Here are some facts about the ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS EVE from the book Holiday Symbols 1998 by Omnigraphics and edited by Sue Ellen Thompson. (pgs. 75-76)
Christmas Eve
Type of Holiday: Religious (Christian)
Date of Observation: December 24
Where Celebrated: United States, Great Britain, Europe, and by Christians throughout the world
Symbols: Candles and Fire; Reindeer; Santa Clause; Yule Log
Colors: Christmas Eve is traditionally associated with the colors red and green.
Related Holidays: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day)
ORIGINS
Christmas Eve marks the end of the ADVENT season, the period of preparation for CHRISTMAS that begins on November 30 (November 15 in the East). It was on this night that the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks outside Bethlehem saw the bright star in the sky that signaled the birth of Jesus Christ. Despite its Christian significance, there are a number of pagan and supernatural beliefs connected with Christmas Eve. In Scandinavian countries, it is believed that the dead revisit their former homes on Christmas Eve. People make sure that their parlors are tidy and that a good fire is burning before they go to bed. They often light candles, set the table, and leave out plenty of food for their ghostly visitors. They also make sure that the seats of their chairs have been dusted. When they get up in the morning, they wipe the chairs again with a clean white towel. If they find any dirt on the seat, it means that a relative fresh from the grave sat there during the night.
In many parts of Europe, people believe that at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals briefly possess the power of speech. It might have been the traditional association of the ox and the ass with the Nativity scene that gave rise to such superstitions, but the concept of talking animals is probably pagan in origin. A closely related belief, widespread in England and Europe, is that cattle rise in their stalls at midnight on Christmas Eve, or kneel to worship the Christ Child.
The midnight church service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is the main Christmas Eve tradition for Christians of all denominations and even for non-believers, many of whom come to hear Christmas music performed. <P>
Here are some facts about the ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS from the book Holiday Symbols 1998 by Omnigraphics and edited by Sue Ellen Thompson. (pgs. 65-66)
Christmas: .....Continued from: 12-15-04.....A Testimony of the origin of Christmas/X-MAS ....@ ....the below link but at the above date, and on that page scrolling down until that date.
http://firstthings1st.com/index.htm
Type of Holiday: Religious (Christian)
Date of Observation: December 25
Where Celebrated: United States, Great Britain, Europe, and by Christians throughout the world
Symbols: Boar, Candy Cane, Christmas Card, Christmas Carols, Christmas tree, Creche, Gifts, Holly, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Wassail, Wreath (see CHRISTMAS EVE for Candles, Reindeer, Santa Claus, Yule log.)
Colors: Christmas is traditionally associated with the colors, red and green.
Related Holidays: Advent, Christmas Eve, Epiphany, St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day)
ORIGINS
The first celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 took place in Rome about the middle of the fourth century, although the Eastern chruch was already observing January 6 as a joint commemoration of Christ's birth and baptism. Since the exact date of the Nativity is not known, there are a number of theories as to why December 25 was chosen. One is that it was designed to replace the ancient Roman winter festival known as the SATURNALIA, which was held on December 17-23. Another is that it was a replacement for the Brumalia, or Birthday of the Unconquered Sun, which was observed on December 25 because it followed the winter solstice, when the days began to grow longer, Christmas also coincided, more or less, with the Jewish Feast of Lights or HANUKKAH, the Egyptian Birthday of the Sun-God, and the Anglo-Saxon Feast of Yule. In any case, it must have seemed only natural to replace the birthday of the sun with the birthday of the Son of God. Many of the symbols associated with Christmas still reflect its twin roots in Christianity and pagan seasonal lore.
Even in pre-Christian times, the period between December 25 and January 6 was considered a special time of year. Now widely referred to as "The Twelve Days of Christmas," this was a time when spirits roamed the earth and were apt to cause mischief if certain precautions weren't taken. A number of the superstitions associated with this period concerned spinning. In England, for example, it was said that if any flax were left on the distaff, the Devil would come and cut it. In Denmark, it was believed that nothing characterized by a circular motion (such as a spinning wheel) should be used between Christmas and NEW YEAR'S DAY.
When the Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian calendar in 1582, 11 days were dropped to make up for the discrepancy that had accumulated over the centuries. Roman Catholic countries quickly accepted the new calendar, but in England and Scotland, people had trouble adjusting to the change. For almost 200 years, they continued to observe Christmas on what was now January 5. Even after the British adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, people living in rural areas continued to observe "Old Christmas Day" on January 5 (January 6 after 1800). The new calendar was never adopted by the Greek and other Eastern churches, where Christmas is still observed on January 6.
Xmas, the common abbreviation for Christmas, is regarded by many--especially those who are intent on preserving the holiday's religious roots and traditions--as an insult to Christ, if not a sacrilege. In fact, the abbreviation is entirely apporiate. The letter "X" (chi) is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there was an even longer abbrevation that came into use around 1550: X-temmas.
The following is from a pamphlet Christmas A Demon Holiday by L.R. Shelton (pgs. 3,6,8, & 11).
The word of God plainly sets forth in the third chapter of Second Timothy, a picture of the CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS; and whether you believe it or not, we are living in the last days now! (vs. 1-2-4-5-7); (2 iTim . 4:3-4).
Then in Second Corithians, we find the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul to the Church at Corinth in these words, (vs. 3-4).
