Merry Christmas 2021: On this day, families decorate their homes with Christmas ornaments, stockings, tinsels and most importantly, the tree. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) Merry Christmas 2021: Everyone’s favourite festival is around the corner; the festival of gifts, carols, lights and decorations. Celebrated on December 25 every year, Christmas marks and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. From children to adults, everyone enjoys this day by decorating Christmas trees, baking cookies, exchanging gifts and letting kids believe in the magic of Santa Claus.
History
It is believed that Joseph and Mary gave birth to the second holy trinity of Christianity, Jesus Christ, on December 25 in Bethlehem. Jesus of Nazareth was a spiritual leader, whose teachings formed the foundation of Christianity.
Although the Bible does not mention a specific date for his birth, Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor, designated December 25 as ‘Christmas’ — a day to commemorate Christ’s birth. The United States declared December 25 as a federal holiday in 1870 and it has been a widely-recognised holiday ever since.
Significance
This day serves as a reminder of Christ’s enormous sacrifice for mankind and his lessons on how to be a nobleman, as he is the emblem of all divinity. God is said to have sent his son Jesus into the world to save humans from all evils. Christmas is also known as the ‘Feast of Nativity’ and has a cultural as well as religious significance for the Christian, as well as non-Christian community.
Importance
Christmas has been celebrated as one of the most important holidays around the world. On Christmas Eve, people attend midnight mass at churches. Families decorate their homes with Christmas ornaments, stockings, tinsels and most importantly, the tree.
Kids await the arrival of the fabled Santa Claus, or Father Claus, an old man decked in red with a white beard, bearing a bag full of toys, with his elves and reindeers at tow, arriving at midnight and leaving gifts under the decorated tree. People spread cheer, attend carnivals and spend quality time with family and friends on this day.
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