Merry Christmas, an astonishing word mostly listened around the time of Christmas. It indisputably means to be lighthearted and have a joyful Christmas. It’s a festival of the Christian faith that marks the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Being one of the widely accepted global festivals, it’s celebrated on 25th December of every year by billions of people. Both Christians and non-Christians celebrate it surpassing the religious boundaries and it becomes a symbol of the holistic culture. The winters in December carry festive feelings. Christmas is essentially a reminder of why we should stick to deepest parts of our humanity. Through celebration, we are reminded that we should share, give to the less privileged, spend time with loved ones and have a positive outlook about life in general.

The name Christmas comes from the mass of Christ (or Jesus). A mass service (which is sometimes called communion) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for the people and then came back to life. The Christ Mass service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset. So they had it at midnight. So we got the name Christ Mass, shortened to Christmas. No one knows the real birthday of Jesus. No dates are also given on bible. The early Christians certainly had many arguments as to when it should be celebrated. However there are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. One such early Christian tradition states that the day when Mary was told she would have a very special baby – Jesus – was on March 25 and it’s celebrated on 25th March. Nine months after the 25th March is the 25th December. Christmas had also been celebrated by the early church on January 6th when they also celebrated Epiphany (which means the revelation that Jesus was God son) and the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas. Christians believe that Jesus is the light of the world. So the early Christians thought that was the right time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is proclaimed to be the saviour of all people. The scene of his birth also known as the nativity is recreated using figurines in many households and places of worship. This is one of the important religious symbols associated with Christmas.

Many Christmas customs were restricted to the upper class and better-off families’ up to 1950s in UK. The mass of the population had not adopted many of the Christmas rituals that later became general. The Christmas tree was rare. Associating it with drunkenness and other misbehaviour, the puritans banned Christmas in England and was restored as a legal holiday but remained disreputable. Many people and movements came forward ushering in the development of richer and more symbolic forms of worships, revival and increasing centrality of the festival, special charities for the poor. Some writers also helped in the revival of the holiday by changing consciousness of Christmas and the way in which it was celebrated, as they emphasized family, religion, gift-giving and social reconciliation. Christmas festivities and services became widespread with the rise of the Oxford movement in the Church of England. The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holidays include gift giving, completing an advent calendar, Christmas music and caroling, viewing a nativity play, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, etc. In addition several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, father Christmas are associated with bringing gift to children during Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and love. Santa Claus is one of the key parts of the celebrations of Christmas.

As per the legend, Santa Claus give gifts to good children on the eve of Christmas which is the night of the 24th December. Children sleep early on this day hoping to get a gift from Santa Claus when they get up the next morning. They also keep cookies and milk near their beds for the Santa and a carrot for the reindeer of the Santa on which he rides as a part of the tradition. The popular poem ‘Jingle Bells’ celebrate the coming of Santa to give away the gifts. The common preparations include decorations of the place with Christmas trees, lighting. Before decorations begin, the house must be deep cleaned. Christmas tree brings Christmas spirit in homes because it’s all glittery and shiny with all decorations. Presents are placed under the Christmas tree in wrapped gift boxes and are not to be opened till Christmas day.

One of the more famous symbols of this holiday is the Christmas tree. A Christmas tree can be a decorated evergreen with a fir, spruce, pine, conifer, or an artificial tree of similar appearance. It’s illuminated by lights along with wide variety of traditional and modern ornaments such as garland, baubles, tinsel and candy canes. Edible items such as ginger bread, chocolate and other sweets are tied to or hung from the tree branches with ribbons. An Angel or Star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the Angel Gabriel or the star of Bethlehem.

A special family Christmas meal is also a very traditionally important feature of Christmas celebration and the type of food served depends on the country and varies from region to region.  Some countries include goose, turkey or any other big bird, potatoes, gravy, bread, vegetables and cider. Some unique desserts would also be prepared like mince pies, Christmas pudding, fruits cake etc.

The activities on Christmas day are usually few because everything is prepared in advance. The day begins with a countdown at 11.59 p.m. and people shout in celebration when it gets to 12.00 midnight. Christmas carols are also played on TV and radios to mark the day. Travel plans are also made for families and friends who would be spending their Christmas holiday in a nice place. People usually spend a lot on Christmas and so saving money for these plans should be the earliest preparation among all these. Whatever the backdrop of the holiday, it still remains one of the coziest times of the year.

Marketing experts try to sell everything they can during this time. They know how to use the traditional symbols of Christmas. It’s quite unlikely that economics comes to the forefront of our mind when Christmas arrives. Generally, Christmas is thought of as very beneficial to the country's economy. In the month leading up to Christmas there is huge increase in the need for manufacture. This is particularly prevalent in the toy industry, where the vast majority of sales happen in the lead up to Christmas. In fact, a lot of the toy industries’ product development and timing is based around Christmas period in order to maximize profits. People become motivated to increase their spending during this time of year. Many retailers of food and drinks’ establishments require more staff to deal with the busier period in the lead up to Christmas. This is predominantly true for larger companies who need to take on an abundance of staff to deal with online order in particular. This leads to an economic boost, with businesses increasing their profits and temporary workers finding themselves with a little extra cash to spend. Food and drinks, consumer goods and home wares, plus entertainment all get a Christmas boost. Even industries like cinemas and pubs can reap the benefits during this period. Unsurprisingly this holiday season, consumers are anxious about shopping in store. The vast majority have health and safety concerns with 71% being the most worried about dealing with others who aren’t taking the situation seriously. The pandemic that shuttered much of the worldwide economy in the first half of the year may impact Christmas. The holiday shopping season, which in recent years has started just after Halloween and run right up to Christmas Eve represents half or more of annual revenue for many retail businesses. It's essential for retailers to start planning now, even as some are in the process of reopening. Regardless of the situation, shoppers aren't holding back just yet. Companies are confident this holiday season will see a bounce-back. Economy is getting reshaped. People are returning to work and pay keeps rising. Industries completely dependent on Christmas include Christmas cards, Christmas trees, etc. Christmas shopping season starts as early as October.

Without celebration, daily life becomes a grind, life becomes routine. Life is far too short. And so, while we are here, we must find a way to enjoy it. Celebration nurtures the spirituality within us. Christmas is a time to celebrate. It's a medium which has the power to keep people united for the betterment of mankind. Christmas is basically the best time of the year for both children and adults.