurchesthroughouttheworld.
teforthebirthofJesuscanbefoundintheNewTestament,whichisconcernedmorewiththequestion"WhoisJesus?"yChristianspeculationabouthisbirthdatewasinfluencedbythesymbolismofthechangingseasons,thenpopularinreligiousthought,stianscholarsspeculatedthatJesuswasconceivedatthespringequinox(March25th)andthereforewasbornonDecember25th,thedateofthewintersolstice.
InmanyoftheChristianchurches,March25thisstilltheFeastoftheAnnunciation,whentheAngelGabrielannouncedtoMarythatshewastobethemotherofJesus.
PossibleimpluseforthefeastofChristmasmayhavecametoofromtheestablishmentofthepaganfeastofthe"UnconqueredSun-God"celebratedonDecember25,sponse,Christianscouldcelebratethefeastofthe"Sunofrighteousness"(Malachi4,2),JesusChrist,whocalledhimself"thelightoftheworld."
FatherChristmas
Itissaidthatintheyearof300AD,salwaysreadytohelpthepoorandoftengavepresentstothem.
Today,FatherChristmasisanimaginaryfigure,thinkheisahappyoldmanwithalongwhitebeardandalongredrobe.
Onthenightofthetwenty-fourthofDecembereveryyear,enchildrengotobedthatnight,theyhanguptheirstockings,urse,it'sreallytheirparentswhofillthestockings.
AnothernameforFatherChristmasisSantaClaus.
Fortoday'sChristian,theoriginofChristmasis,andshouldbe,ver,mostofwhatwewitnessonDecember25theachyearhasabsolutelynothingtodowiththatblessedday,whichprobablyoccurredinlatesummerorearlyfallabout2,ct,mostofthecustomsandtraditionsofChristmasactuallypre-datethebirthofJesus,ay,whocareswhenChristwasborn?
ChristmasDay,the25thofDecember,isthebiggestfestival(节日)ougheveryoneenjoysChristmasDay,itisparticularlyenjoyedbychildren,lchildrenbelievethattheirpresentsarebroughtbyFatherChristmas(圣诞老人)erChristmasisakindofoldmanwho,thechildrenaretold,avelsthroughtheskyonasleigh(雪撬)whichispulledbyreindeers(驯鹿)andloadedwith(装满)pingontheroofofhouses,heentersbyclimbingthechimney(烟囱)smallchildrengotobedonChristmasEve,rparentswarnthemnottotrytolookatFatherChristmas,theywake,drenareveryexcitedonChristmasmorningandalwayswakeupearly.
ymembersofthefamilyaspossiblegathertoeat,playpartygamesandwatchthespecialChristmasprogrammesonTV.