Christmas was first recorded as being celebrated in England in 597 AD, when St. Augustine of Canterbury baptized thousands of Saxons on Christmas Day. While earlier Roman or Celtic Christian traditions may have existed, this 6th-century event is widely considered the introduction of the holiday to the region.
The first recorded Christmas that celebrated the birth of Jesus is often cited as A.D. 336, however some historical evidence suggests the observance dates back as far as the second century. Certainly by the fourth century, church officials had decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday.
Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, is usually credited with having introduced the Christmas tree into England in 1840. However it was actually 'good Queen Charlotte', the German wife of George III, who set up the first known tree at Queen's Lodge, Windsor, in December 1800.
Some Puritans objected to the celebrations as there was no mention of such things in the Bible, and therefore couldn't be justified as they were not rooted in scripture. Many also felt that the Christmas festivities had simply become too drunken and debauched. Presbyterians in Scotland had outlawed Christmas in 1640.
Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, became a popular gift-giver in the UK in the late Victorian era (1880s), merging with the traditional English Father Christmas figure, who was originally a symbol of good cheer, appearing in stores as early as 1885, though the merged jolly red-suited figure was a staple by the turn of the 20th century.
How we Celebrate Christmas in the UK | What is Christmas for Kids
How did Christmas begin in England?
St Augustine of Canterbury was the person who probably started the widespread celebration of Christmas in large parts of England. The first recorded date of Christmas in England in when Augustine baptised 10,000 Saxons in Kent on Christmas day 597.
Under Scotland's new belief system, the celebration and its traditions were deemed too excessive. The festivities were phased out and the Scottish Parliament officially passed a law that made celebrating Yule vacations illegal in 1640.
The Pilgrims actually felt that Christmas had become a pagan holiday, as it commonly entailed feasting and drinking to excess. In fact, Christmas was banned in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1659, and anyone caught celebrating the holiday would be subject to a 5-shilling fine.
In 1659, the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted a law called Penalty for Keeping Christmas. The notion was that such “festivals as were superstitiously kept in other countries” were a “great dishonor of God and offence of others.” Anyone found celebrating Christmas by failing to work, “feasting, or any other way…
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the word Christmas originates from the phrase “Cristes Maesse”, first recorded in 1038, which means the Mass of Christ or Christ's Mass.
In 1116 Christmas became a double celebration for Henry II, when his second son John was born on Christmas Day. He also famously celebrated Christmas in 1171 at his 'winter palace', which was constructed outside Dublin's city walls after his successful invasion of Ireland.
Every year, since 1947, the people of Norway have given the people of London a Christmas tree. This gift is in gratitude for Britain's support for Norway during World War II.
It all started in the pine forest covered areas of Northern Europe. The earliest records of evergreen trees being brought inside and decorated around the winter solstice come from Medieval Livonia (modern day Estonia and Latvia).
Jesus was likely born between 6 and 4 BC, not on December 25th, with many scholars pointing to the reign of King Herod the Great as a key indicator, as the gospels state Jesus' birth occurred shortly before Herod's death around 4 BC, though the exact date remains unknown and traditions vary.
No, the Bible does not command or mention the celebration of Christmas, as the date of Jesus' birth isn't given and early Christians focused more on his resurrection, with Christmas emerging centuries later with pagan roots in winter solstice festivals like Saturnalia, leading to varied Christian views on its observance today, with some seeing it as a way to honor Christ's birth and others avoiding it due to its traditions.
No, the Bible does not say Christmas is December 25th; it doesn't mention the date of Jesus' birth at all, with early Christians not celebrating birthdays, and the date was chosen later (around 336 AD) by the Roman church to coincide with pagan winter solstice festivals like Saturnalia. This placement was likely to ease conversion by offering a Christian alternative to existing popular holidays, according to the Biblical Archaeology Society and Wikipedia.
The origins of Sinterklaas can be found in the stories of St Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop from Myra, now in modern-day Turkey. St Nicholas was credited with a wide variety of miracles. According to one story, he resurrected three youths after they'd been murdered and pickled in a barrel by an innkeeper.
Christmas tree decorations, gift-giving, family and other social gatherings, feasting, etc. Christmas was largely erased from the Russian calendar for much of the 20th century due to the Soviet Union's anti-religious policies, but many of its traditions survived, having been transplanted to New Year's Day.
Two out of many religions that don't celebrate Christmas are Judaism and Jehovah Witnesses. Judaism and Jehovah Witnesses have their reasons for not participating in the world-wide celebration of the Christmas festivities. Jehovah Witnesses believe that Christmas is not a religious holiday.
Oliver Cromwell, Puritan leader, believed feasting and revelry on what was suppose to be a holy day was considered immoral. Thus, he banned all Christmas activities. The ban remained in place until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 when Charles II became King.
It's a commonly held belief that Cromwell 'banned' Christmas. His reputation as a highly puritanical political leader has always been hotly debated, and as with all controversial figures, myths and legends about his famously zealous character have proliferated.
The etymology of Hogmanay is uncertain, but the leading theory links it to Norman French words like hoguinané or aguillanneuf, meaning "gala day" or "gifts for the New Year," reflecting Scotland's historical ties with France, possibly introduced by Mary, Queen of Scots. Other ideas suggest Norse roots (hoggo-nott, meaning Yule) or Anglo-Saxon (haleg monath, holy month), but the French connection is favored, connecting to traditions like "first-footing".
