Christmas – what’s it all about?
Mid-winter feasts have a long history in the UK. Way before Christianity came to these islands people were marking the winter solstice (21 December). The Romans also celebrated the shortest day of the year, as a time to forget the cold of winter and look forward to longer days and the coming of spring. Their celebrations started on 17 December and continued through to the New Year. They would exchange presents and decorate their homes with evergreen trees; holly, ivy and mistletoe. These reminded the people of continuing life.
So where does Jesus, a baby born 2000 years ago, fit in?
The first evidence of celebrating Jesus’ birth on 25 December is from AD 336. No-one knows the exact date of Jesus’ birth – in those days birthdays weren’t remembered like today. There was no annual celebration. Roman Christians decided to adopt the mid-winter festival. Rather than remember the undying sun they celebrated Jesus, the undying Son of God, who gives life to all who trust in him. They named the feast Christ-mas, which means Christ’s celebration. Christ isn’t Jesus’s surname. It comes from Christos, a Greek word that means “the anointed one” or “chosen one”, so it’s more of a title than a name. In the Bible there are many prophecies that say that one day God would send the Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) to rescue people. Christians believe that Jesus is the fulfilment of the prophecies. He is Jesus the Christ, the anointed one who saves people from their sin.
And so today, all over the world, we decorate our homes, exchange gifts, meet with family and friends to celebrate this winter festival and the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ… Happy Christmas!
by Kirsten Wynn, Associate Chaplain, Greenwich Campus
