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Commercial activities during Christmas today are often decried as making
the season too materialistic. This has caused comments that the religious aspect
of Christmas is so overlooked and overshadowed that its celebration seems to be
purely pagan. But today's comparisons aren't the first there has been some link
between Christmas and pagan celebrations. As a religious, church leaders
instituted Christmas during winter because that time of year was a popular for
the celebrations of many pagan festivals. The hope was that Christmas would also
become a holiday that would gain much popularity.
Long before the birth of Jesus Christ, people in various parts of Europe would
celebrate light and birth in the darkest days of winter. The winter solstice,
when the harshest part of winter was over, was a time of celebration for many
peoples because they would look forward to more hours of sunlight during the
longer days ahead.
The Norse in Scandinavia celebrated Yule from the winter solstice on
December 21 through to January. Men brought home logs that were lighted and a
feast would take place until the log was completely burned. Each spark from the
fire was believed to represent a new pig or calf to be born in the coming new
year.
The pagan god Oden was honored by Germans during the mid-winter holiday. Oden
inspired great fear in the Germans who believed that Oden traveled at nights
through the sky to observe people and make a decision about who would perish or
prosper in life. This belief caused most people to stay inside during the
period.
In Rome it was the god of agriculture, Saturn, who was honored in a
holiday called Saturnalia. It was a holiday that started during the week that
led up to the winter solstice and continued for a month with hedonistic
celebrations. There was plenty of food and drink and the normal social class
rules of who had privilege and power in Roman society were totally disregarded
as everyone participated in the festivities. Some Romans also had a feast called
Juvenalia to honor children and the birthday of the sun god Mithra was sometimes
celebrated by the upper classes.
In the early years of the start of Christianity the main holiday was
Easter. It was in the 4th Century that church officials made a decision to have
the birth of Jesus celebrated as a holiday and Pope Julius I chose December 25
as the day of Jesus' birth. The holiday, which was first called the Feast of the
Nativity, spread to England by the end of the 6th Century and to Scandinavia by
the end of the 8th Century.
Church leaders achieved the goal of having Christmas celebrations, including
attendance at church, become popular during the winter solstice, but they were
unable to control other pagan-like celebrations during Christmas. Believers
would attend church on Christmas and then participate later in raucous and
drunken celebrations. But by the Middle Ages, from around the 5th to the 16th
Century, Christianity had outgrown paganism as a religion.
The celebration of Christmas in Europe changed in the early 17th Century
when Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans gained power in England in 1645. To remove
decadent behavior from the society, Cromwell cancelled Christmas as the Puritans
noted that the Bible doesn't mention any date for Jesus' birth. The lack of this
information and specific Biblical references to Christmas is also cited by
religious groups like Jehovah Witnesses as the reason they don't observe or
participate in Christmas. Christmas celebrations returned in England around 1649
when Charles II was restored to the throne.
Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America because the Pilgrims who came
to America had even stricter beliefs than Cromwell and the Puritans. Christmas
celebrations were even forbidden in Boston from 1659 to 1681. During the same
time however, settlers in Jamestown in Virginia were reported to have enjoyed
Christmas.
After the American Revolution Christmas again lost popularity and it wasn't
until June 26, 1870 that Christmas was declared a federal holiday. Christmas in
the United States gained popularity as a holiday period during the 19th Century.
Christmas celebrations also changed at that time to be more family-centered
rather than being carnival-like.
It's only fitting, perhaps, that along with the magic of Santa Claus at
Christmas, holiday and Christmas lights also came about through the work of a
wizard - the Wizard of Menlo Park in New Jersey - as Thomas Edison was called.
It was Edison who first developed and demonstrated an incandescent electric
light bulb in 1879 that had commercial potential, an event that led the way for
the mass use of electricity and lights on Christmas tree as used today.
Before the discovery and use of electricity, candles were used to light
Christmas trees. That practice evolved into having glass covers with candles
inside them or metal lanterns that had small wicks. These were hung like
ornaments on Christmas trees. But even after Edison invented the incandescent
electric light bulb, it took many years before the large-scale manufacture of
Christmas tree lights were available commercially.
