Happy Holidays :
I've always been interested in why Christmas and Channukah are celebrated on unique dates and know Lexi will be asking all too soon, so with some research here's the story- hope you find it interesting.
The Origin of Christmas
The name "Christmas" comes from the Mass of Christ, or Jesus. A Mass service sometimes called Communion or Eucharist is where Christians remember that Jesus died for man then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset, so it was held at Midnight. Christ-Mass was shortened to Christmas.
December 25th: The real birthday of Jesus is unknown and a date is not stated in the Bible, so why is it celebrated on the 25th December?
History: Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th December in the 5th century during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor. This date was probably chosen because the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called "Saturnalia" and "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti" occurred in December.
The Winter Solstice occurs between December 22nd and December 25th, and is the day of the year with the least time between the sunrise and sunset. To pagans this meant the end of winter and coming of spring, so they celebrated and worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter.
The Roman Festival of Saturnalia occurred between December 17th and 23rd to honor the Roman god Saturn. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which means "birthday of the unconquered sun" was held on December 25th, the date the Romans thought the Winter Solstice occurred. From then on it was considered to be the birth-date of the sun and the God Jupiter, who was Saturn's son. Prior to the Romans, the Greeks had celebrated the birthday of the God Zeus, whom they called Jupiter, on December 25th.
Later on the early Christians gave the festival a new meaning - to celebrate the birth of the Son of God, "'the unconquered Son", on December 25th.
There is another reason why the 25th may have chosen. March 25th was a sacred day to the pagans because they celebrated the coming of spring and new life. The early Christians considered this as the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus. This is called the Annunciation and is still celebrated by Christians on March 25th. Nine months after the 25th of March is December 25th.
While Christmas is celebrated on different dates with different traditions in other parts of the world, the important purpose is always the same: celebrating the birth of Jesus.
The Origin of Channukah
The Jewish Festival of Lights: Chanukah means "dedication" in Hebrew, and is the Jewish Festival of Lights celebrating the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. Its duration is eight days beginning on the 25th of Kislev, the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December. Because the Jewish calendar is lunar and uses the moon for its dates Kislev can occur from late November to late December. Chanukah will begin on December 22, 2008.
History: Around 200 BC Israel was a state in the Seleucid Empire ruled under Greek law and controlled by the King of Syria who permitted the Jewish religion to be followed. In 171 BC Antiochus IV became king and he demanded that the empire follow Greek ways of life and religion.
Antiochus ordered houses in Jerusalem to be burned down and tens of thousands of Jews were killed or enslaved. He then ordered Syrian soldiers to loot the treasures from the Jewish temple and on 25 Kislev he desecrated the most holy place in the temple and destroyed the Jewish holy scrolls.
Antiochus then banned practicing Judaism and made the Temple into a shrine to Zeus. Soon afterwards a Jewish rebellion started that was ultimately led by Judah, whose nickname was "Maccabee" - from the Hebrew word hammer. After three years of battle his troops defeated the Syrians.
When Judah and his men returned to Jerusalem the Temple was in ruins. They cleaned the Temple, rebuilt the altar, and on 25 Kislev 165 BC rededicated them to God.
The prevailing theory on why Channukah is celebrated over eight nights is that when Judah and his followers entered the Temple there was only enough oil to burn for one night, but that it burned for eight nights.
Cardinals: Congratulations to the Cardinals for defying the odds and winning your division. Keep up the great work and enjoy more big wins!
2008: What a year! All of us sincerely thank you for your loyalty, support, and friendship. You are our most valued asset and your confidence in us will never be taken for granted. We hope that 2009 brings you and your loved ones good health, happiness, and prosperity.
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