Joy to the World

The meaning of Christmas

Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the belief in God's birth as a first-century Judean man, Jesus Christ, celebrated each year on Dec. 25. Faithful observers believe the all-powerful, uncreated God became "incarnate" to redeem humanity from a fallen state by dying and rising again at Easter (though sects disagree on specifics). In recent centuries, the religious feast expanded into a major holiday season of gift-giving, celebrated by an estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide.

Its timing and many of its customs trace back to ancient seasonal festivals, such as Saturnalia and Yule, when communities in Europe celebrated the winter solstice. As Christianity spread through the continent in the fourth century, church leaders placed Christmas on Dec. 25 and adopted some of these long-standing traditions. 

Amid the holiday's gradual secularization, the legend of Saint Nicholas’s gift-giving and the Dutch tradition of “Sinterklaas” helped shape the modern conception of Santa Claus (what we've learned about the figure). Customs solidified in Victorian England transformed Christmas into the family centered celebration recognized today—popularizing Christmas trees, cards, and carols. The holiday season brings in nearly $1T in revenue for retailers in the US

.... Read what else we learned about the holiday here.

Also, check out ... 

> See Christmas traditions from around the world. (Read)

> The title of "World's Largest Christmas Tree" is disputed. (Watch)

> Before electric lights, Christmas trees were lit with candles. (Watch)

> A Swedish town erects a giant straw Christmas goat each year—often burned down by pranksters. (View)

Article taken from 1440 Sunday, a weekly email newsletter where you'll find "The most impactful stories of the day, expertly curated and explained."

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