essay on christmas wikipedia

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History of Christmas

By: History.com Editors

Updated: December 21, 2022 | Original: October 27, 2009

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25—Christmas Day—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

How Did Christmas Start?

The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus , early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.

In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.

Christmas in Photos

Saturnalia and Christmas 

In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, enslaved people were given temporary freedom and treated as equals. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could participate in the holiday's festivities.

Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

Is Christmas Really the Day Jesus Was Born?

In the early years of Christianity , Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. 

By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages , Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion.

On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras . Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.

When Christmas Was Cancelled

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.

The pilgrims , English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston . Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution , English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

Washington Irving Reinvents Christmas in America

It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s piqued American interest in the holiday?

The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent. , a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended—in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

'A Christmas Carol'

Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol . The story’s message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could lavish attention-and gifts-on their children without appearing to “spoil” them.

As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards and gift-giving.

Although most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really re-invented a holiday to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.

Who Invented Santa Claus?

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholas who was born in Turkey around A. D. 280. St. Nicholas gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors.

St. Nicholas first entered American popular culture in the late 18th century in New York, when Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of the death of “Sint Nikolaas” (Dutch for Saint Nicholas), or “Sinter Klaas” for short. “Santa Claus” draws his name from this abbreviation.

In 1822, Episcopal minister Clement Clarke Moore wrote a Christmas poem called “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more popularly known today by it’s first line: “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.” The poem depicted Santa Claus as a jolly man who flies from home to home on a sled driven by reindeer to deliver toys.

The iconic version of Santa Claus as a jolly man in red with a white beard and a sack of toys was immortalized in 1881, when political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Moore's poem to create the image of Old Saint Nick we know today.

Christmas Facts

• Each year, 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are about 15,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States, and trees usually grow for between four and 15 years before they are sold.
• In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today’s Mardi Gras parties.
• When Christmas was cancelled: From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston , and law-breakers were fined five shillings.
• Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.
• The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith’s 1607 Jamestown settlement .
• Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.
• The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.
• Rudolph , “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L. May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.
• Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

HISTORY Vault: the Christmas Truce

World War I was a brutal slog. But on Christmas Eve 1914, something remarkable happened: British and German troops stopped fighting, and came together to share holiday cheer.

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10 facts about Christmas!

Learn all about the history and twinkly traditions of the festive season….

As the year draws to an end, millions of people around the world look forward to sparkling decorations, colourful lights, delicious food, jolly music and exciting gifts. Yup… because Christmas is coming! But how much do you know about this super-fun holiday? It’s time to find out in our ten facts about Christmas…

Facts about Christmas

1) Christmas is a Christian festival that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ , who Christians believe was the son of God. For most people, it takes place every year on 25 December – the day that the Roman Catholic Church chose to mark Jesus’ birthday. But, in fact, no one actually knows the exact date Jesus was born!

Christians believe that Jesus was born in a stable in a town called Bethlehem, today found in an area of the Middle East called the West Bank.

2) Did you know that not all Christians celebrate Christmas on the same day? In countries with large populations of Orthodox Christians *, such as Russia , the Ukraine and Romania , Christmas Day falls on 7 January. Some Greek Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 7 January, too.

3) The name ‘Christmas’ comes from the old English phrase Cristes maesse , which means ‘ Christ’s mass ’. But what about ‘ Xmas ’? Lots of people think this is just a modern-day abbreviation – but it actually dates back to the 16th century ! The ‘X’ is said to represent the Greek letter ‘Chi’ – the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός (pronounced ‘ Christos’ ). 

F estive food like roast turkey, fruity mince pies and Christmas pudding became popular in Victorian times !

4) Come Christmas, people around the world enjoy all kinds of jolly-good fun! Many of the festive traditions we have in the UK today came about in the Victorian era – such as Christmas cards , gift-giving and crackers , as well as traditional foods like mince pies and roast turkey ! Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert were huge fans of Christmas, in fact!

5) Christmas trees also became popular in Victorian Britain. But these were first seen in 16th Century Germany where, at Christmas time, people decorated fir trees with fruit and nuts – and later sweets, paper shapes and candles. Amazingly, historians think the origins of this festive tradition may date back to the Romans and Ancient Egyptians , who used evergreen plants and garlands as symbols of everlasting life . Wow!

Christmas trees were introduced to England around 1800.

