For billions of people on planet Earth, Christmas is a meaningful and bright, truly great holiday. It is traditionally celebrated throughout the Christian world in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus in the city of Bethlehem. According to the new style - December 25 (among Catholics), according to the old - January 7 (among Orthodox), but the essence is the same: a holiday dedicated to Christ - this is what Christmas is! This is the opportunity to save all of humanity, which came to us with the birth of the little Jesus.
Relevance
What is Christmas for Catholics? This is the most revered holiday. The Catholic Church considers it even higher than Easter, highlights the physical birth of Christ, which made it possible to atone for universal sins. For Orthodox Christians, the holiday is the second in importance after the Resurrection. In the first place, the spiritual birth is the resurrection and ascension of the Master to heaven.
Christian story
What is the Nativity of Christ? Description, the origin of the holiday is well known to us from the Gospel. Mary lived with her parents in Nazareth (Galilee). She was born when her parents, Joachim and Anna, were already in their years, became a welcome and late child. When Mary was 3 years old, she was taken to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, where she was brought up in piety. When the time came to get married, they found her a God-fearing and righteous husband - the carpenter Joseph. Mary and Joseph became engaged.
The appearance of the Archangel
One day, Mary goes to the spring to get water. She is an angel who proclaims the future birth of a baby from the Holy Spirit. There will be that male infant, and he is destined to die for the sins of the human race, taking upon himself atonement and purification. The virgin is amazed, but accepts the will of God. Soon, her position could no longer be hidden, and people began to condemn Mary, since she was only betrothed. Even Joseph intends to leave her. But the angel who dreamed of him at night tells of the immaculate conception of the Holy Spirit, and Joseph obeys. At the command of the Lord, he will have to stay with his wife and baby. The righteous declares Mary his wife.
In Bethlehem
Mary, already on her own, with her husband Joseph goes to Bethlehem. They failed to find shelter upon arrival in the city, but they see the cave outside and take refuge there. Mary feels that the time has come for childbirth. Here, in the cave for the shepherds, the baby Jesus is born, and the bright star of Bethlehem announces the fact of birth. Its light illuminates the whole earth, and far in the east of the magi, the Chaldean sages realize that the prophecies of the scriptures came true: the Tsar the Savior is born!
Gifts of the Sages
To see the Messiah, the wise men gather on a long journey. And the shepherds grazing livestock in neighboring pastures are the first to worship the Savior, hearing the singing of angels who announce their birth. Upon arrival in Judea, the magi find a cave where a Holy Family takes refuge in a brightly shining star. Approaching Christ, they bring gifts: incense and myrrh, as well as gold. And then they depart to glorify Jesus each in their own lands.
Massacre of the innocents
King Herod, who heard about the birth of the King of the World in Bethlehem, orders his subordinates to destroy all male babies under two years old. But the Holy Family flees from the city to Egypt to protect Jesus from reprisal. Here is a brief Christian story on what Christmas is.
In Russia
We began to celebrate this bright holiday in the 10th century, since the spread of Christianity in the lands subordinate to Prince Vladimir, who is believed to have baptized Russia. In a strange way, Christmas was combined with a pagan holiday in honor of the spirits of the ancestors - the Christmas time. Therefore, in the Russian context of the celebration, sacred rites are also present. To understand what Christmas is in Russia, you need to know these, more ancient, Slavic traditions.
Christmas Eve
This is the name of the day that precedes Christmas, the last day of Lent (December 24 - at the Catholics, January 6 - at the Orthodox). The word "juicer" literally translates to "vegetable oil." So called porridge seasoned with vegetable oil, which was supposed to eat on this day. In the morning on Christmas Eve in all the rooms cleaned up, cleaned, scrubbed the floor and rubbed with juniper branches. Then - a hot bath for the purity of the body and soul.
Carols
In the evening they were going to big companies - to sing a carriage. Dressed up in strange clothes, painted faces. On the sled they planted Kolyada, usually a doll dressed in a white shirt. Sang ritual songs.
What is Christmas for children?
Children made a star and walked around the village. They sang under the windows or entered houses. These were songs mainly glorifying the holiday. The owners were also called and for this they received gifts from them - money, pastries, sweets and sweets. Thus, from an early age, children knew what the Nativity of Christ was, and they were accustomed to the traditions and beliefs of Orthodoxy.
Ritual dishes
There was a tradition (relevant in our time) of preparing special dishes that accompany the great holiday, playing a symbolic role. Kutya meant in a sacred sense the continuity of being, the continuity of generations, fertility and prosperity. Fire is a drink made in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus. This combination of kutya and boil was usually served on the table at Christmas. As a rule, kutia was cooked early in the morning from cereal grains, then languished in the oven and seasoned with honey and butter. A blast was prepared from dried fruits and berries on water. And such dishes were placed under the icons on the hay in honor of Jesus, who was born in a manger. They also baked various animal figures - sheep, cows, chickens - as holiday symbols, and then distributed them to relatives and friends.
Star of bethlehem
What is the Nativity of Christ and how did the further celebration process take place? In the evening, everyone was waiting for the star of Bethlehem to enter heaven , symbolizing the birth of the Savior. Only after this event could it be taken for food. At the same time, both the table and benches were supposed to be covered with hay. This symbolized the cave where Christ was once born.
Christmas Eve was not supposed to work. Young girls usually wondered this evening.
Christmas time
From Christmas to Baptism (January 19), days called Christmas time passed. On the first day, early in the morning, “sowing” of huts was carried out. The shepherd, entering the room, scattered a handful of oats. This symbolized wealth, health and fertility.
About Christmas for children
For kids, Christmas is always a fairy tale, do not forget about it. If the child is small, he can also take part in the celebration with pleasure. Buy him coloring books that tell you what Christmas is for children. Help to learn a verse or a carol to tell the new guests. You can make your own Christmas nativity scene by cutting and coloring small figures of characters along with your baby.
If the child is older, you can teach him to sing Christmas carols, and even go with the children to talk to the neighbors. Of course, the child for this should receive a variety of rewards - sweets, small money, sweets. And in many countries it is customary to give children gifts for Christmas. Let us and we will maintain such a good tradition!