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Articles: Devotion | Christmas, the universal fete
- Mr. VIRABHADRA SASTRI KALANADHABHATTA
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Both December and January are considered as holiday months. In these two months people will celebrate Christmas and New Year. As far as I know, Christmas is the only religious festival celebrated in almost all the countries in the world. Among other festivals of Christianity, Christmas is the lengthiest one lasting for one month upto December 25th. In some countries, it will be celebrated upto 6th January. The Christmas comes from Christes Measse, an early English phrase, that means mass of Christ. One of the important event of the Christmas celebrations is the decoration of Christmas Tree.
CHRISTMAS TREE
Actually, I presume that nobody knows who invented the first Christmas tree, but the decorated trees and the branches at Christmas time have been around for a long time. In the Medieval period, December 24 was called Adam’s and Eve’s day, who were the first couple of God’s creation to head future mankind and to reside in the garden of Eden. So a play was put in front of the churches with ever green branches and apples as part of stage decorations representing the garden of Eden. Later on, though the play became out of fashion, people liked to keep the evergreen trees with apples during Christmas time.
In Germany, not only apples were placed on the tree, but also paper roses and flat wafers were also decorated. It was believed that apples represent virgin Mary and the wafers the child Christ. These trees were called Christbum. In those days, the trees were small in size to accommodate on tables. It was not until the tree came to America, that it reached from floor to ceiling or even higher.
Well. The first tree was decorated in United States in 1747 by a group of people called Moravians who came from Germany and lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In England, Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert endevoured to make these trees popular by giving decorated trees to schools and army barracks. After electricity was invented, decorating the trees with electric bulbs gradually came into practice. The first electric lights were used in 1882 on a Christmas tree at a house of Edward Johnson, friend of Thomas Edison, who invented the electric bulb. In the United States of America, Grover Cleveland was the first American President who used electric lights on the Christmas tree in the White House. At that time, each bulb was wired separately. Only in 1907 strings of lights were invented. Now a days, the Christmas tree is decorated with many tiny and attractive articles, too. These Christmas trees are otherwise called Advent Wreath which means the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day.
ADVENT CALENDAR
In many countries, people use special advent calendar to keep track of the 24 days before Christmas. A traditional Advent custom is the special kind of calendar, made in the shape of a little cardboard house. Advent calendar has a colorful Christmas scene and each date is printed on a flap. One flap is removed daily to uncover a holiday picture.
CHRISTMAS CAROL
The Christmas season reaches a climax at the Midnight Mass or other religious services on Christmas Eve. Churches are decorated with candles, lights and evergreen branches. People sing Christmas carols. The word Carol came from a Greek dance called Choralein which was accompanied by flute music. The flute music was later replaced by vocal music. There are many carols, such as' Silent Night; O Little Town of Bethlehem; It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas; Jingle Bells; Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!; Deck the Halls; Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; O Come All Ye Faithful; Wish You A Merry Christmas; The Christmas Song; Joy To the World and The First Noel.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM SANTA CLAUS
Two more important events in the Christmas celebrations are: gift giving by Santa Claus and sending Christmas Greetings. Children will be eagerly looking forward for Santa Claus, the legendary figure who is believed to bring gifts. The name Santa Claus is the old Dutch word for St. Nicholas, a man who lived about 1500 years ago. It was believed that Santa has a companion who will go ahead of him and find out whether the children are good or bad so that Santa can visit the houses of those who are good. This belief makes the children to be good so that Santa will give them presents.
CHRISTMAS GREETING CARD
The first Christmas greeting card was designed in 1843 by an English illustrator named John Calcott Horsely for Sir Henry Cole, a civil servant who helped o administer the new postal system reformed by Sir Rowland Hill in England.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS' IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AROUND THE WORLD
Austria and Germany-Frohliche Weihnachten
Belgium-Vrolijkm Kerstmis
Brazil and Portugal-Boas Festas
China-Shengdan Kuai Le
Denmark-Glaedelig Jul
Finland-Houskaa Joulua
France-Joyeux Noel
Greece-Kala Christougenna
Hungary-Kellemes Karacsonyl, Unnepeket
Italy-Buon Natale
Japan-Meri Kurisumasu
The Netherlands-Zlig Kerstfeest
Norway-Gledelig Jul
Poland-Wesolych Siat
Russia-S Rozhdestvom Kristovym
Spanish speaking countries-Feliz Navidad
Sweden-God Jul
I WISH ALL THE READERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
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