6) Check this out – every year, Norway sends a beautiful home-grown Christmas tree to London , where it is decorated with lights in Trafalgar Square . Standing a towering 20m tall , the terrific tree is a gift to say thank you for the help the UK gave Norway during World War II . What a tree -mendous gift!

7) We can’t talk about Christmas without a mention to the big bearded, rosy-cheeked jolly man… Father Christmas ! But have you wondered how he got the name Santa Claus ? It’s from Sinterklaas , which means Saint Nicholas in Dutch, the language of the Netherlands . St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who lived in the 4th century – known for being kind and generous, he later became the patron saint of children .

On the night before Christmas, it’s said that Santa Claus delivers presents to children on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer!

8) But Santa isn’t the only Christmas character – there are many more around the world! In Italy , for example, a kind witch called La Befana is said to fly around on a broomstick delivering toys to children! And in Iceland , children leave shoes under the window for 13 mischievous trolls called the Yule Lads . If the child has been good, they’ll find sweets in their shoe – but if they’ve been bad, the Yule lads will leave them a rotten potato !

Check out this spooky puppet of La Befana, the friendly Christmas witch !

9) We all love to sing along to Jingle Bells , but have you ever noticed that the song doesn’t have the word Christmas in it? Or Jesus or Santa Claus? That’s because it wasn’t originally a Christmas song! In fact, the jolly anthem was written in 1850, entitled One Horse Open Sleigh , for the American holiday, Thanksgiving !

10) Now, imagine if there was no Christmas. Does it feel quite strange? Sad, perhaps? Well, believe it or not, in 1644 Christmas celebrations were made illegal in England, and soon after, in the English Colonies in America , too! At that time, members of the government felt that the religious meaning of Christmas had been forgotten, and so banned the holiday festivities. Some people still celebrated in secret, however, until Christmas was once again legal… almost 20 years later!

Feeling festive? Then check out these top tips to make your Christmas as eco-friendly as possible !

Glossary *Over the centuries, Christianity divided into different groups, called ‘denominations’. The three main denominations are Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. *Evergreen trees are trees that keep their green leaves all year round, like spruce trees, pine trees and fir trees.

Images images ⓒ getty images: santa and sleigh (134107545), nativity scene (186041990), victorian christmas lunch (908208794), christmas tree (119296650), la befana (954665456)., did you enjoy reading our christmas facts leave a comment and let us know, leave a comment.

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Christmas Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on christmas essay.

Christmas is a well-known Christian holiday set in December, celebrated the world over and famed for its decorations and Santa Clause. The Christmas means  “Feast day of Christ”.It is a yearly celebration marking Jesus Christ’s birth; it is observed on the 25th of December as a cultural and religious celebration among a lot of people all over the world. Christmas is celebrated in all Christian countries but there are differences in the way each nation celebrates this date.

History Behind Christmas

The history of Christmas is one that dates back to a very long time; the first Christmas was celebrated in 336 A.D. in Rome. It played a very important role during the famed Arian controversy that took place in the 300s. During the early years of the middle age, epiphany overshadowed it.

Christmas was brought back to limelight around 800 A.D. when the emperor Charlemagne received the crown on Christmas day. During the 17th century, the Puritans had Christmas banned because it was associated with drunkenness and different other misbehavior.

It was made a proper holiday around 1660 but was still quite disreputable. Around the early 1900s, the Oxford movement of the Anglican Communion church started and this led to the revival of Christmas.

Preparations for Christmas

Christmas is a cultural festivity that entails a lot of preparations. It is a public holiday and so people get a Christmas break to celebrate it.

Preparations for Christmas start early for most people so that celebrations begin on the eve of Christmas. Preparations for Christmas involves a lot of activities. People usually buy decorations, food, and gifts mostly for children in the family and friends. Some families shop for matching Christmas outfits for everyone.

The common preparations include decorations of the place with Christmas trees, lighting. Before decorations begin, the house must be deep cleaned. The Christmas tree brings the Christmas spirit in homes.

Presents are placed under the Christmas tree in wrapped gift boxes and are not to be opened until Christmas day. The church is also decorated for the special event. Thorough cleaning of the churches is also done to usher in Christmas. Songs and skits to be performed on Christmas day.

