History of Advent

It cannot be determined with any degree of certainty when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church. The preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord was not held before the feast itself existed. One of the earliest references to Christmas being celebrated on December 25 appeared in Antioch in the middle of the second century. At that time, Christians were still persecuted. An official determination was made in the fourth century, when the Roman emperor Constantine embraced Christianity, thereby ensuring the legality of Christmas celebrations. The Council of Tours in 567 established the period of Advent as a time of fasting before Christmas. They also proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany a sacred, festive season. According to present usage [1910], Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (30 November) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as November 27th, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as December 3rd, giving the season only twenty-one days. The popular idea that the four weeks of Advent symbolize the four thousand years of darkness in which the world was enveloped before the coming of Christ finds no confirmation in the Liturgy. The familiar carol "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" belongs to the Advent season since it celebrates the expectation of Christ's coming rather than His actual birth. Thanks For Visiting

History of 'Xmas'

The word Christmas comes from the combination of the words 'Christ' and 'mass. ' But where did the X in Xmas come from, and what does it mean? Xmas is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas. It is sometimes pronounced, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation. In the Greek alphabet, X is the symbol for the letter 'chi. ' Chi (or X) is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ. Thanks For Visiting

History of the Sleigh

The first written story about the legend of Santa Claus and his eight reindeer was "A Visit from St. Nicholas," penned by Clement C. Moore in 1823. The legend is taken from Russian stories of Father Frost arriving in villages in a sled drawn by reindeer. The ninth reindeer, Rudolph, did not come along until 1939, in a story by Robert L. May. Thanks For Visiting

History of the Holiday Greenery

Greenery refers to trees and plants that remain green and flourish year round. Holly, ivy, mistletoe and, of course, the Christmas Tree, are all common Christmas greenery. Ancient people revered evergreens for their ability to stay alive during the cold winter months. Often considered magical, they came to symbolize good luck and prosperity. Greenery often adorned the inside and outside of homes during the Winter Solstice Festivals and the use of greenery remains constant as a means of decoration. Thanks For Visiting

History of the Holiday Candles

In the time of darkness surrounding the winter solstice, in the long cold month of December, candles were an important source of light and heat. Ancient Romans lit candles to ward off evil, and to convince the sun to shine again. In Victorian times, candles came to represent good will for those less fortunate during the holiday season. Candles were often placed in windows during the Christmas season as a sign to passersby that shelter and warmth could be found within. Thanks For Visiting

History of the Christmas Ornament

When German immigrants came to America, they brought with them the tradition of hanging small toys, candies and other goodies on the Christmas tree. Between 1800 and 1920, blown-glass ornaments called kugles were sent to the United States, where they were eventually popularized by dime store chains. Thanks For Visiting