hyAmericans may have made some changes in the way they celebrate Christmas over the years, but some important traditions--like friends and family--remain the same. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier this month among a representative sample of 2,001 adults nationwide, nine out of every 10 Americans celebrate Christmas. However, only around half of those who celebrate view it as a religious holiday, while one-third see it as a cultural celebration, rather than one of faith. Religion is far less central to young peoples’ observances of Christmas, the survey found, with only 39 percent of those aged 18-29 viewing it as a religious holiday, compared with 66 percent of those aged 65 and older.
According to Christian theology, the Christmas holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whose teachings form the basis of the Christian faith. Christians didn’t begin celebrating Christ’s birth until the third century A.D., when Roman church officials settled on December 25 (the Bible doesn’t mention the exact date), probably to coincide with already existing pagan winter festivals. Today, Christmas is not the most important Christian holiday–in fact, it ranks fourth after Easter, Pentecost and Epiphany.
Yet since the 19th century, when Americans began to celebrate Christmas in the way we think of today–including traditions such as decorating trees, sending holiday cards and giving gifts–it has grown into the biggest commercial holiday of the year and is now celebrated by the vast majority of Americans, Christian or not.
In my eyes Christmas isn't only about the presents the food or just the fun time. My christmas is religious in a christian way, and to me christmas is much more. Christmas is the celebration of christ's birth and time to remember what he did. Christmas isn't the day Jesus was born, Jesus doesn't have a recorded birth day but it was in the 3rd century that december 25 was officially christmas. Christmas is my favorite holiday by far; its time to be with family, and a day of worship.
According to Christian theology, the Christmas holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whose teachings form the basis of the Christian faith. Christians didn’t begin celebrating Christ’s birth until the third century A.D., when Roman church officials settled on December 25 (the Bible doesn’t mention the exact date), probably to coincide with already existing pagan winter festivals. Today, Christmas is not the most important Christian holiday–in fact, it ranks fourth after Easter, Pentecost and Epiphany.
Yet since the 19th century, when Americans began to celebrate Christmas in the way we think of today–including traditions such as decorating trees, sending holiday cards and giving gifts–it has grown into the biggest commercial holiday of the year and is now celebrated by the vast majority of Americans, Christian or not.
In my eyes Christmas isn't only about the presents the food or just the fun time. My christmas is religious in a christian way, and to me christmas is much more. Christmas is the celebration of christ's birth and time to remember what he did. Christmas isn't the day Jesus was born, Jesus doesn't have a recorded birth day but it was in the 3rd century that december 25 was officially christmas. Christmas is my favorite holiday by far; its time to be with family, and a day of worship.