Christmas: Authentic History, Traditions, Origin, Facts & Gifts 2024

Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. In the early 20th Century, it became a family holiday that is celebrated by both Christians and Non-Christians. It is filled with family, friends, and many Christmas traditions that have been followed for years. 

The origins of Christmas stem from both the pagan and Roman cultures. The Romans celebrated two holidays in December. The first was Saturnalia, which was a two-week festival honoring their god of agriculture Saturn.

Christmas is celebrated every year on December 25th. The day of the month that Christmas falls will vary each year, and depends on what day December 25th lands on in the calendar year. In 2022, December 25th lands on a Sunday.

Christmas is celebrated annually on December 25th. December 24th is the day before Christmas, also known as Christmas Eve. 

When Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper’s Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he’s known for today.

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25th as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.

– A family afternoon decorating the tree while listening to Christmas music.
– Kids leave milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas eve.
– The family gathers around to drink the Christmas traditional eggnog.
– Kiss that special one under the mistletoe.

– Take a Holiday Card Photo with your family.
– Visit A Christmas Tree Farm so you can personally pick your Christmas tree.
– Gather with your close ones to decorate a Gingerbread House.
– Bake Unique Christmas Cookies with your significant other or your kids.
– Plan a Family Photoshoot to show everyone your Christmas spirit during the holidays.
– Plan and host A Holiday Game Night with friends and neighbors.
– Host a Christmas Craft Party with your girlfriends while enjoying great wine.
– Help your kids write their letters to Santa so they can be placed on the Christmas tree.

Christmas originates from the Christian religion when Jesus Christ was born. 

Christmas Eve is the day or evening before Christmas Day. This day takes place every year on December 24. Common Christmas Eve traditions include opening one gift under the Christmas tree and leaving cookies and milk out for Santa Claus.

Christmas dinner is very similar to that of Thanksgiving and includes dishes such as turkey, ham, potatoes, green bean casserole, etc. Some items that you will see specifically on Christmas include fruitcake, gingerbread, and figgy pudding.

– Hanging wreaths at the front door
– Christmas lights, both inside and outside of the house
– Christmas tree at the living rook
– Statues and figurines of Santa and his reindeer all around the house
– Display the Nativity scene on one of your main tables
– Stockings with the family initials by the fireplace
– Garland surrounding the chimney
– Nutcrackers as table decor
– Snow, snowflakes, or snowman in the yard
– Red, green, white, and gold decorations on your Christmas tree
– Peppermints and candy canes jars as treats for visitors

Every year, families in households around the world gather to decorate fir trees with ornaments, tinsel, lights, and more. The Christmas Tree originated in Germany in the 16th Century. A guild put up a tree and decorated it with apples, flour paste, wafers, tinsel, and gingerbread. 

Christmas Carols are songs related to Christmas that are typically sung on or around the holiday. Some traditional Christmas Carols include Silent Night, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, The Little Drummer Boy, and more. During the holiday season, groups of carolers go knocking on their neighbor’s doors to spread Christmas cheer through song.

Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle, comes from the legend of St. Nicholas who was known to give away all his wealth and traveled to help the poor and sick children. He became known as the protector of children and sailors. Gift-giving, especially to children, is a huge part of Christmas. In the 1800s, stores began to use images of Santa Claus as advertisements during the Christmas season. The increased popularity of Santa Claus led to life-sized models, people dressing up in red suits, and eventually, long lines at malls for children to meet Santa. 

Santa Claus is a jolly old man in a red suit that lives at the North Pole. Every year he has a list of all the naughty and nice boys and girls all around the world. The nice kids get a Christmas present while the naughty kids get a stocking full of coal. Santa’s elves help him all year to prepare for Christmas eve where he flies through the night sky in his sled led by his reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Donner, Vixen, Cupid, Comet,  Blitzen, and Rudolph). The power of magic carries him around the world so he can slide down the chimneys and deliver the gifts. 

Some classic Christmas movies that are watched in households worldwide include The Polar Express, Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and more. December 1st is the start of the 25 Days of Christmas on Freeform where multiple Christmas movies are being played every day for you and your family to enjoy! You can also find Christmas movies, both old and new, on streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+.

For Christmas hits featuring some of our favorite artists like Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, and Ariana Grande check out this playlist by Spotify!
Christmas classics are an important part of the holiday season. These songs have been listened to for years and will forever be a part of the Christmas traditions. 

The term Christmas derives from the saying “Mass on Christ’s Day”.

Christmas started as the festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion. 

In 2022 Santa turned 1,751 years old. He was born between 260 A.D. – 280 A.D.

The wife of Santa Claus has no known first name. She is referred to as Mrs. Claus