People usually spend a lot on Christmas and so saving money for these plans should be the earliest preparation among all these. Families also plan to travel to stay together during this celebration period. Traditionally turkey is the common meal across the world in this day. Cards are also written to friends and family to wish them a happy holiday and to show love.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Christmas Day Celebration

Christmas carols are played on radios and televisions to mark the day. Most families start by going to church where performances and songs are done. Then later, they join their families to exchange gifts and celebrate with food and music. Happiness during Christmas is like no other.

Homemade traditional plum cakes, cupcakes, and muffins are the special treats on Christmas. Kids are showered with lots of presents and new dresses. They also get to meet the ‘Santa Claus’, dressed in a fluffy red and white costume, who greets them with hugs and gifts.

Conclusion:

Christmas reminds us of the importance of giving and sharing with friends and family. Through Christmas, we know that Jesus birth is the beginning of great things in the world. It is generally an opportunity to think about nature and the reason for our existence. Christmas is such a festival which people from all religions and faith celebrate worldwide despite it being a Christian festival. It is the essence of this festival which unites the people so much.

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• Christmas Essay

Essay On Christmas For Kids

Writing an essay on Christmas is a topic of interest for young kids and people of all ages. Christmas is one of the most popular festivals, which is widely celebrated by people from different communities across the globe. This festival is celebrated with great joy and zeal by Christians. Kids enjoy this festival as they get a lot of gifts from Santa Claus.

The “Essay on Christmas for Kids” is for young learners to refer to and understand the essence of the auspicious festival. They can also use the short essay about Christmas as a sample while they are asked to draft an essay on this topic at school or any social event.

Here’s a short essay on Christmas that kids can refer to while composing an essay on their own:

Download “Essay on Christmas” PDF for Free

Christmas essay for kids.

A Christmas tree is an artificial pine tree which is decorated with lights, artificial stars, flowers, toys and bells all over it. It looks beautiful when the decoration is complete. Churches are decorated with lights during Christmas and people hang star lanterns outdoors to mark the onset of the festive season. All members of the family sit and pray together in praise of Jesus Christ.

Kids are especially enthusiastic about Christmas as they expect Santa Claus to visit them and bring gifts to their homes on the night of Christmas Eve and the early hours of Christmas day. Presents are placed under the Christmas tree, wrapped in gift boxes and opened on the day of Christmas.

Kids sing Christmas carols like “Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle all the way” and perform various skits celebrating the auspicious day. Christmas is a festival which is cherished by people from all faiths and religions. It reminds us of the importance of sharing, exchanging gifts and living in peace and harmony with our family and friends.”

In this article, we have made a simple attempt from our end to write a short essay on Christmas, which young learners can find useful for writing a few lines on this topic. In reality, kids enjoy writing an essay on such interesting topics as this gives them an opportunity to express why and what they enjoy about the festival. Besides, as they start framing sentences on their own, this helps them to improve their English writing skills too.

10 Lines Essay on Christmas for Kids

• Christmas is one of the vibrant festivals that is celebrated across the world.
• Christmas is the last festival of the year and is celebrated with a lot of pomp and joy.
• We get Christmas holidays and we visit our grandparents.
• These are the holidays we enjoy and we have a family get-together every year.
• My brother and I wait for these holidays every year to have a fantastic time.
• We go for a family vacation and spend some quality time.
• One of our neighbours bakes delicious cakes, and we get cakes, cookies and candies from them.
• I love decorating our house with Christmas lights and stars.
• Our house looks wonderful and joyous every Christmas.
• We host our relatives and friends and have a nice time during Christmas and New Year.

For more such riveting essay topics , you can check our Kids Learning page and gift your child the joy of learning.

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this essay is very helpful I am win 3rd price in essay writing competition

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How Washington Irving Shaped Christmas in America

The famous knickerbocker was all about saint nick..

 Library of Congress

Thanks to “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” his creepy tale about an ungainly schoolteacher who vanishes mysteriously in the woods, Washington Irving is perhaps best known to modern readers as an author to read on Halloween.

But Irving wrote much more about yuletide—so widely and imaginatively, in fact, that he’s often credited with creating Christmas in America as we know it.

“He did not ‘invent’ the holiday,” biographer Andrew Burstein notes, “but he did all he could to make minor customs into major customs—to make them enriching signs of family and social togetherness.”

