Christmas is truly a global celebration. Christmas is a time for beloved traditions that are treated with respect year after year; it's a time of hope for the future and recalling of Christmas past. Although the traditions and foods associated with it vary with climate, culture, country, the spirit of the celebration surpass all such differences. Christmas is a time for families, fun, and festivities. Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Christmas around the world which makes Christmas one of the world's biggest religious and retailing merriment. Christians celebrate Christmas day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial event. Christmas has different historical roots in different societies. The passage of time has carried on tales of legends which have almost become icons representing Christmas treasures for the season. Christmas legends explain the truth behind the existence of various important aspects such as Santa Claus, the Christmas bell, and Christmas tree etc. All these Christmas legends are grand donors to a global celebration observed differently by different cultured people. Few of these Christmas legends are explained below.
Santa Claus is a jolly man with red robes having long white beard. The real name of Santa Claus is Nicholas, born 2000 years ago to wealthy parents in a small village in the country Myra, today called as Turkey. Nicholas' parents died while he was yet a boy. Nicholas went to his village priest, confessed his sins and expressed his desire to help the poor. He wished to become a priest. But the priest knew Nicholas lacked the education necessary to become a priest. During this time Bishop of the church passed away and the authorities were guided by heavenly messenger to select the first person named Nicholas to walk through the doors of church and Nicholas had his miracle and was named the youngest bishop of the church ever on record. St. Nicholas became the champion of children and the needy; he was legendary for his kindness and generosity. And his legend only grew as the centuries passed.
There are many myths about the Christmas tree but one of the first written references to a Christmas tree was made in 1605, where a visitor in Germany reported seeing a tree decorated with apples, colorful candies, roses and thin wafers. Over the years many different things were used to decorate Christmas trees. As the world moved into the 1900's, many trees were decorated with strings of popcorn, greeting cards and pictures, glitters, candy wrapped in color papers, glass balls.
According to legend, a candy maker represents the holy Christ's life. Candy has to be hard to represent the church being built on solid rock. Because Jesus is known as the Shepherd, it was formed in the shape of a shepherd's staff and turning it upside down, it represents the letter "J" for Jesus. The three small red stripes represented the Jesus suffering on his way to the cross. The one large red stripe represented the blood Jesus shed as payment for our sins. The white stripes represented the sinless nature of Christ.
People gathered to seek the blessings of the newborn Jesus. A little blind boy wanted to meet the baby Jesus but couldn't find his way; he later heard the tinkling of a cow's bell. And he followed the tinkling bell to meet the holy Jesus.
Christmas legends such as Santa Claus, Christmas tree, candy canes etc. are great contributors for Christmas celebration. Know the facts associated with these legends.