Christmas is a magical wonderful time of year for the kid in all of us, as one of my favorite Christmas songs say, “To kids from one to ninety-two” it is a time full of joy, hope, and miracles. Let’s jump right into the history of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25th was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Early celebrations of Christmas are thought to have derived from Roman and other European festivals that marked the end of the harvest, and the winter solstice.
Christmas also developed further with the legend of St. Nicholas, though much of his history is unconfirmed, the man who became St. Nicholas lived in the 4th century and is believed to have been a bishop in Asia Minor. Though many of St. Nicholas’s miracles are questionable many countries named him their patron saint, he is also considered the patron saint of children (for protecting them), sailors (whom he reputedly saved at sea), and the poor (to whom he generously gave gifts). St. Nicholas has had many names throughout the years and countries, here we know him as Santa Claus.
More Christmas Facts:
- The story of Jesus Christ’s birth is told in New Testament’s gospel of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew.
- The word Christmas comes from the Old English Cristes Maesse, meaning Christ’s Mass.
- The song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” refers to the 12 days between Christmas and the Epiphany.
- Some Christians celebrate Jesus Christ’s coming on January 6th, the Epiphany, which they believe he was baptized.
- Santa Claus generally was depicted as an elf until 1931. When Coca-Cola ads portrayed him as human-sized.
- Rudolph didn’t become Santa’s ninth reindeer until 1939 when an advertising writer for the department store Montgomery Ward created him.
So there we have the history of Christmas, how about we end it with a magical story I read about that happened at this wonderful season and you tell me if you are a believer…
“This incident happened on New Year’s Day, 2008 in Vancouver, B.C, Canada,” says Angela. “My grandmother passed away suddenly from natural causes on Christmas Eve, which shocked and crushed us. My family is Buddhist, so for the past few days, we’ve visited a temple and meditated in her honor. My mom purchased this small, radio-like box that repeatedly plays a meditation, and she has left that on in my grandmother’s room throughout the day for the last little bit.
“Monday, December 31, was the one week anniversary of my grandmother’s death, and according to Chinese traditions, the deceased return home to visit their loved ones. As usual, my parents had the box playing throughout the day and turned it off before they went to bed. Here’s where it gets weird.
“The next morning, on New Year’s Day, my mom woke up around 9 a.m. to use the bathroom, and she distinctly heard a soft song of meditation, just like the one heard from the box. She asked my dad if he had left it on the night before, and he said no. Thinking she had imagined it, she went back to sleep.
“Around 10 a.m., my dad woke up and heard the same soft sounds of meditation. He started wondering if he had indeed forgotten to turn off the box and went into my grandmother’s room to check, only to find it off! How can you explain both of my parents hearing the meditation? We’ve eliminated the possibilities of it coming from our neighbor’s house or TV. My boyfriend believes that it was my grandmother’s way of letting us know that she is still around and that she is alright. It is a little spooky, but I find comfort in my grandmother letting us know she’s around through meditation.”