The Twelve Days of Christmas is actually one of the most incorrectly identified holiday traditions and time periods on the calendar today. Most people assume that the 12 days of Christmas, like the advent calendar comes before and leads up to Christmas day. However, it actually begins on or after Christmas.
The 12 days of Christmas is also known as the period of Christmastide. During Christmastide, the way people celebrate the holiday season varies slightly. For instance, there are different beliefs as to when the holiday should be celebrated. These beliefs are typically influenced by the culture that you live in as well as the religious denomination that you practice.
For example, some traditions celebrate the twelve days of Christmas from Christmas day until January 5th. Other traditions celebrate it starting on Christmas evening until January 6th.
The 12 days of Christmas reflects a major component of the Christmas history. As we know Christmas day represents the birth date of Jesus Christ. The 12 days of Christmas represents the time period in which the 3 Kings from the region of Arabia decided to visit the baby Jesus. Traveling from their homeland they traveled to Bethlehem to see the infant. When they arrived, they presented gifts of great value, gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus.
When it comes down to the giving of gifts there are several different philosophies behind when gifts should be given during this time period. Some people believe that gifts should be given on Christmas day. Others believe that you should give gifts only on the 12th day of Christmas. Still others believe that you should give gifts on each of the 12 days of Christmas.
There are many ways this period is celebrated and highlighted. For instance, one common tradition is to light a candle for each of the 12 days. You can purchase a set of 12 candles that you can light for each day in the Christmastide holiday season.
Another of the holiday traditions for the twelve days is the Christmas dinner. Like the gifts, some practitioners of the holiday host a big Christmas dinner only on Christmas. In the past, this period was a major feast time. People would come together every night during the 12 days of Christmas and enjoy a fantastic feast of food. The biggest feast of all would take place on the final day of the 12 day period.
Another important aspect of the holiday is the 12 days of Christmas song that enjoys worldwide popularity. This song talks about the different gifts that the recipient receives during this time period from his or her "true love." It has been hotly debated as to whether there is any hidden meaning behind this song. There are some people who believe that this song actually makes hidden references to different aspects of the Christian faith. They believe the song was created to help believers remember the key aspects of their faith. Others believe that this is simply an urban myth.
Regardless of what you believe on how the twelve days of Christmas should be celebrated, it can be an incredible opportunity for you to gather with your friends and family and have fun. You can choose the best way to celebrate it based on your own beliefs and convictions about the holiday season.
Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas crafts to prepare your family for Christmas. Your family will discover more about holiday traditions with many of the daily activities. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar Countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com
——————–
(c) Kerry Beck, 2008You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio above. Links in resource box must be clickable to reprint this article. If you can’t click the link, please ask permission to reprint.
Showing posts with label advent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advent. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Holiday Traditions from Christmas Around The World
There are many different ways to celebrate the holiday Christmas around the world. Whether you are in Asia, Europe, The United States or Australia, each group has their similarities and differences when it comes down to Christmas activities and the way the holiday is celebrated.
Christmas in the United States is based on many of the European traditions of Christmas. However, because of the various cultures and influences in the country there are some differences as well. One of the main holiday traditions celebrated in the USA is the Christmas stories surrounding Santa Claus
One major component of Christmas celebrations in America is the Christmas stories of Santa Claus. Santa Claus is widely celebrated and promoted during the holiday season. Charities dress workers up in Santa Claus outfits to raise funds during the holidays. Santa Claus appears on television and in advertising campaigns. Kids can even go to the mall to see Santa Claus and take pictures with him.
In Australia, December is the beginning of the summer season. As a result, Christmas is as much of an outdoor activity as it is an indoor activity. While the Australians do the traditional indoor stuff, like open Christmas presents and eat a big family dinner, outdoor activities like backyard fun and picnics are incorporated as well.
Religious worship is a major piece of the Christmas holiday in Australia. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic or Protestant so church plays a major role in the celebration of the holiday. Most churches have a midnight mass that you can attend and many families go to church together.
