Christmas is a popular and joyous festival celebrated by Christians around the world. The festival of Christmas falls on 25th day of December and marks the birth or Nativity of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. Festivity of Christmas continues from December 24 to January 1, the New Year’s Day. Fun-filled activities takes place all through these days and people enjoy the festival my participating in masses, prayers, carols and plays specially organized to celebrate Christmas. Another joyous part of Christmas celebration is decoration of Christmas Tree and arrival of mythical merry old man Santa Claus.

History of Christmas
Some historians claim that Christmas (Old English ‘Cristes Mæsse’ meaning the ‘mass of Christ’) Celebrations began as early as 336 AD in Rome. At that time Christmas celebration is said to have been influence by pagan traditions who celebrated end of year by worshipping Saturn - or the God of Harvest and Mithras - the God of Light. People in Northern Europe too celebrated harvest festival at this time. Many communities also celebrated winter solstice at this time when the worst of the winter was over and everyone looked forward to warmer and longer days.

It was around 350 AD, Bishop of Rome, Pope Julius I, declared that Christmas be celebrated on December 25 every year. Early Romans, however, could not profess their religion openly as Christianity had grown up in blood and tears in Rome. The end of late 300s saw the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. By 4th century A.D the religion came to be followed by vast masses of humanity. This community felt the need to celebrate the birth of Christ as a festival.

However, different communities around the world had been celebrating Christ’s birth on different dates including 6th January, 19th April, 20th May, 17th November, 25th December. It was only by the 5th century A.D that 25th December got accepted as the most suitable date for celebrating Christmas in the Western World and gradually the Eastern Churches fell in line with the west.

Christmas Celebration
Christmas Festival is celebrated with lot of fanfare and gusto. Days before the festival markets wear a festive look. One can find shops decorated with Christmas Trees and others traditional symbols of Christmas. Santa Claus moving around the street and distributing sweets to children is also a common site. Hectic shopping takes places at this time as people buy Christmas gifts for all their near and dear ones. At home womenfolk make themselves busy in the preparation of Christmas Cakes and cookies.

In India too festivities of Christmas continue all through the ten days of the festival. Christians and even the non-Christian communities enjoy themselves by participating in Christmas Balls, feast and get together that are organized by Churches and societies all across the country.

On the day of Christmas people participate in the special mass in the morning and thereafter visit friends to exchange greetings and gifts. Children take pride in showing to the guests scenes of Nativity or the birth of Jesus Christ and their Christmas Tree decorations. All their elders pamper them with gifts.