It is said that the idea of Christmas lights came from one of Edison's
assistants, Edward Johnson. In 1882, Johnson had Christmas tree bulbs made
specially for him. He displayed these electric bulbs on his Christmas tree at
his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City and it drew widespread attention. But
Christmas tree lights underwent many changes and improvement before General
Electric Co. introduced Christmas lights on a commercial scale. As an example,
among the earlier lights used on Christmas trees were night-lights that were
strung together to make light strings. After the commercial introduction of
Christmas lights, sales and wide-scale use of them soared.
Decorative mini-lights to be used for Christmas tree lighting were introduced in
the 1970s. Since then, they have continued to be popular and are the dominant
types of Christmas tree lights in the marketplace. Before that, icicle lights
were introduced as decoration for rooflines. Those decorative lights are the
most popular ones used for outdoor landscape lighting during the holidays.
Outdoor decorative lighting has evolved from Christmas tree lighting to also
become a popular way to use colorful lighting during the holidays to create
spectacular scenes.
Another development in decorative lighting at Christmas time is the use of
candles. Real candles can be used, but electric candles became more popular and
safer because they present less threat of a fire hazard. Today that threat has
also decreased with the development of flameless battery candles. The battery
operation also makes their use more flexible because they can be placed in areas
where there aren't electrical outlets. Candles are usually displayed at several
windows of a house during the holidays. They produce an appealing look
especially if there are at least two sets of three windows each other where they
can be placed.
Battery-operated candles can also be used during Christmas and the holidays for
other activities such as caroling, church services, school activities and for
other holiday arrangements around the home.
As Christmas lights have become a mandatory feature of the holidays, they are
continually being used in new ways that differ considerably from their early
beginnings. Outdoor lighting is now just as common as indoor lighting and that
is an area in which a change in the use of holiday lighting can be seen. Along
with icicle lights that illuminate rooflines and frames of houses, there are
also lights that are placed in shrubs. Holiday lighting also comes in the shape
of trees and other ornaments that can be placed on lawn to enhance the visual
appeal during the holidays.
Many lawns are landscaped by lighting during Christmas and the holiday season
with lighted figurines and various other items associated with the season. In
some communities, entire blocks of streets will have such elaborate holiday lawn
lighting that they attract passersby and even tourists - residents from
elsewhere - who are captivated by the spectacular visual displays of the
landscaped holiday lighting.
Christmas is described as a festive season therefore we should all engage
in activities during the season that provide entertainment, merriment and which
give pleasure. Because Christmas is about celebration, many types of festivities
can be found to suit all preferences to make the season a joyful one.
A readily available option is watching Christmas movies. This can be done
from the comfort of home or by spending a few hours out at the theater. A
wonderful option now available for obtaining movies is to rent them via the
Internet. It's an option that allows you to get any movie you want to see -
whether traditional, popular or a remake of an original title. There's also
fairly easy access to obscure movie titles, as well as movies with holiday or
Christmas themes.
Although Christmas movies embody the spirit of the season, you can also
take time out during Christmas to enjoy new releases that may or may not have a
holiday theme. Christmas is a good time to catch notable new releases because
they are timed to be shown in theaters before the end of the year to be
considered for prestigious Oscar nominations.
Performances of Christmas plays that depict the Nativity scene are also
another popular entertainment during Christmas. Although these performances are
done year after year, they never grow old because of creative difference in
interpreting the story, and also in how each role is acted by different actors
every year.
The dramatization of the Nativity demonstrates the meaning of Christmas and can
also simplify the meaning of Christmas for children. Participation in the
Nativity is also an important activity for children in drama groups at schools
and church groups.
Along with depicting the meaning of Christmas, the Nativity play also portrays
moral lessons that can serve as an inspiration for the way to become a more
spiritual person and to live a better life. Watching or taking part in the
Nativity play at Christmas time can therefore affect your attitude and outlook
on life.
Musical entertainment at Christmas can come from pausing during shopping to
listen to a choral group at the mall or downtown. It can also be entertaining to
simply hum along to a Christmas carol or song being played on the radio. Carols
as a tradition at Christmas is said to originate in England and France in the
Middle Ages. At the time, carols were dances accompanied by singing. The
tradition that Anglo-Saxons preferred was to have small choirs gather on the
village green and sing carols and Christmas songs to passersby. Over time, the
meaning of the word changed to refer to only certain types of songs.