Among Irving’s biggest contributions to Christmas in America was his promotion of St. Nicholas as a beloved character, laying the groundwork for the figure we’d eventually embrace as Santa Claus.

Irving (1783–1859) was the subject of a 2014  Humanities  profile because of his trip through the American West—an unlikely and sometimes comic odyssey for a man who was more at home in his native New York City and the great capitals of Europe.

Gotham, in fact, was the subject that established Irving’s fame in 1809, when his  A History of New York  became a publishing sensation. The book was conceived as a parody of Samuel L. Mitchill’s  The Picture of New-York; or the Traveller’s Guide through the Commercial Metropolis of the United States .

Mitchill, a Columbia medical professor and U.S. senator, seemed to know everything about everything, and Irving poked fun at Mitchill’s know-it-all sensibility with his fictional account of Manhattan, which includes some tall tales about its origins. Among Irving’s yarns was a story about the shipwreck of a Dutch scouting party on Manhattan, where one of its members receives a vision in which “good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children.” Nicholas tells the Dutch to settle on the island—Saint Nick, in a sense, becoming the founding father of the most famous city in America.

Irving’s affection for Saint Nicholas proved durable. In 1835, he helped found the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York, serving as its secretary until 1841. Beyond his interest in Nicholas, Irving advanced Christmas as the festive pageant of presents and feasting that now dominates the American winter calendar.

He had traveled to England in 1815, where various personal and professional interests kept him abroad until 1832.  The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent ., which greeted American readers in 1819, contained a smattering of essays and short stories, including the iconic “Sleepy Hollow,” but its pieces on yuletide helped revive interest in the holiday. “While a number of other stories in  The Sketch   Book  were better known, none would have a greater impact on American culture than these four Christmas essays,” writes biographer Brian Jay Jones.

Irving wrote with fondness of old English Christmases, with their dinners and dancing and singing, their decorations and blazing fires, their air of good cheer. “Amidst the general call to happiness, the bustle of the spirits, and stir of the affections, which prevail at this period,” he asked, “what bosom can remain insensible?”

Back in his homeland, Irving’s homage to the holiday resonated with the public. “Charles Dickens later fine-tuned the Christmas story,” Jones argues, “but Irving had laid the foundation. Americans embraced Irving’s vision of Christmas as their own, marking the revival of a holiday that had been banned in parts of the country for the excessive drinking and fighting it spurred in the populace.”

As Burstein points out, “Irving dressed up an idea that had been floating around.”

Until the end of his life, or so it seems, Irving saw Christmas not only as an indulgence, but a spiritual necessity. “He who can turn churlishly away from contemplating the felicity of his fellow beings,” he wrote, “and can sit down darkling and repining in his loneliness when all around is joyful, may have his moments of strong excitement and selfish gratification, but he wants the genial and social sympathies which constitute the charm of a merry Christmas.”

Danny Heitman is the editor of Phi Kappa Phi’s Forum magazine and a columnist for the  Advocate newspaper in Louisiana. He writes frequently about arts and culture for national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and the  Christian Science Monitor.

Funding information

Washington Irving has been named in numerous NEH grants over the  years . NEH has provided $354,990 in support to Ramapo College of New Jersey for four one-week teacher workshops on "The Hudson River in the 19th century and the Modernization of America." Short stories by Washington Irving were included in the workshops. The Library of America, which was started in 1978 with a then-unprecedented NEH grant of $1 million, keeps classic works of American literature in print. The LOA’s volumes include three collections of Irving’s work.

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Short Essay on Christmas [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Being a very popular festival worldwide, Christmas is an attractive topic for English essay writing. In this lesson, you will learn how you can write short essays on Christmas that you may find relevant for your upcoming exam. 

Short Essay on Christmas in 100 Words

Every culture has its celebrations which are important to all of us. These occasions help us to live and have fun. Christmas is one such festival. It is one of the biggest celebrations in the whole world. It is celebrated on 25th December. Christmas Eve is celebrated on 24th December. It is the day of the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the god of all Christians.

He was born in a stable, in Bethlehem. Christmas is the greatest time for Christians because it is their only festival. During this time, they enjoy their vacation with family and friends. They visit the church and pray to Jesus. They bake cakes and cookies. Christmas is a time of happiness and the world rejoices at it during winter.