Japan is a country that celebrates Christmas despite the religious beliefs of its citizens. Since less than 1% of the population is Christian, Christmas is considered more of a commercial holiday as oppose to a spiritual celebration. In fact it's not even an official holiday in Japan where people get the day off.
Although people still have to work on Christmas day, the Japanese still find time to celebrate the holiday anyway. One of the most unique experiences of the Japanese approach to Christmas is their Christmas dinner activities. Most places of the world have a large, home-cooked dinner in the home. In Japan, it is common for people to order a special Christmas Chicken dinner from Kentucky Friend Chicken, or KFC.
China also celebrates Christmas more for its commercial aspects as opposed to its religious aspects. In China, the Chinese word for Santa literally means "Christmas Old Man" in English. The Chinese do a lot of shopping and other Christmas activities as well.
Although Christmas is celebrated in China, it is nowhere near as important a holiday as it is considered in other parts of the world. The equivalent to Christmas in Chinese culture comes in the following month, which is the Chinese New Year.
The people of France celebrate Christmas very similar to the Americans. One thing they do not do though is decorate Christmas trees. Instead, they spend more of their time creating Christmas stories out of their yards by creating massive displays of characters and ornaments.
One thing the French do spend a lot of time on is putting up nativity scenes and other scenes that illustrate Christmas stories outside of their homes and in public places. In French scenes, besides traditional characters, you may also see characters that represent French local influence and personality.
As you can see, holiday traditions and Christmas around the world is as diverse as many of the Christmas activities and traditions of the various nations of the world. Despite the differences, one theme that remains consistent is the value of family and the joy of the holiday season.
Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas activities to prepare your family for Christmas. Your family will discover more about Christmas history with many of the daily activities. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar Countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com
Christmas in the United States is based on many of the European traditions of Christmas. However, because of the various cultures and influences in the country there are some differences as well. One of the main holiday traditions celebrated in the USA is the Christmas stories surrounding Santa Claus
One major component of Christmas celebrations in America is the Christmas stories of Santa Claus. Santa Claus is widely celebrated and promoted during the holiday season. Charities dress workers up in Santa Claus outfits to raise funds during the holidays. Santa Claus appears on television and in advertising campaigns. Kids can even go to the mall to see Santa Claus and take pictures with him.
In Australia, December is the beginning of the summer season. As a result, Christmas is as much of an outdoor activity as it is an indoor activity. While the Australians do the traditional indoor stuff, like open Christmas presents and eat a big family dinner, outdoor activities like backyard fun and picnics are incorporated as well.
Religious worship is a major piece of the Christmas holiday in Australia. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic or Protestant so church plays a major role in the celebration of the holiday. Most churches have a midnight mass that you can attend and many families go to church together.
Japan is a country that celebrates Christmas despite the religious beliefs of its citizens. Since less than 1% of the population is Christian, Christmas is considered more of a commercial holiday as oppose to a spiritual celebration. In fact it's not even an official holiday in Japan where people get the day off.
Although people still have to work on Christmas day, the Japanese still find time to celebrate the holiday anyway. One of the most unique experiences of the Japanese approach to Christmas is their Christmas dinner activities. Most places of the world have a large, home-cooked dinner in the home. In Japan, it is common for people to order a special Christmas Chicken dinner from Kentucky Friend Chicken, or KFC.
China also celebrates Christmas more for its commercial aspects as opposed to its religious aspects. In China, the Chinese word for Santa literally means "Christmas Old Man" in English. The Chinese do a lot of shopping and other Christmas activities as well.
Although Christmas is celebrated in China, it is nowhere near as important a holiday as it is considered in other parts of the world. The equivalent to Christmas in Chinese culture comes in the following month, which is the Chinese New Year.
The people of France celebrate Christmas very similar to the Americans. One thing they do not do though is decorate Christmas trees. Instead, they spend more of their time creating Christmas stories out of their yards by creating massive displays of characters and ornaments.
One thing the French do spend a lot of time on is putting up nativity scenes and other scenes that illustrate Christmas stories outside of their homes and in public places. In French scenes, besides traditional characters, you may also see characters that represent French local influence and personality.
