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Christmas <span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>  Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and commemorates the birth of the Christian Savior, Jesus Christ. Many traditions have been built up around the holiday. Christmas traditions range from religious symbols to the mythos of Santa Claus and their origins are both Christian and pagan.
Christmas TraditionsChristmas TreeThe history of the Christmas tree has its roots in pre-Christian Germany. Religious rites were held in the forests and trees were decorated with candles. The oak was sacred to the ancient Germans, in particular to the god Odin, so it was often the oaks that were lit and not the pines. The use of evergreens can be traced back to the 8th century, which is when St. Boniface engaged in the common practice of adopting local pagan customs to help Christianize the indigenous peoples. He substituted the fir tree (Tannenbaum) for the oak of Odin and then he dedicated it to Christ, making it the Christbaum. The creation of the modern Christmas tree is often attributed to the founder of the Lutheran movement, Martin Luther (1483-1546). This is questionable but there are "Tannenbaum" songs that date back to the middle of the 16th century. By the 19th century the Christmas tree had become popular in Europe and America, having been introduced by German immigrants. Santa ClausSanta Claus also has connections to Germany. When Germany was being Christianized in the early Middle Ages, St. Nicholas, a 4th century bishop of Asia Minor, became popular there. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children and his feast day is December 6th. Gradually a custom grew up where on the eve of St. Nicholas' feast day children would place their shoes or boots out for St. Nicholas to fill with candy and fruit, with the bad children getting twigs. St. Nicholas carried with him a book of sins with which he determined whether the child warranted the goodies or the twigs. Historically, St. Nicholas rode a white horse and he traveled with a dark-faced companion. The most common one was called Knecht Ruprecht. After the Protestant Reformation in Germany, German authorities wanted to do away with the image of a Catholic saint distributing gifts, so the idea of Santa Claus was born. Also created were the white beard, red suit, and sleigh. He became known by several names in different parts of Germany. These include Klaasbuur, Rauklas, Bullerklaas, and Sunnercla. In the eastern part of Germany, he is Ash Man, Shaggy Goat, or Rider. The American "Kris Kringle" is a corruption of the German term Christkindl ("Christ Child"). Nativity SceneA Nativity Scene, also called a crèche (meaning crib in French), refers to a depiction of the birthplace of Jesus. At the very least it includes the figures of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, as well as the manger. Christmas GiftIn the United States, children receive their gifts from Santa Claus. Christmas presents are usually opened on Christmas Day but some people open their gifts on Christmas Eve. Additional Traditions
Movies and Television SpecialsBooks
See AlsoReferences
To see specific information, such as Christmas episodes and movies, please click the Christmas category link at the bottom of this article. To see other articles that reference Christmas, please click the "What links here" tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.
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