Christmas

Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. It falls on December 25 every year. During the days of Christmas, people decorate their houses with star -shaped lights. This is to symbolise the legendary star that showed the way for the magi (wise men) from the east who came to see child Jesus with precious gifts. Carol songs are sung by groups of people who move from house to house. This practice reminds one of the heavenly song sung by the angels on the night Jesus was born.
Jesus was born during the second census held in the reign of Augustus Caesar, the famous Roman Emperor. As per the royal decree, all male had to go to their ancestral home town with their family, to register their names. Thus, Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem (now in Palestine), the royal town of King David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. There Jesus was born. The town was full of people who came from far and wide. Mary wrapped the new born baby in clothes and placed him in a manger (the trough for the cattle to feed from), because there was no room for them in the inn.
To symbolise Jesus' birth in humble circumstances, the Christians make small huts resembling the cattle-shed where child Jesus rested. Miniatures of the characters present during Jesus' birth are placed within this. Thus, you can see Child Jesus, his parents, the wise men, the angels and the shepherds with their sheep, the cattle around and the divine star. The Bible says that the poor shepherds were the first to come to share the joy of the child birth, with Joseph and Mary.
The Christians attend church services in the previous night and the morning of the Christmas day.
Christmas is a winter festival. The message of this festival is "peace to men on earth', as the heavenly angels sang. The Christians believe that it reminds us of God's love for the humans because He sent His Son to the earth to die for the human kind. Thus, it is day of celebrations as well as thanks giving.