The True Meaning Of XMAS

Imagine if there were no Christmas trees on Christmas. How would it feel? Till this day in almost every American household there is at least one Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is one of the symbols and early traditions from the pagans that early Roman Catholics adopted. Although, the Roman Catholic Church perceived sinful and unacceptable some of the pagan traditions such as the value and behavior that the Anglo-Saxons had towards their cattle and how they sacrificed them to their idols. The church had to synchronize and blend some pagan traditions so they could influence their new strategy to evangelize and attract the heathens.

There are several Symbols associated with Christmas, Santa Claus, Snow or cold weather, Wreaths, garland , wrapping paper and a Christmas tree. Society does not look at Halloween costumes or a hot sunny day and think of Christmas, although when I noticed that some retailers have Halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas décor out, it does not seem to mesh well. But retailers are showing society these symbols getting them thinking about what’s coming soon.

The holiday season is among us. Halloween begins in the fall when the leaves start to change colors and fall of the trees. Christmas begins in winter when the snow hits the ground and the weather gets mighty cold. Halloween is when the spookier things come out. When most people think of Halloween they think of pumpkins and candy. Christmas is a time for giving gifts and being with family. Christmas is usually associated with Santa Clause and his worker elves. Although to most people these holidays may seem very different, there are also some similarities between the two. These differences and similarities can be seen in the dressing up, the celebrations, and the giving.

A person’s past life is really important because it shapes the individual to be the kind of person he/she will be in the future. No matter how much we try, we can’t rid ourselves of our past nor can we run away from it. It’s embedded in our memories and will always remain to do so. In the short story “Xmas”, by Russell Banks, we meet the protagonist, Gregory Dodd who tries to run away from his past and avoid it. Eventually, the reader will learn what the consequences of such an action can lead to. Through the epiphany that the protagonist, Gregory Dodd, undergoes, Banks illustrates the consequences of avoiding one’s past; the nature of the epiphany is defined by the car collision, and ultimately leads Gregory to a wakeup call and a deeper self-realization, leaving him with some heavy thinking to do about his life. The forces that contribute to intensifying the moment of epiphany are seen in the plot and symbolism.

In the Hispanic countries mentioned above, Christmas is referred to as “La Navidad.” They celebrate this holiday during the winter time, where it is said Jesus Christ was born. Children of the countries wake up to find presents left by a special someone under the tree

Based on what I read, Scrooge is a tight fisted-hand at the grindstone. As a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching covetous old sinner, his reputation in the community is perceived as a ill-mannered man. According to the text, Scrooge is hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel has ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. In the text it states that, “Scrooge’s appearance is topped with his frosty rime on his head and his eyebrows makes him appear shrewd and cold.” Scrooge pronounce “What’s Christmas time to you but paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer; a time for balancing your books and having everything.

When most people think of December they tend to think about Christmas. It is supposed to be a time of everyone coming together, being joyful, and

There is no doubt that Christmas is a religious event but nowadays Christmas becomes more commercialized, as it has been defined as a high consumption season because the gifts giving culture becomes the most important part of Christmas and the consumers want to please their children

Christmas can have many meaning to different people depending on how they interpret it. However, if looking at the Christian aspect of it. The

Holidays are an important part of every culture in the world. They are times of festivity where friends and family gather together to celebrate special events at different points of the year. Oftentimes these affairs aren’t limited to a single day and each country has their own set of specific rituals that they perform to commemorate the occasion. Many holidays also have religious origins that are a mix of Christian and pagan beliefs.

It was in 601 that Pope Gregory I wrote to Melitus (his missionary in England) telling him “not to stop such ancient Pagan festivities” but to “adapt them to the rites of the Church, only changing the reason of them from a heathen to a Christian impulse”. So all those who have been claiming for years that Christmas was, in fact, actually a pagan holiday - you were right and Pope Gregory I handily put it in writing for you.

To begin, the history of Christmas is peculiar and filled with factors that make it well-known all throughout the world. It’s history goes all the way back to 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Jesus was born in Bethlehem from a virgin whose name was Mary. In a stable, where shepherds visited, along with everyone who heard, a miracle happened and the holiday came to be. As time continued, Christians have been swept away from the celebration’s natural meaning, background, and origins.

Another hot topic that is brought up in the Christian vs. Non-Christian debate is “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays”. People are claiming that it is

History has affected many things over the years. However, people and places aren’t the only things that were affected by our history, but the way we celebrate Christmas has been changed too. Although Christmas is still a very traditional holiday, the introduction of new and more modern things has shaped the way we celebrate this incredible holiday today. How we celebrate Christmas has changed a lot due to the growth of other religions, the invention of technology, and the growth of conflicts in certain areas.

Christmas is the annual festival celebrating the birth of Jesus on the 25th December, at least that is what it began as initially. Since it has expanded into an international phenomenon for consumption, taking priority over our everyday practices of life (Michel De Certeau, 1980). Our time we spend divided between work and leisure in accordance to the codes and conventions of society shifts, Christmas derails these expectations. Yet surprisingly Christmas gains little attention in terms of social research, despite the fact that it can be explored diversely. The inquiry ‘What is Christmas?’ links to multiple aspects of social research. The aspects of Christmas can be subdivided into the following; religion, commercialism, gift-giving, social relationships, sensualism and mythology. This essay will analyse these fundamentals of Christmas through both psychological and sociological perspectives, as the theories among these two social sciences are best suited to the elements which make up Christmas itself.