Short Essay on Christmas in 200 Words

What would have happened if there was no festival to celebrate? What would have happened if we had to work and study every day, with no recess? We would soon feel tired and unhappy. Thus the solution is celebrations. So it is the festivals that help us live. Festivals are important to us because it relieves us.

When we celebrate, we feel lots of energy. So celebrations are very important to all of us. Christmas is one of the biggest festivals in the world. It is celebrated worldwide. Everyone participates on this occasion. It is mainly the festival of the Christians. But today, the entire world enjoys the Christmas season. 

Christmas is the centre of all joys for Christians. This is the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born on 25th December at Bethlehem, in Jerusalem, in a stable. His mother is Mary and his father is Joseph. Christ is worshipped by all Christians. On the day of this festival, they bake cakes and cookies. Everyone visits the church to pray to Christ.

They drink bread and wine to complete their prayer. Christmas is the occasion when they leave all their worries and only enjoy some days with their family and friends. The biggest attraction of Christmas is Santa Claus. He comes to distribute gifts to little kids. The winter vacation concentrates only on Christmas and then the New Year. 

Short Essay on Christmas in 400 words

Festivals are the biggest source of fun and happiness. Any upcoming festival keeps us energetic. We get all strength to work hard because we can enjoy ourselves during festivals. Christians have very few festivals. It is only during Easter and Christmas that they can have fun. So the winter is the time of their celebration. The world awaits the arrival of Christmas. They make preparations for a long period of time. So Christians rejoice the best during this festival.

Christmas is not just any festival. It is like the Janmasthami, where the Hindus celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna as a little baby. Just like Janmasthami, Christmas is the festival to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all Christians. He was born on 25th December at Bethlehem, in Jerusalem, in a stable. His mother is mother Mary and his father is Joseph.

Jesus and Krishna have lots of similarities. Both of them were shepherds. Both were born in a very humble household. Both of them preached about peace. They taught us not to hurt others, even plants and animals. Being kind to all was their biggest teaching. So Christmas is as beautiful as Janmashtami.

On the eve of Christmas, on 24th December night, people arrange a Christmas tree. They decorate it with gifts and lights. They also bake cakes and cookies. Lots of guests are invited. Those who are rich, throw parties at their houses to celebrate Christmas. On the morning of Christmas, they visit churches and pray to Jesus for the overall peace and well-being. They are offered bread and wine to eat as the blessings of Christ. After they return, their festival starts with sharing food and serving the poor.

The saints, popes, and nuns serve the needy as part of the celebration. The biggest fun of Christmas is Sants Claus. He arrives the night before Christmas and distributes gifts to good children. The kids rejoice at the gifts, which increases their happiness.

Now Christmas is not just a festival of the Christians. It is now for all. In India, everyone enjoys the winter vacation. Kolkata is one of the biggest attractions during this time. It lights up beautifully and people come out of their houses to have fun. Eating cakes, praying to God is now the ritual of all. Christmas is the best year-end celebration that soon passes into the new year.

That was pretty much everything about writing short essays on Christmas. In the session above, I have discussed every possible aspect of this popular festival. Here also I adopted a simplistic approach of writing in a very simple language for easy understanding of all kinds of students. If anybody still has any doubts regarding this session, they can comment down below. To read more such essays on important topics keep browsing our website. 

Thank you. 

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Essay on Christmas

Festivals are likely a way to unite people together for the betterment of society as well as the nation. People celebrate and enjoy all the festivals together irrespective of their caste and religion. A large number of festivals have been celebrated in India. Out of which, one festival that excites all the children the most is Christmas. People eagerly wait for winter due to this incredible festival. So, to know more about this famous festival, today we will discuss the Christmas festival in detail.

Short and Long Christmas Festival Essay in English

Here, we are presenting short and long essays on Christmas in English for students under word limits of 100 – 150 Words, 200 – 250 words, and 500 – 600 words. This topic is useful for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in English. These provided essays on Christmas Festival will help you to write effective essays, paragraphs, and speeches at this festival.

Christmas Essay 10 Lines (100-150 Words)

1) Christmas is the most important festival for Christians.

2) Every year, on December 25th, people gather to celebrate Christmas.

3) Christians decorate the X-Mas tree on this day with different decorative items.

4) The churches are decorated with lights and candles on this occasion.

5) Christmas marks the birthday of Jesus Christ.

6) “Christmas” is derived from “Cristes maesse”, which might be translated as “mass of Christ”.

