Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. But did you know that Jesus’ first followers didn’t commemorate his birth every year? Or that Santa Claus is inspired by the acts of kindness of a 4th century Christian saint? And have you heard of the modern Japanese tradition of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken at Christmas?
Since the turn of the 20th century, Christmas has evolved from a religious holiday to a hugely popular cultural holiday observed by Christians and secular people around the world who gather with family, exchange gifts and cards, and decorate Christmas trees.
Here is an overview of the history, beliefs and evolution of Christmas:
Origins and beginning of the Christmas story
Jesus’ early followers did not commemorate his birth every year, but instead focused on commemorating their belief in his resurrection at Easter.
The story of Jesus’ birth appears in only two of the four gospels of the New Testament: Matthew and Luke. They provide different details, although both say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
The exact day, month and even year of Jesus’ birth are unknown, said Christine Shepardson, a professor at the University of Tennessee who studies early Christianity.
The tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25, she said, did not appear until the fourth century.
“It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the fourth century for the construction of Christianity as we experience it in the world today,” Shepardson said. It was then, under Emperor Constantine, that Christians began to gather in churches instead of meeting at home.
Some theories claim that this date coincides with pagan winter solstice festivals, including the Roman celebration of Sol Invictus, or the “Unconquered Sun”, on December 25.
While most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25, some Eastern Orthodox traditions celebrate this holy day on January 7. That’s because they follow the ancient Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and Protestant churches as well as much of the secular world.
Noisy medieval celebrations
For centuries, particularly in the Middle Ages, Christmas was associated with noisy street celebrations, partying and drinking, and for many Christians, “it was not a proper holiday,” said Thomas Ruys Smith, a professor of American literature and culture at the University of East Anglia in England.
“The Puritans,” he said, “didn’t like Christmas. »
But in the 19th century, he says, Christmas became “respectable” with “the domestic celebration we understand today – centered on the home, the family, the children, the gifts.”
The roots of today’s Christmas date back to Germany. In the late 19th century, there were tales of Christmas trees and gift-giving which, according to Smith, later spread to Britain and America, helping to revitalize Christmas on both sides of the Atlantic.
Christmas became even more popularized with the publication of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in 1843 and the writings of Washington Irving, who was a fan of St. Nicholas and helped popularize the celebration of Christmas in America.
Rockefeller Center’s first Christmas tree was put up by workers in 1931 to boost morale during the Great Depression. The tradition has continued as the first tree lighting ceremony took place in 1933 and remains one of New York City’s most popular holiday attractions.
American secular Santa Claus is inspired by a Christian saint
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Christian bishop from the Mediterranean port city of Myra (in present-day Türkiye). His acts of generosity inspired the secular legend of Santa Claus.
The legends surrounding jolly old St. Nicholas – celebrated annually on December 6 – go far beyond delivering candy and toys to children. He is believed to have interceded on behalf of wrongly convicted prisoners and miraculously saved sailors from storms.
Devotion to Saint Nicholas spread in the Middle Ages throughout Europe and he became a favorite subject for medieval artists and liturgical pieces. He is the patron saint of sailors and children, as well as Greece, Russia and New York.
Devotion to Saint Nicholas seems to have faded after the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, except in the Netherlands, where his legend remained that of Sinterklaas. In the 17th century, Dutch Protestants who settled in New York brought with them the tradition of Sinterklaas.
Eventually, Saint Nicholas transformed himself into a secular Santa Claus.
It’s not just Santa who delivers presents
In the UK, it’s Santa Claus; in Greece and Cyprus, Saint Basil (which arrives on New Year’s Eve). In some regions of Italy it is Saint Lucia (earlier in December) and in other Italian regions it is Befana, a witch-like figure, who brings gifts at Epiphany on January 6.
Instead of a friendly Santa Claus, Icelandic children enjoy the favors of 13 mischievous troll brothers, called the Yule Lads. They come down from their mountain cave 13 days before Christmas, according to folklore.
Christian Christmas Traditions
One of the oldest traditions around Christmas is bringing greenery – holly, ivy or evergreen trees – into homes. But it is more difficult to determine whether this is a Christian tradition. “For many people, evergreen foliage can symbolize Christ’s promise of eternal life and his return from death,” Smith said. “So you can interpret this evergreen tradition within the framework of the Christian concept. »
Decorating evergreen trees is a German custom that began in the 16th century, said Maria Kennedy, a professor at Rutgers University, New Brunswick’s American Studies department. It was later popularized in England and America.
“Mistletoe, an evergreen shrub, was used in celebrations dating back to the ancient Druids – Celtic religious leaders – around 2,000 years ago,” Kennedy writes in The Surprising History of Christmas Traditions.
“Mistletoe represented immortality because it continued to grow during the darkest time of the year and bore white berries when everything else was dead.”
Other traditions include Christmas services and Nativity scenes in homes and churches. More recently, Nativity scenes – when erected on public property in the United States – have sparked legal battles over the issue of separation of church and state.
Christmas carols, Kennedy writes, also date back to European traditions, where people went from house to house during the darkest time of the year to renew relationships within their communities and offer wishes for good luck, health and wealth for the coming year.
“They recited poetry, sang, and sometimes performed a skit. The idea was that these acts would bring good luck and influence a future harvest,” Kennedy writes.
Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas in Japan
Among the many Christmas traditions that have been adopted and localized around the world, there is one that involves KFC.
In 1974, KFC launched a Christmas campaign in which they began selling fried chicken with a bottle of wine so it could be used for a Christmas party.
KFC says the idea for the campaign came from an employee who overheard a foreign customer at one of its Tokyo restaurants say that since he couldn’t buy turkey in Japan, he should celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken.
“It really stuck,” Smith said. “And even today, you have to order your KFC months in advance to be sure of receiving it on Christmas Day.”
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
