What Is Christmas? A Must Read Guide For You & Your Family!

Christmas is considered an annual religious as well as a cultural festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, which is indeed celebrated by billions of people around the world on December 25th.

It is also known to precede the Advent season. The Nativity Fast marks the beginning of the season of Christmastide, which traditionally in the west is known to last for 12 days and culminates on the Twelfth Night.

Christmas Day is considered a public holiday in many nations, and the majority of Christians, as well as many non-Christians, are known to observe it religiously as well as culturally.

In accordance with messianic prophecies, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, according to the traditional first Christmas tale, as well as the Nativity of Jesus which was described in the New Testament.

When Joseph and Mary were known to arrive in town, the inn was full, so they were offered a stable to stay in, where the Christ Child was born.

Angels are considered to have announced the good news to all the nearby shepherds. They were known to spread the word later on.

The Christ Child, also known as the Baby Jesus, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, as well as Santo Nio, is the name given to baby Jesus Christ from the time Jesus was born until the age of 12.

Although the month, as well as the date of Jesus' birth, remains unknown, the church decided on December 25 during the early 4th century. On the Roman calendar, this corresponds to the winter solstice.

It is nine months after the Annunciation, which normally falls on March 25 and is known as the spring equinox. According to the Gregorian calendar, which is widely used as the calendar around the world, most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25.

The Christian meaning of a Christmas tree is that it's a sign of Christ. The triangle shape of the Christmas tree represents the trinity and from there the concept that the tree should be a symbol of Christ and new life arose.

It is said that bringing evergreen trees inside the house is one of the key origins of the Christmas tree. Christmas parties, Santa Claus, and Christmas cards have become some popular Christmas customs along with night-long Church services.

Christmas is a famous Christian festival that celebrates the symbols of eternal life and the birth of the unconquered sun.

After reading about the significance of Christmas day and Christmas dinner, also check out facts about German Christmas symbols and the Mexican Christmas flower.

What are Christmas Carols about?

A Christmas carol is a song or hymn with a Christmas theme that is generally sung on Christmas Day or over the Christmas holiday season. The term 'noel' has been applied to various carols, particularly those of French provenance.

Christmas carols are a subcategory of the larger area of Christmas music. The earliest known Christmas hymns are from the 4th century in Rome.

Songs that are today known as carols were originally communal songs sung during festivals such as harvest time and Christmas. It wasn't until the later part of the 19th century that carols were popular in churches and became connected with Christmas. Apart from the birth of Jesus, Christmas carols describe a number of distinct Christmas events.

Carols have always been built upon medieval chord patterns, which gives them their distinctive melodic sound. Some carols, such as 'Personent Hodie', 'The Holly and the Ivy' as well as 'Good King Wenceslas' date from the Middle Ages and are among the oldest musical works still performed today.

Compositions that become popular carols continue to be written. Many of Alfred Burt's songs, for example, are sung regularly in both ecclesiastical and secular settings and are among the most well-known modern Christmas carols.

Until the second half of the 19th century, almost all of the well-known carols were not sung in the early church.

'Joy to the World', penned by Isaac Watts who was the founder of English hymnody, has become a popular Christmas song, despite the fact that it is usually assumed that Watts did not write it to be sung just for Christmas.

Christmas Bush

The New South Wales Christmas bush is one plant that is appropriately suited for the celebration of Christmas. Little, creamy-white blooms of this shapely native shrub give way to beautiful scarlet or pink bracts in early July.

With its gorgeous, lustrous, velvety leaves, it's no surprise that this plant is a florist's favorite throughout the popular holiday season. The greatest time to choose your favorite variety is between November and December when the calyx ripens and colors brilliantly.

'Albery's Red', a big shrub with consistently vivid red blooms, is a popular variety. 'Red, Red, Red Christmas' has bracts that mature to a deeper shade of red. The dwarf 'Johanna's Christmas' can grow to be several meters high and wide.

The New South Wales (NSW) Christmas bush blooms in the spring. The buds bloom into white flowers. After the flowers have faded, the bracts continue on the tree, gaining their unique reddish color from November through the Christmas season, until February.

The shrub prefers slight shade or light sunlight and prefers to grow in well-drained and sandy soil. It can be grown in a pot or in the ground and can also be grown in clay-like soil if added with some gypsum.

The plant will grow well if it is protected from the wind, so a wind shelter can be built.

Christmas Bonus

A Christmas bonus is a nice ending to a long year of hard work for many employees. However, the issue of giving employees incentives is still worth considering for companies.

During Christmas, employees sometimes get a one-time gift that is free of taxes. This gift is called a Christmas Bonus. Usually, it is during the time of Christmas start, which is in December. 

There are various situations in which a Christmas bonus is given.

The company has it written in the work contract that there will be a Christmas bonus.

Other times, a Christmas bonus is suggested by tradition or practice.

Where conduct (such as delivering a Christmas bonus every year) is consistent, long-standing, automatically received, expected, and well-known, it becomes an implicit provision in an employee's contract.

Christmas At Bute Park

'Christmas at Bute Park' is the largest holiday light display ever seen in Wales. Majestic fairy tree avenues, fascinating laser shows, awe-inspiring fire sculptures, attractive displays, and trees are seen across the park.

The event is poised to provide some much-needed seasonal cheer to Welsh, shoppers and visitors alike, in winters. The event ends with the famous installation known as the Sea of Light which is designed by the famous Ithaca Studio that is known for its incredible work across various events.

Christmas festivities happen around the end of November in the form of lip-smacking street food, mulled wine, laser shows, Christmas decorations, and much more.

Visitors are able to visit at a number of time intervals starting on November 25th and going through New Year's Eve. The event is wheelchair and pram accessible, with the goal of providing an inclusive Christmas celebration for the entire family.

