Christmas 2023: Know date, history, significance and traditions of this day

Christmas is one of the most sacred days for Christians. People spend the day singing carols, eating delicious plum cakes, exchanging gifts, visiting friends, spending time with family, and cooking a decadent meal. They also decorate their homes with a Christmas tree adorned with personalised ornaments, wreaths on the front door, and stockings over the fireplace. Additionally, kids wait for Santa Claus and his gifts that arrive on Christmas Eve night and are opened first thing in the morning. If you and your loved ones observe this joyous day, you should know when it is celebrated, its history, importance, and significance.

Christmas 2023 Date:

Every year, Christmas falls on December 25. In 2023, the 25th of December is on Monday. Christmas Eve will be celebrated on December 24, Sunday.

Christmas 2023 History and Significance: Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25?

Christmas, derived from the words ‘Mass of Christ’, marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to his parents, Joseph and Mary. He was conceived through the Holy Spirit and was born when Mother Mary was engaged to Joseph. It is believed that Mother Mary learned she would be giving birth to a special child on March 25, and nine months later, on December 25, Jesus was born. However, there is no proof that he was born on December 25, as the Gregorian calendar did not exist back then. Instead, the story of Jesus Christ’s birth is in the New Testament’s gospel of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Christmas was first celebrated on record in 336, during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor and the Roman emperor at the time.

Countries around the world have different names for festivals. It is referred to as Yuletide in Germany, Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, and Noël in French. Moreover, some Christians celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth on January 6, the Epiphany, when they believe he was baptized.

Meanwhile, the Christmas holiday came into being with the legend of St Nicholas and his many miracles. Although much of his history is unconfirmed, the man who became St. Nicholas lived in the 4th century and is believed to have been a bishop in Asia Minor. In his honour, the Feast of St Nicholas was marked on December 6 and gifts were given the night before. The tradition was well-established in many European countries by the 12th century. Eventually, because St. Nicholas’ Day and Christmas Day are so close together, their traditions generally were combined.

Christmas holds religious importance for Christians. They remember Jesus Christ on this day and recall his sacrifices for humanity. People also hold mass services and thank Jesus for removing hatred and greed from the world, eradicating evil, and prevailing happiness. They believe that since he came to salvage the entire humanity of all the suffering his ultimate sacrifice during crucifixion needs to be commemorated.

Christmas 2023 Traditions:

Several traditions are associated with Christmas. The most common activities are baking cakes and cookies, decorating Christmas trees with ornaments, visiting church, shopping for close friends and family, enjoying Christmas feats with loved ones, singing carols, and going to mass. Kids also wait for Santa Claus to arrive on Christmas Eve and enter their homes through the chimney with their gifts. However, Christmas traditions vary from region to region.