Exploring Christmas
As the year draws to an end, the holiday spirit is in the air (quite literally we are waiting for the actual ‘holiday’ to start) Well, jokes aside Christmas is surely just around the corner and the spirit of Christmas is once again present among us. But what is this ‘Spirit of Christmas’? In fact what is Christmas?
When a person thinks of Christmas, the first thing that most probably comes to mind is the Christmas tree or Santa Claus or even presents. Christmas can be described in many ways but it is usually celebrated by millions of people according to tradition. Tradition dictates to put up a Christmas tree, decorate the house for ‘Santa Claus to come and visit’
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Centuries ago in Great Britain, wood priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and place evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.
Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their door to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions.
Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share the story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honour of Christ’s birth.
The tradition of the mistletoe is derived from the pagan worship of the sun god, Balder. He was supposed to be immune to all forms of destruction because of spells cast by the other gods. The only thing they lacked was the immunity to mistletoe. And so Loki, the evil god contrived to have Balder killed in an arrow made of mistletoe.
In the year 2008, I received my first elf for Christmas. Her name was Snowflake and she appeared with my brothers’ elves and my mom’s old childhood elf, Duende. She’s so beautiful with her velvet green dress, red and white striped tights with green velvet elf shoes with tiny bells. Every year after Thanksgiving, my elves would arrive. I have about twelve elves because I take such good care of them that Santa sends me his elves. Our family elves are extremely mischievous and do tricks every day during the Christmas Holidays. It is my favorite time of the year. Every morning as soon as I wake up, I run downstairs to see what mischievous things my elves have done. They are very smarting, witty and extremely creative. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love Christmas carols, decorating the house with my mom, baking cookies for Santa, the smell of pine from the Christmas tree and opening presents Christmas morning.
Some of these may be very scary and some may only be mildly scary. It
It is curious that as children, humans have the ability to observe and remember details of specific situations and instances yet lack the ability to describe them. Truman Capote, as a grown man, took advantage of his vivid memories and composed the short work, "A Christmas Memory." The story begins in late November, a month symbolic of all the years gone by that Capote could remember beginning preparations for Christmas fruitcakes.
Christmas is seeing the pure white snow on a orange sunset beautifully glimmering in the orange pretty sunshine that is a beautiful combination of orange and yellow. overlooking pure white snow.
Christmas Carol How does Charles Dickens convey the character of scrooge in the early pages of a Christmas Carol? Charles Dickens, is best known for his host of distinctively cruel, repugnant characters. His father was sent to a Debtors prison taken his son Charles with him
Each ghost marks an important step in Scrooge’s journey towards being a better person. Explain
A Christmas Carol In a Christmas Carol, Dickens uses some of his past childhood experiences to show us that Christmas is very important and many messages come across in this book. It is split up into five ‘staves.’ The reason that they are staves instead of chapters as staves are used in music and it is called a Christmas ‘carol.’
Every year at Christmas, people who celebrate the holiday place emphasis on giving to those less fortunate than them and spending money on family and friends. The exception to that would be Ebenezer Scrooge, that is, before he was visited by three spirits. This past month, I read the book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. For this analytical essay, I chose to write about a character from the novel and how the character has evolved from the start of the novel to the end. Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist of A Christmas Carol, has evolved throughout the story in that in the beginning, he despises Christmas, loves money, and turns people away from him; in the middle, when the three spirits come to him, he begins to repent his attitude and ways; and, in the end of the novel, he has fully changed and enjoys the Christmas holiday and gives to others.
are poor enough.” And he said he lives in his word of fools. We can
Sometimes a non-fiction book can have relative applications and stories in it, but a fiction book can achieve the same purpose with adding some exaggeration to further support the meaning of the story. The Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens, is a fiction story, but it contains a lot of meaning to the outlook on life. The battle between the flesh and the soul adds emphasis on the morals of the human being. Developing the story is an important aspect as well, whether the development is in the conflict, within the characters or the resolution. Inside the conflict, the conflict can either be internal or external. External being the fight between two men, and internal being the conflict within yourself. The Conflict in The Christmas Carol
Whenever you think of Christmas Carols, what song pops into your head? Personally, for me, it has always been “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. I always think of this carol because it is one of the first ones I was ever taught. When I was younger I figured the song meant exactly what it said. I thought that it had no religious meaning behind it, but to my surprise, there is a special meaning behind this Christmas Carol.
I think the wise men knew something we didn’t. Seriously, when I go to a baby shower I usually bring diapers, bottles or clothing; not gold, frankincense and myrrh.
“ Spirit, hear me. I am not he man I was. I will not be the man I have been for so many years. Why show me all of this if I am past all hope? Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me. Let the boy live! I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” (Scrooge, p.140). A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is an important story as it has a meaningful theme of change, as the quotes states above. But that isn’t the only theme that this beautiful story shows us. Many different spirits encounter him to help him realize why Christmas is important (I’m pretty sure that is the meaning of the spirits). When the first spirit of the past encounters him, he realizes what he has done, and regrets some of the things he did. The second spirit helped Ebenezer Scrooge recognize how what he has been doing has had an impact in other peoples life. When the frightening third spirit came and showed him his future and others futures, he discovers about himself and how people didn’t care that he died. When we read A Christmas Carol, we learn that it can have many different themes that can be a very important component to the story and even our lives.
Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. I love seeing the shinny Christmas lights that decorates my street and the sound of fresh fallen snow on the ground. Christmas reminds me of family, the laughter and loved we shared, and the gifts we gave to each other. My house on Christmas became the center of my joy.
We each take a huge breath as we step out into the crispy snow that snaps under our boots. I make my way to the front door, illuminated by the red, green, and blue Christmas lights. As I open the door and step into a house full of cheek pinches and hugs, an array of Christmas smells welcomes me and makes my mouth water. As my family and I are quickly made comfortable, I look around... All the house is full of Christmas decorations, and the carols are heard all over the house. My cousins are running, playing , and laughing.