Christmas today is happily celebrated by millions of people for whom its religious meaning is not very important. For many people, Christmas is just a happy holiday when they exchange gifts, eat lots of good food and go to parties. But for the Christian community Christmas means much more than this. For most Christians, the most important part of the festival is not the food or the parties, or the presents. It is the fact that they are celebrating the birth of Jesus. This is most clearly remembered during the church service. At midnight on Christmas Eve, church bells ring out all over the world. Inside churches, Christians gather together to sing and thank god for the gift of Jesus. They believe that Jesus came into the world to tell people about god’s love for them and to give them hope and happiness.
When Christians celebrate Christmas, they are celebrating god’s love for them. Many people give money, gifts or help those who are lonely, sad or ill, so that they can share in the joy of Christmas too. The lights on the Christmas tree and in the church, remind Christians of the light of Gods goodness. It is more than a time of stockings bulging with presents and lots of delicious food. It is a time of thanksgiving to God for giving them the greatest gift Christians believe he could have ever given them, his own son Jesus Christ.
Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so he could die on the cross for ALL our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.
You may be wondering if like all of us does Christians also celebrate Christmas Eve the way we all do? So, as we know Christmas is the evening or entire day before Christmas as we have already made clear is the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Eve is widely observed as a holiday in anticipation to Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally significant in Christendom and Western society. Christians celebrate Christmas Eve by roasting fires, feasting, drinking, singing, dancing and sometimes clowning, and of course the church bells are rung. It is described to be the day where festive is in the air.
There is one last holiday that Christians celebrate around Christmas holidays called Epiphany which is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the 6th of January and it is a time where the Christians remember the Wise Men who visited Jesus and to celebrate Christians throw on a big beast, pray and sing.
Christians really take Christmas holidays to worship and praise God and Jesus Christ.