By Zile Singh

 Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The earliest celebration of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, on December 25 was held in the year 336 AD in Rome. The term “Christmas” comes from the Old English CristesMaesse, which means Christ’s mass (Christmas).  Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world whether they belong to Christianity or not.   It is a time when family and friends get together and remember the good things they have and praise Lord Christ, the Son of God.  Children enjoy this festival even more than the adults because they receive gifts.Christmas trees and Santa Claus are lit with colourful lights. There are different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.  According to an early Christian tradition, called the Annunciation, Mary was told on March 25ththat she would have a very special boy called Jesus.  Nine months after 25th March falls on 25th December.  Some Christian traditions believe that even the world was made on March 25th and also the day when Jesus died. It is Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar. 

According to Pagans, who do not believe in any religion, it is the time of the year when days would start getting lighter and longer and the nights would become shorter.  They started a mid-winter festival to celebrate the sun winning over the darkness of winter.  At this time, animals which had been kept for food were also often killed to save having to feed them all through the winter and some drinks, which had been brewing since the autumn harvest, would also be ready to drink.  Thus, it was a good time to have celebration to eat and drink.  We have New Year celebrations also near this time of the year. 

In Scandinavian countries, the time around the Winter Solstice is known as Yule.  The word Yule seems to date about the year 300 AD.  In Eastern European countries a mid-winter festival is called Koleda. In Persian culture, the winter solstice is known as ‘Yalda Night’ or ‘Shab-e-Chelleh.  For them it is a time when families and friends come together to eat, drink and recite poetry.  Shab-e-Chelleh means ‘night of forty’ as it happens forty nights into Winter. Yalda means ‘birth’ and comes from early Christians living in Persia celebrating the birth of Jesus around this time. For them, eating fruits, nuts, pomegranates and watermelons are common.  The Roman Festival of Saturnalia takes place between December 17th and 23rdtohonourthe Roman god Saturn.  The Romans also thought that the Solstice took place on December 25th.

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in a stable.  Little is known about his early life.   But his life and his ministry are recorded in the New Testament, more a theological document than a biography. Jesus is considered the incarnation of God and his teachings are followed as an example for living a more spiritual life.  According to some legends, Jesus was raised in the small rural town of Nazareth.  His adoptive father, Joseph, taught him to use the tools of a carpenter.  It was hard work requiring much manual labour for hours of sweating in the sun. For thirty years Jesus lived a traditional Jewish life working as a carpenter. At that time Israel was under Caesar’s Roman dictatorship, including Bethlehem where he was born and Nazareth where he was raised. Jesus began his public teaching and display of miracles.  Soon his reputation spread far and wide.  It was noted by the dictator  and the religious authorities who did not like his behaviour of misleading the common man.  His main messages were: God loves you and is with you.  Love one another.  Value each person.  Kingdom of God has come to earth and God forgives those who ask.

Jesus indicated that humans have an innate spiritual need. We long to know the answers to such questions as these: Why are we here? Why is there so much suffering on this earth? Does God really care about us? Is there life after death? We need to know the answers to such questions in order to have a meaningful life. Jesus knew that there is only one reliable source that can answer those questions—God’s Word. In prayer to his Father, Jesus said: “Your word is truth.”

 Jesus was caught from a hiding and was crucified at Golgotha, which means “place of the skull,” because so many had died there. At that timeJesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”The Crucifixion of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. All of Scripture leads up to this pinnacle moment in the history of humanity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave His life in order to defeat the deadly consequences of sin . . . once and for all. He made a way for us to stand in the presence of the Father, the One True God, and to live with Him for eternity in heaven. Through the most painful death, came the greatest gift, our salvation through the Messiah. We honor the memory of Jesus’ death on Good Friday of Holy Week and celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday.

“Do not let your heart be troubled.  Trust in God; trust in me.”  “For what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his soul.” – Jesus Christ. 

Let us wish Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. 

Zile Singh is a well respected Columnist, Writer and a Vipassana Meditater. He has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.  He can be reached at zsnirwal@yahoo.ca