Merry Christmas!

‌ Christmas is a holiday established to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, first celebrated by the Church of Rome in 336 AD ‌. The date of Jesus’ birth is not clearly recorded in the Bible, but in 336 AD the Church of Rome chose December 25 to celebrate the festival, in part because it was originally the birth date of Mithras, the Roman sun god, and Christians believed that Jesus symbolized justice and the eternal sun. ‌

Historical background
The origins of Christmas date back to the early days of Christianity, when different denominations and churches debated which day should be chosen to commemorate the birth of Jesus. Finally, December 25 was chosen as the birthday of Jesus. The choice of this date may be related to the ancient Roman celebration of the Sun God’s festival “Sun Day” on December 25, and Christianity hoped that by celebrating the birth of Jesus on this day, it would divert people’s attention from the celebration of foreign teachers and thus spread more easily throughout the Roman Empire.

Way of celebration
Christmas is celebrated in many ways, but some common elements include decorating Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, and hosting family gatherings. Red, green and white are the colors of the season. Santa Claus is also one of the iconic characters of this holiday, and it is said that he will come to earth on Christmas Eve to give gifts to clever children. In some countries, especially in the West, people celebrate Mass, sing Christmas carols, and enjoy traditional foods such as roast Turkey, gingerbread cookies, and Christmas pudding.

Cultural significance
With the passage of time, the meaning of Christmas gradually transcends the religious level and becomes a universal cultural phenomenon. Even in non-Western countries, Christmas is celebrated as a time of celebration, Thanksgiving and charity. The growth of globalization has made Christmas a global celebration that reflects people’s common pursuit of unity, peace and kindness.