When the Galatian Chrisians began to turn away from the SIMPLICITY IN CHRIST, they began to observe days, and months, and times, and years. ( Gal. 4:9-11)
Then why celebrate the 25th of December? Long before the Christian era, that is, before Christ came, A FESTIVAL WAS CELEBRATED AMONG THE HEATHEN ON THE 25TH OF DECEMBER IN HONOR OF THE BIRTH OF THE SON OF THE BABYLONIAN QUEEN OF HEAVEN. On the 25th of December the sun reaches its farthest point south, that is, the earth is farthest from the sun, and on this day, the 25th of December, the sun seems to rest in its course before it turns back and the days begin to grow longer. Therefore, the worshippers of the sun god in their Pagan worship, set December 25th as the birthday of the SON OF THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN. This worshipping of the queen of heaven, God declares in His Word, is an abomination unto Him and shall be punished with judgment (Jer. 44:16,17,18,23).
THE MEANING OF MERRY CHRISTMAS!
MERRY means cheerful or joyful.
CHRISTMAS means CHRIST-MASS or the Christian festival on December 25 that celebrates the birth of Jesus. As to conclude our study on the above matter, we found that CHRIST IS NOT IN CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE CHRITS HAS NO FELLOWSHIP WITH SATAN OR UNBELIEF, CHRISTMAS is not the celebration of Christ's birthday but the birthday of the sun god, one of the major idols of Babylon. Christmas therefore originated in Babylon, the seat of idolarty.
So when you wish someone a MERRY CHRISTMAS, YOU ARE ACTUALLY WISHING THEM A CHEERFUL OR JOYFUL HAPPY BIRTHDAY OF THE SUN GOD!<P>
Here are some facts about the origin of NEW YEAR'S DAY and NEW YEAR'S EVE, from the book Holiday Symbols 1998 by Omnigraphics and edited by Sue Ellen Thompson (pgs. 320-324).
New Year's Day
Type of Holiday: Calendar
Date of Observation: Jan. 1
Where Celebrated: Australia, British Isles, North and South America, Europe, Scandinavia, and in all countries using the Gregorian calendar.
Symbols: Baby, First-footing, Football Games, Gifts, Pig, Resolutions
Related Holidays: Chinese New Year, Dewali, Nawruz, New Year's Eve, Oshogatsu, Rosh Hashanah, Saturnalia, Tet
ORIGINS
Celebrating the first day of the year on January 1 is a relatively modern practice. Up until the time of Julius Caesar, the Romans generally celebrated New Year's Day in March, the first month of the Roman year. January 1 marked the beginning of the civil year for the ancient Romans, a time when new consuls were inducted into office. Although there were games and feasting at this time, March 1 was still observed as New Year's day with a festival to Mars, the Roman god of war.
Caesar changed the Roman New Year's Day to January 1 in honor of Janus, the god of all beginnings and the keeper of the gates of heaven and earth. Janus was always represented with two faces, one looking back to the old year and the other looking forward to the new year. It was customary to celebrate the festival in his honor by exchanging GIFTS and making RESOLUTIONS to be friendly and good to one another.
When the Romans under Constantine accepted Christianity as their new faith, they retained the Festival of Janus as their New Year's Day but turned it into a day of fasting and prayer. It was a time for all good Christians to turn over a new leaf, but not all Christians observed it. Even after the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Roman Catholic countries in 1582, Great Britain and the English colonies in America continued to begin the year in March. It wasn't until 1752 that Britain and its possessions adopted the so-called New Style calendar (Gregorian) and accepted January 1 as the beginning of the year. But among the Puritans in New England, the old associations with the pagan god Janus were offensive enough to persuade many of them to ignore the day altogether and refer to January simply as "First Month."
The modern New Year's Day is geared toward feasting rather than fasting. Almost everywhere it is a day for receiving visitors (see FIRST-FOOTING) and recovering from NEW YEAR'S EVE festivities.
New Year's Eve
Type of Holiday: Calendar
Date of Observation: December 31
Where Celebrated: Australia, British Isles, North and South America, Europe, Scandinavia, former Soviet Union, and in all countries using the Gregorian calendar
Symbols: Auld Lang syne, Noisemaking, Old Man, Wassail Bowl
Related Holidays: Chinese New Year, Dewali, Nawruz, New Year's Day, Oshogatsu, Rosh Hashanah, Saturnalia, Tet
ORIGINS
Midnight on December 31 marks the transition between the Old Year and the New Year, an occasion that is celebrated with everything from prayer to parties. Some people wear silly hats, drink champagne, and use NOISEMAKERS; they're apt to kiss their bosses, throw their arms around strangers on the street, and generally engage in behavior that would be considered scandalous at other times of the year. Others attend midnight church services, while still others congregate in public places like New York City's Times Square or London's Trafalgar Square to count down the closing seconds of the old year.
It is likely that our New Year's Eve customs are related, if only indirectly, to the ancient Roman SATURNALIA, which was observed around the time of the WINTER SOLSTICE in December. This pagan holiday was characterized by the suspension of discipline and rules governing behavior, and like New Year's Eve celebrations today, it occasionally got out of hand. In eighteenth- century America, the New Year's Eve revelry in such cities as Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore often ended in street demonstrations and violence. Groups of men and boys would blow tin horns, set off firecrackers, knock down gates and fences, shatter windows, and even break into the homes of the wealthy, demanding money or hospitality.
Unlike CHRISTMAS, which is traditionally celebrated indoors, New Year's Eve festivities frequently take place in the out-of-doors, particularly in urban areas. A popular trend that has emerged in recent years is attending "First Night" celebrations. These originated in Boston in 1976 and are now held in more than 65 American cities. They represent a deliberate attempt to replace the partying and drinking that have traditionally marked New Year's Eve with a wide variety of cultural events and performances in both indoor and outdoor settings. Those who prefer a quiet New Year's Eve at home often get their outdoor experience vicariously by watching the illuminated ball that descends on Times Square during the closing minutes of the old year
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