As you can see, holiday traditions and Christmas around the world is as diverse as many of the Christmas activities and traditions of the various nations of the world. Despite the differences, one theme that remains consistent is the value of family and the joy of the holiday season.
Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas activities to prepare your family for Christmas. Your family will discover more about Christmas history with many of the daily activities. You can get her FREE Advent Calendar Countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Christmas Eve Family Service Outlines Christ's Love
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we know what it means of having Christmas in our hearts, but do we glorify this fact and tell the world about it during Christmas time? It's time to softly challenge those who view Christmas as a time to make money while greed is in the hearts of many.
Share it. How about giving an unforgettable gift to a friend or fellow employee? Present them the gift of the Word. Tell the Christmas story, and make sure it's not "Twas the Night before Christmas". Brochure or leaflets recounting the birth of Jesus Christ can be bought from a Christian bookstore. Or, how about making your own booklet. A small token, such as a candle, can be included too. Envelope someone's tired heart with God's message.
Share His love. When a person invites you to their home, they want to share their blessings with you. When we integrate Christ into our very lives, his dwelling becomes our dwelling. Do something special by inviting a friend or fellow employee to church for an Advent worship or a family Christmas Eve church worship. They will not regret they came.
Share it. For people living in poverty, it gets a little bit harder during the Christmas holidays. There is an increase in suicides. Those in dire need, like the impoverished and destitute, become more helpless due to the worsening weather conditions of winter. God wants us to show His love, especially to these people.
People always welcome volunteers during Christmas time. Soup kitchens and food banks look for an extra hand to help serve hot meals and to hand out food boxes. The social service agency can provide particulars on families in the area that want to be "adopted" for Christmas. As a church body, everyone can pitch in and provide gifts and other necessary items. Churches can provide gifts for orphaned children. You may even see a need that has yet to be met, so be willing to begin your own program to provide it or just do it as a family.
The goal here is to let Christ's light shine to those around you. In his lifetime, Jesus saw each individual's need where they were. Someone whose been helped by you will be more likely to listen about the God you are serving.
Living Christ's life is a commitment to spread the Word and love to others. If Christ is always prioritized in your lives, your actions should be known by everyone. Being Christians, we have a chance to give to the world the true meaning of the Christmas season.
Share it. How about giving an unforgettable gift to a friend or fellow employee? Present them the gift of the Word. Tell the Christmas story, and make sure it's not "Twas the Night before Christmas". Brochure or leaflets recounting the birth of Jesus Christ can be bought from a Christian bookstore. Or, how about making your own booklet. A small token, such as a candle, can be included too. Envelope someone's tired heart with God's message.
Share His love. When a person invites you to their home, they want to share their blessings with you. When we integrate Christ into our very lives, his dwelling becomes our dwelling. Do something special by inviting a friend or fellow employee to church for an Advent worship or a family Christmas Eve church worship. They will not regret they came.
Share it. For people living in poverty, it gets a little bit harder during the Christmas holidays. There is an increase in suicides. Those in dire need, like the impoverished and destitute, become more helpless due to the worsening weather conditions of winter. God wants us to show His love, especially to these people.
People always welcome volunteers during Christmas time. Soup kitchens and food banks look for an extra hand to help serve hot meals and to hand out food boxes. The social service agency can provide particulars on families in the area that want to be "adopted" for Christmas. As a church body, everyone can pitch in and provide gifts and other necessary items. Churches can provide gifts for orphaned children. You may even see a need that has yet to be met, so be willing to begin your own program to provide it or just do it as a family.
The goal here is to let Christ's light shine to those around you. In his lifetime, Jesus saw each individual's need where they were. Someone whose been helped by you will be more likely to listen about the God you are serving.
Living Christ's life is a commitment to spread the Word and love to others. If Christ is always prioritized in your lives, your actions should be known by everyone. Being Christians, we have a chance to give to the world the true meaning of the Christmas season.
———————————–
© Kerry Beck, 2008
You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.
———————————–
Kerry Beck wants to give you a free advent calendars for your Christmas & Advent Celebration this year. a package also includes free ornament craft ideas you can use today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)