Christmas

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ

The History of Christmas

• 1st celebrated in the 300s by Christians in Rome and spread to England around 600

• It is when the shortest daytime of the year is over and the days begin to get longer again

• (about 6 hours or daylight in North Europe)• Many farmers would kill their cow, pig, goat in

December because the animal food runs out

Christmas Traditions

• Going to Church (often at Midnight)• Feasting, celebrating and drinking• The rich were expected to feed the poor

Christmas in North America

• The Christians in the USA did not believe in Christmas (it was not in their holy book)

• They didn’t celebrate Christmas until 1800s• It changed to be about family rather than

about feasting and drinking

A Christmas Carol

• This famous story changed the meaning of Christmas during the urban, industrialized England and USA to a time of charity and being with family

Christmas Tree

• Christmas tree was a way to bring the country back into the home for a short time

• It smells good in a time when window cannot open up (now it is plastic because not needed)

• It brings prettiness to the house in the sad and dark time of winter

How Christmas has changed

• Christmas was about eating and drinking during the farming times, celebrating the return of longer days and spring

• Christmas is now about giving gifts, buying decorations and advertising (Santa Claus) during the industrial and service times

Christmas in the Future

• It will no longer be called Christmas but “Winter Holiday” because North America is more multi-cultural and less religious

• Christmas trees will just be small decorations not the whole tree (too large and messy)

Citation

• “Christmas.” (1996-2013). History.com. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved on Sept. 24, 2013 at http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/page2

Marking

• Knowledge – Includes history, present, future with examples• Thinking – Includes visuals and slides are easy to read• Application – Includes a citation from a “good” source• Communication – Explains, using examples, how the cultural elements of

the festival have changed and why