7) People throw parties and enjoy special Christmas meals.

8) A special star-shaped light is placed on the door.

9) Santa Claus is the main attraction of this festival.

10) The festival of Christmas is a symbol of love and brotherhood.

Short Essay on Christmas (250-300 Words)

Introduction

Christmas is the festival of Christians, but it is now celebrated by people of all castes. Jesus is a symbol of love and peace, so the festival brings people together from different castes and religions.

Christmas: The Incredible Festival

Every year we celebrate Christmas on 25 December. Christmas marks the birthday of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the god of Christians. Christmas tree, Christmas Carol, and Santa Claus are the main excitement of this day. Shopping malls and showrooms are decorated with red and white Christmas theme to welcome Christmas. Children wait for Santa Claus who gives gifts to children. This festival teaches us to stay together and share the bond of love. People feel excited and happy during this festival.

How Christmas is Celebrated?

Around the world, people celebrate Christmas in diverse ways. People say “Merry Christmas” to each other to wish them well. Christmas is incomplete without the “Christmas tree” or “X-mas tree”. People decorate Christmas trees with lights and gifts. The night before Christmas is celebrated as Christmas Eve. Schools also celebrate Christmas with a lot of joy. Christmas treats are traditional plum cakes, cupcakes, and muffins that are made at home. People enjoy partying with their relatives and friends. Many people also visit the church on this day.

Every child loves Christmas for Santa Claus. Children think that Santa Claus would bring their gifts at night. However, they get gifts not from Santa but from their parents. Everyone should celebrate the festival with joy and spread the message of love and brotherhood.

Long Essay on Christmas (500 Words)

Christmas is a famous festival that is celebrated every year on December 25. Christmas means “day of Christ’s feast.” Christmas is celebrated in all Christian countries, but each one does it a little bit differently. Everyone, no matter what religion they follow, celebrates it with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm.

History of Christmas

Christmas has roots in both the pagan and Roman ways of life. Christmas started in the old Roman Empire a few decades after Jesus was born. During December, the Romans celebrated two holidays. The first was Saturnalia, a two-week celebration of Saturn, their god of agriculture. On December 25, they celebrated Mithra, their sun god, coming into the world.

On December 25, the Romans made a big deal out of the winter solstice. Sextus Julius Africanus was the first person to say that Jesus was born on December 25. After that, everyone agreed on that date.

Preparation of Christmas

The preparation for Christmas begins almost a week. People go shopping and buy various decorative items. Santa Claus and the Christmas tree are important parts of this festival. People put candy, gifts, sweets, lights, etc on a big pine or fir tree. A big star hangs on everyone’s house. Different kinds of lights are used to light up cities.

Many people throw small parties. For Christmas, a special meal is made, and houses are decorated with candles, dancing lights, etc. For the event, the church is also decorated. Many people go to church to offer prayers.

Christmas Celebration

People celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Christ, who taught people how to live in peace and harmony. Everyone, especially kids, can’t wait for the festival because on this day they get lots of gifts, sweets, and surprises. People wish each other and give each other sweets. Many people wear white and red clothes on this day.

People spend Christmas day by going to church, spending time with friends and family, and eating special meals. Little kids wait for Santa Claus to come with lots of gifts for them. Some people dress up as Santa Claus and distribute gifts to kids.

Significance of Christmas

Christmas is a special festival all over the world, especially for Christians and people who follow Christianity. This is a time for people to get together with their loved ones, forget about their worries, and have fun. So, during the Christmas season, everyone puts aside their differences and comes together with great zeal and passion to celebrate the festival. It’s about giving to others and helping them. The festival teaches us to be kind and loving to each other and to help those who don’t have as much as we do.

In Christian Mythology, Jesus Christ is revered as the “Messiah of God”. Jesus’ life is an example that everyone should try to live together in peace on earth. Christmas is a good time to remember how important it is to give and share with friends and family.

I hope the above provided essay on Christmas Festival will be helpful in understanding this festival and celebration clearly.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Christmas

Ans. Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Pakistan, Libya, Vietnam, etc. countries do not celebrate Christmas.

Ans. India observes the gazette holiday on the occasion of Christmas.

Ans. The first Christmas was celebrated in 336 AD in Rome.

Ans. Santa Claus is also known as Father Christmas.

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