Check out the Christmas Quotes Images!
Christmas- a day that holds great religious and historical importance among the Christian community, celebrated all over the world with enthusiasm and affection. Observed every year on the 25th of December.
According to Christian beliefs, this day marks the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. The other names of Christmas are Noel, Navidad, Natale, Nativity, and Xmas. Noel is French, Navidad is Spanish, Natale is Italian, but all of these have similar meanings as Nativity. Xmas is the commonly abbreviated form of Christmas.
The Historical and Religious Background:
The story of Jesus dates back to 6 BC. Jesus Christ is a historical and spiritual leader in Christianity. Christians regard him as an incarnation of God. They believe him as the Messiah of the people. The reason why Jesus has given such spiritual importance is his unusual birth. According to the Bible, Jesus is the son of Joseph and Mary. But an astounding fact is that when Jesus got conceived, Mary was a complete virgin. Therefore, making Joseph only a legal and earthly father of Jesus. As Jesus was born from the Virgin Mary, his name was added the title of Christ meaning Messiah.
Jesus Christ- religiously known as “a child from the Holy Spirit”, sent to guide the people of his time. The books of chronology states that Jesus was a precociously learned child who later became a preacher and healer in his adult life. Around 29 AD, during a Passover in Jerusalem Jesus got arrested, tried, and executed. The followers of Christ believed that he still lives and convinced people to follow them, making a new religion now known as Christianity.
The Merry Day:
Although the birth date of Jesus is uncertain the early historians fixed the 25th of December as the big day. During the early times, Christmas was not celebrated and no early Christian writer mentioned this day.
But, as a revival of Orthodox Christianity, Christmas celebrations propagated in the East. Sextus Julian Africanus- the first historian of universal chronology marked 25th December as the day of celebration. In the Roman calendar, 25th, December also marks the date of the winter solstice (the day of the birth of the unconquered sun).
Later, many saints explained why 25th December is the fitting date to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many biblical passages also supported the idea of relating Jesus birth to the resurgence of the sun. The day that casts away winter and rebirths the blossoms of summer and spring.
Modern Day Christmas:
Today Christmas is widely celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ by billions of people all over the world. The astonishing fact about Christmas is that it is not only celebrated by Christians but non-Christians also celebrate this day. Christians celebrate it as a religious festival while some of the non-Christians celebrate it as a culture.
Many countries observe a public holiday on this day. People celebrate Christmas as a day of love, bonding, and joy. It is a family holiday that brings relatives, friends, and loved ones together. The themes of Christmas celebrations are a mix and match of Christian belives, pre-Christian traditions, and secular trends. The origins of various customs held on Christmas is regional as well as local. But together all these different customs, traditions, and ways of celebrations make Christmas truly merry.
Religious Christmas celebrations include Principal Christmas feasts, Holy obligation days, Christmas day church services, completing of the Advent calendar, etc, etc.
Other modern-day celebrations include Christmas decorations, songs, music, carols, exchange of gifts and cards, having special Christmas meals, and practicing various Nativity plays. The other traditional celebrations include some mythical figures like Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind, Santa’s elves, and Saint Nicholas. Santa Claus brings gifts to children and family as a reward for their past moral activities.
The Christmas decorations include trees, Advent wreaths, garlands, mistletoe, and Christmas lights. The colors of Christmas decorations are green, red, and gold. All these three colors represent prosperity and religious beliefs. Red for the blood of Jesus shed in crucifixion. Green as a symbol of eternal life and an evergreen tree that never sheds its leaves. While gold symbolizes royalty.
The custom of decorating fir, pine, or oak trees with apples, lights, candles, and stars originated from various Christian tribes. The idea behind choosing fir or oak branches was to symbolize the Trinity. And also because fir is generally considered as the tree of heaven. Placing a star on top of the tree was to denote the Star of Bethlehem. The candles denote Jesus Christ as the ultimate light source for mankind.
The Advent wreath also made from fir branches, with four candles denotes the four Sundays of Advent season. Various other decorations include bells, candy canes, stockings, and angels statues. All these decorations are traditionally taken down on the Twelfth Night (the last night of the twelve days of Christmas).
Christmas Carols and Liturgical Plays:
The festival of Christmas is incomplete without the beautiful carols, Christmas songs, and plays. Francis of Assisi presented the Nativity play showing the Nativity of Jesus for the first time in 1223 AD.