Christmas At Kew

Every year, Kew Gardens celebrates the festive season with a stunning after-dark experience that winds its way across the Gardens. Since 2013, the Gardens have been open at night from late November to early January, allowing visitors to experience the magic of the botanical gardens when they would otherwise be closed.

Water displays, fire gardens, mesmerizing light shows as well as breathtaking art pieces punctuate your journey to help create the spirit of the Christmas season, while always remembering that the most stunning backdrop of oaks, pines, firs, cedars, and chestnuts is provided by nature herself.

A colorful rainbow tree illumination will stretch along with Syon Vista, and a breathtaking Meadow of Light will explode into vivid life, bringing the 12 Days of Christmas to life.

What is Christmas Eve called?

The evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, the holiday commemorating Jesus's birth, is known as Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is commonly recognized as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day around the world.

Both days are celebrated as one of the most culturally significant events in Christianity and western society.

Due in part to the Christian liturgical day beginning at sunset, a practice inherited from Jewish tradition and based on the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis, 'And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day', Christmas celebrations in western Christian denominations have long begun on Christmas Eve.

Many churches, such as Nordic Lutheran churches, still ring their church bells and have evening prayers, as Jesus is said to have been born at night.

Midnight Mass is held on Christmas Eve, customarily at midnight, to commemorate his birth.

Christmas Eve is also associated with a variety of other cultural Christmas traditions and experiences around the world, including the gathering of family and friends; the singing of Christmas carols; the illumination and enjoyment of Christmas lights, trees, and other decorations; wrapping, exchanging gifts, and opening Christmas gifts; and general preparation for Christmas Day.

Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind, and Saint Nicholas are all believed to leave on Christmas Eve for their annual journey to distribute gifts to children all across the world.

Christmas Goose

The goose was the initial highlight of Cratchit's dinner, and it's a valued bird that Scrooge sends an urchin to get at the end of A Christmas Carol. The tenderness and flavor of goose as well as size and cheapness were themes of popular acclaim, the Ghost of Christmas Present tells Scrooge, in the Christmas Carol.

During Christmas, a modern American family will have ham, turkey, or beef, but goose will remain the meat as per the Christmas tradition.

The goose has been meticulously crafted to provide the perfect Christmas feast. Every two years, geese are ready to be eaten.

They eat fallen corn twice, once when they are young or 'green' in early summer and again when they are fattest and ripest near the end of the year. The goose also boasts the softest fat of any animal in its category.

Geese were thus used as the centerpiece of Michaelmas, a feast day commemorating the end of the harvest and the change of seasons in the Middle Ages that fell on the winter solstice. Previously, the roast goose was offered to Odin and Thor as a thank you for a good harvest.

It was also consumed ritually in ancient Greek culture to ensure crops for the months ahead. It was only natural for the goose to become the preferred Christmas roast, gradually displacing other winter solstice celebrations.

Christmas Moss

Christmas moss is one of the most commonly utilized aquarium plants. In a freshwater tank, the plant can develop magnificent carpet moss despite its slow growth. The plant gets its name from the way its branches hang down, overlapping and forming the shape of a Christmas tree.

The moss is quite simple to maintain and grow. Vesicularia montagnei is the scientific name for Christmas Moss, which belongs to the Hypnaceae family of aquatic plants. Xmas Moss is another popular name for the plant, and Brazilian Willow Moss is its Japanese name.

Christmas moss is commonly used to wrap aquarium driftwood for aquascaping rocks. Moss lends an aged aspect to hardscape that is appreciated by enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Moss is very often used in breeding efforts, and it can provide beneficial cover for fry. There are many different kinds of aquarium moss, and each one has its own development pattern.

Christmas moss, which is also known as Xmas moss, is also a fixture in the planted aquarium hobby. It's a popular moss in many notable aquascapes because of its bright green color.

Aquarium moss, in general, has a wide range of applications and may be used to recreate a number of styles and functions in a planted tank. For shrimp and fish, this plant provides excellent shade and protection.

Moss can be anchored to hardscape or left free-floating, making it a very adaptable plant. It may be cultivated in a variety of aquarium environments and is suitable for beginners, breeders, and everyone.

Christmas Yule

Yule or Yule time, which is also known as Yule season, is a Germanic celebration that has been celebrated for centuries. Yule's origins have been linked to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Mdraniht, according to scholars.

Germanic people celebrate Yule, an indigenous winter holiday. Christmas can refer to a single day, such as December 25, or it can refer to the entire Christmas season.

Christmastime and Christmastide are two more words for the Christmas season, with tide referring to an old term that meant a season or period in the course of the year, day, or more. Tide has a tighter meaning in the Christian church, which is a period of time that contains and follows an anniversary, pagan festival, or other events.

Yule can be used to refer to both Christmas and the Christmas season as a whole, which is also known as yuletide. So 'Christmas' and 'Christmastime' are both yule and yuletide, but 'Christmas Day' is not.

The oldest mentions of it are in the form of month names, with the Yule-tide period lasting about two months and falling between what is now mid-November and early January on the contemporary calendar. Yule was later Christianized, resulting in the word Christmastide, which departed from its pagan roots.

The Yule goat, Yule chanting, Yule log, Yule boar, and other modern Christmas rituals and pagan traditions may have their origins in pagan Yule celebrations. Christmas and other celebrations that take place during the winter solstice or holiday season are still referred to as Yule in Nordic nations and Estonia.

Yule is still commemorated by LaVeyan Satanists and is celebrated in Heathenry and other Neopagan religions such as Wicca as part of their Wheel of the Year.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what is Christmas, then why not take a look at Christopher Columbus facts or Christmas in Sweden.