The tradition of carols is also believed to evolve from the angels, shepherds
and Wise Men who bowed down to sing praises and to worship Baby Jesus.
For those who are really lovers of the arts, professional groups like
Orchestras, Symphonies, Conservatories and Choirs also offer splendid concerts
during Christmas. They will also sing Christmas carols and songs. But the
harmony of their voices accompanied by a full compliment of instruments provides
a richer and more melodious rendition of the carols that is unlikely to be heard
anywhere else.
Probably the most popular festivities at Christmas are parties, which seem to
happen everywhere all the time at Christmas. There are parties at work, home,
with friends and class parties at school. Even social hubs such as bars may have
special nights with different food and lower-priced drinks during Christmas.
It seems there is no end to the festivities during Christmas. It's always
important however to have a good time, to remember the unfortunate and to reach
out to them and to have fun but in a responsible manner.
With so much decorative choice at Christmas, a strategy is needed to
ensure that whatever is done looks organized, well arranged and beautiful, and
not haphazard and disorganized. By doing some basic or traditional decoration,
along with trying creative and different ideas, a beautiful and pleasing
decorative environment can be created in all homes.
Traditional decorating ideas include using wreaths for doors or
entranceways and on a wall with unobstructed view. Garlands can be placed along
surface where they can be hung vertically or horizontally. And Christmas lights
can be used by itself or with garlands, in shrubs and of course on Christmas
trees.
Using Christmas lights outdoors along the frame of houses and icicle
shaped ones to decorate the roof lines of homes have become very popular. Icicle
lights are just as easy as regular lights to put in place and they create a very
pleasing display for the holiday season. Adding color to these outdoor light
displays can also make houses and the lighting display look more spectacular.
For indoor lighting, candles have become an attractive Christmas
decorative item as they can light up the night in a subdued but beautiful
manner. Candles create a pleasing look when displayed at windows if there are at
least two sets of two or three windows directly above each other, which is in a
vertical pattern. New technologies with candles have also made them safer to
use. There are electrical candles but also battery-operated ones that can be
used safely instead of electrical ones or in places where there aren't any
electrical outlets.
There are also creative ways to use and incorporate various items around
the home to make Christmas decorations. Christmas or holiday ribbons can be used
to make bows that are pinned onto curtains to provide a festive look and a
creative Christmas decoration. Like curtains, houseplants can also be dressed up
for the holidays. Small Christmas ornaments can be gently placed on houseplants
to give porches, patios and front lawns a surprising Christmas decorative look.
Although many people don't use Christmas stockings anymore to stuff
Christmas gifts, they can still be used to create perfect Christmas decorations.
A collection of Christmas stockings can be hung on the mantle, shelf or a wall
with or without anything inside them. They will look just as beautiful as those
that are often seen in stores.
Christmas lights can also be wrapped along with garlands on a banister or
stair railing to add a twinkling Christmas look. Mistletoe can also be hung just
about anywhere with or without Christmas lights. If the tale about mistletoe is
believed however, then it should be hung somewhere with room underneath where
two people can have a friendly holiday kiss or even a hug. Fake snow can also be
sprinkled on garlands, mistletoes and wreaths to further enhance their
appearance with something from the Christmas season.
And to borrow a decorative feature from department stores, several differently
sized boxes can be wrapped, piled in a haphazard manner and placed in a corner
from floor to ceiling to make a gift pillar decoration.
Old Christmas cards can also be used for decoration by cutting pictures from
them to make a collage. The pictures are then glued onto a poster board that can
be framed or hung as is on a wall as Christmas decoration. Even Christmas cookie
cutters can be put to an easy, simple and creative use as a decorative item at
Christmas time. A ribbon can be used to string two or three or even single
cookie cutters that can be placed on the Christmas tree or at a window as
decorative ornaments.
Any home can therefore be decorated to be appealing for Christmas and the
holidays, given the many ideas and ways that Christmas decoration can be done.