This tradition got popularity among many tribes and now many plays, dramas, and scenes of Nativity are widely held in churches, schools, and theatres. Adults, children, and the elderly all take active part in singing Christmas carols and songs. The songs like Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, Here We Come A-Wassailing, Angels Carol, Jesus Child, etc, increases the spirit of celebrations.
The wonderful and delicious treats and feasts are the main essence of Christmas. The traditional foods, family meals, and Christmas cuisine vary widely all over the world. Some countries serve a special feast of 12 fishes on Christmas. Other countries serve traditional foods like turkey or goose. Moreover, Christmas cakes, pies, puddings, and beverages make the festival fun for food lovers.
Christmas Gifts, Cards, and Greetings:
Exchanging gifts and Christmas cards is the major celebration of the day. Friends and family exchange gifts thus increasing their bond of love and friendship. The cards written with beautiful Christmas quotes are the new trend in the modern society. The cards show your love and care for others. The beautiful quotes, greetings, and prayers, written with love in these cards make Christmas a festival of love and care.
Christmas Quotes With Pictures
Here are the best Christmas quotes with pictures for 2020;
During the first 13 centuries after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, no one thought of setting up a creche to celebrate Christmas. The pre-eminent Christian holiday was Easter, not Christmas.
Halloween is my favorite holiday. It’s like my Christmas.
Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family and to create memories that will last forever. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. The amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift, but we are able to share it with others on Christmas and every other day of the year.
I know that a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania is about the most random place for a country singer to come from, but I had an awesome childhood.
When I cook for my family on Christmas, I make feijoada, a South American dish of roasted and smoked meats like ham, pork, beef, Iamb, and bacon – all served with black beans and rice. It’s festive but different.
It kills me when people talk about California hedonism. Anybody who talks about California hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento.
The league has been good to all of us in terms of what we get out of all these TV contracts and everything, so it would be a little disingenuous to complain too much. But if I had my way, we’d take a five-day break at Christmas. I mean it.
Stan Van Gundy
Christmas morning, I’m going to open presents with my kids. I’m going to take pictures of them opening the presents. Then I’m going to come to the Staples Center and get ready to work.
Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.
I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale
Before we took down the tree each year, Dad would always say a prayer that we would be together the next Christmas. I cling to that prayer, which serves as a reminder that it’s important to be grateful in the present for the people you love because, well, you never know.
I’ve been playing on Christmas for the last 10, 11, 12 years. So just got to get up early with the babies, and give them their toys and try to get a nap in and just come to play.
There are some people who want to throw their arms round you simply because it is Christmas; there are other people who want to strangle you simply because it is Christmas.
Robert Staughton Lynd
‘A Christmas Story’ has always meant a lot to me personally.
During the middle of sophomore year, my friends and I would get bored at lunch, so we would film videos on my computer webcam of us dancing in the gym to Christmas music.
I just think that it’s strong and it’s important that we recognize what the Christmas season is about; it’s about the birth of our Savior, and there’s a lot of pressure today to be politically correct, but people are realizing, too, that you have to be open to express your faith what you want believe.
Pets, like their owners, tend to expand a little over the Christmas period.
The supernatural birth of Christ, his miracles, his resurrection and ascension, remain eternal truths, whatever doubts may be cast on their reality as historical facts.
David Friedrich Strauss
For more than a decade, I led an organization that put on an elaborate Christmas program each December. It was a big production, with over 250 people participating in more than 20 performances. By the end of the season, everyone who participated was exhausted.
John C. Maxwell
When you give up yourself, that’s when you will feel the true spirit of Christmas. And that’s giving that’s serving others and that’s when you feel fulfilled.
What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps.
Thomas S. Monson
Christmas Vacation Quotes
Merry Christmas Quotes
Inspirational Christmas Quotes
Short Christmas Quotes
Religious Christmas Quotes
Christmas is not only about exchanging gifts and decorating homes. But it is more about making others feel loved and happy. It is the time to show your love, to show that you care, and to thank God for the biggest blessings in the shape of a family, a friend, or a partner. This day is bigger than ourselves. It is about happiness, love, and care for all. Because in the end, all that matters is love, care, and friendship.
So, this Christmas season give your loved ones a special gift of love. Make their day by sharing these meaningful quotes, prayers, and greetings. Spread happiness and bring a smile to their faces.