In about 5-6 sentences, summarize what you have learnt.
Th e Magic of Christmas
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus
Christ. Most Christians observe Christmas on the 25th of December.
On this day many go to church to take part in special religious services.
Th e word Christmas comes from Christes maesse, an early English
phrase meaning Mass of Christ. Th e story of Christmas comes chiefl y
from the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew in the New Testament.
According to Luke, an angel appeared to shepherds outside the
town of Bethlehem and told them of Jesus’s birth.
Th e fi rst mention of the celebration of Christmas occurred in A.D.
336 in an early Roman calendar, which indicates December 25 as the day of observance.
By 1100 A. D. Christmas had become the most important religious festival in Europe and Saint Nicholas
was a symbol of gift giving in many European countries.
During the Reformation, many Christians began to consider Christmas a pagan celebration because it included
nonreligious customs. During 1600 Christmas was outlawed in England and other parts of the English
colonies in America.
In the 1800’s, two more customs became popular – decorating Christmas trees and sending Christmas cards.