|
|
TimeLines of Liberty
American Holidays -
Christmas |
|
|
Christmas -
TimeLine
Observed on December 25th.
A TimeLine History of Christmas Day and traditions. |
Christmas Is ...
- Christmas TimeLine
- Christmas Facts
Story of Baby Jesus
- The Nativity -
Links
|
|
Christmas Is ...
Christmas is Christ's Mass, a celebration service for the birth
of Jesus Christ. God sent his son to be born of a virgin to live
experiencing the temptations of and as a man. Sacrifices of
lambs, goats, doves and other animals had provided the blood
that was required by God for the forgiveness of sin. Man still
sinned so Father God sent Jesus Christ to man to be the Lamb
who's sin would be shed for the cleansing of sin, of those who
in repentance would believe on God's only son, Jesus Christ.
Christmas is
the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ born a baby by
virgin birth. Joseph trusting God and directed by an angel,
brought the virgin Mary to Bethlehem to avoid King Herod's
killing of baby boys in attempts to kill the prophesied Jewish
King. Arriving in Bethlehem with Joseph walking and Mary on the
back of a donkey there were no accomodations. One inn keeper
said all he had was a stable among the animals, but it was a
roof. Jesus was born in a hay trough in a stable born by virgin
birth. A bright star showing in the sky, directed shepherds, kings
and wisemen to the stable bearing gifts for the baby Jesus.
Christmas
is not an observance directed by Jesus Christ, or the Bible at
all for that matter, although we are directed to remember His
death, as the great sacrifice for our sins. Christmas came about
by the incorporation of Pagan holidays putting a Christian
emphasis on the celebrations to bring Christ to the heathen.
Some have called it a compromise.
Christmas
is the remembering the Baby born of virgin birth who would
become a man to become the Lamb to be sacrificed in your stead.
The wages of sin is death. The shedding of Christ's blood is
propitiation for your sin. God's gift to man.
Christmas
is religious to some and just a joyous time for others.
Christmas has expanded to be a multi-cultural celebration of
life with traditions of religious and secular origins and
emphasis. Today's celebrations, although from various origins,
continue today because of the core reason to celebrate the birth
of Christ the Lamb.
|
|
Christmas TimeLine |
|
200 BC |
Mist-letoe |
200 years before Christ Mistletoe was revered and used by Druid
priests in winter celebrations. Mistletoe was singled out for
having no roots yet stayed green during the fridged weather of
winter. The ancien Celtics thought mistle toe to have healing
power. It was used against poisoning, infertility and evil
spirits. Also considered a symbol of peace it is said that Roman
enemies who met under the mistletoe would lay down their arms
and embrace. The custom of Kissing under the Mistletoe came from
the association of mistletoe with Frigga, the goddess of love.
Kissing under mistletoe promised happiness and good luck in the
coming year. Mistletoe became a primative symbol for the male
and female fertility. |
|
BC-AD |
Fall |
The Bible does not state the time of year of Christ's birth but
it is has been studied and presumed to have been the end of
September. |
|
300+ AD |
Jan. |
It is believed that Christmas began to be observed during the
fourth century. The Catholic (Denominational not 'Universal')
church began to merge pagan celebrations placing Christian
meanings on the events to draw the heathen into the church. The
birth of the sun-god Attis in Phrygia and the Persioan sun-god
Mithras were celebrated on December 25th. Babylonian and
Egyption mid winter festivals and the Germanic fertility
festivals were about the time of Christmas. The festival of
Saturn, god of peace and plenty ran from the 17th to the 24th.
Most would begin to celebrate Christmas on January 6th, by the
Julian calendar. Christmas celebrated Jesus Christ's coming on
January 6th when it is believed He was baptized. |
|
300+ AD |
Clause
St.Nick |
During the early fourth Century, Bishop Nicholas of Myra, in
today's Turkey, was a generous man, devoting time to the
children. He had given secret gifts to three daughters of a poor
man who had no wealth for their dowries and was about to send
them into a life of sin. He died in 340 A.D. From this came the
custom of secretly giving gifts on the Eve of Saint Nicholas
which was December 6th. The Saint Nicholas story was the first
semblance of a Santa Clause. |
|
354 AD |
Jan. |
Christmas had been celebrated on January 6th until the year 354
when some Christians began to celebrate Christmas on December
25th using other time calculations. The Church took the pagan
festivals and celebrations putting on them Christian meanings as
a means to stamp them out. |
800
AD |
* |
On Christmas Day the people crowded in to the church at the
coronation of Charlemaign. Charlemaign kneeled before the altar
as the Pope placed the crown on his head. |
|
1043 |
Jan. |
The first reference of Christmas Day in the English language was
in the year 1043. (January, 6th; Julian calendar) |
|
1087 |
Clause
St.Nick |
Italian sailors stole the remains of Saint Nicholas and took
them to Bari, Italy. This action increased the popularity of
Saint Nicholas throughout Europe. During the Middle Ages theives
considered Saint Nicholas their patron saint. |
|
1100 + |
Clause
St.Nick |
The legend expanded with St. Nicholas becoming the patron saint
of Russia, portrayed with a red cape, long white beard with a
bishop's mitre. In Greece St. Nicholas became the patron saint
of sailors; in France the patrion saint of lawyers; in Belgium
he became the patron saint of travellers and children. Thousands
of Churches were dedicated to St. Nicholas. by the twelveth
century the church created a holiday in his honor with
traditions of charity and gift giving. |
|
1100 +? |
Clause |
Kriss Kringle is the "Santa Clause" from Germany. The name Kriss
Kringle was derived from the German word Christkindl. |
|
1225 |
Trad. |
Saint Francis as a means to teach the people began the tradition
of re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of
nativity scenes in 1225. |
|
1300s |
Carol |
In the Middle Ages new Christmas customs emerged. The carol
emerged being used for several celebrations during the
fourteenth century. The use waned for most celebrations and
the carol began to be associated with the religious observance
of Christ's birth. Only the Christmas Carol survived the times. |
|
? |
Carol |
One of the earliest of the English carols is "The Coventry Carol
that showes a mediaeval attempt to liberate the Christmas story
of Jesus from the liturgy of the church. |
|
? |
Holly
Ivy
Green |
Holly and Ivy as well as mistletoe were primative symbols for
the male and female fertility. The magical boughs of holly would
be placed over the door to ward away the ghosts and demons of
the winter season. To brighten the dreary moods of winter,
greenery would be brought inside to freashen the air.
Legends say that as Christ walked the earth holly sprouted in
His footsteps. The stickery points of the leaves to represent
Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries to symbolize the
blood of Christ shed for sin. |
|
1300s |
Carol
|
"The Holly and the Ivy" carol has pagan tradition with
the Christian sentiment. The words of the lyrics are suspected
to have originated in an ancient fertility dance and were
probably from before the fourteenth century. Homes and
altars were decorated in the green of the land. The music of the
carol probably came from the areas of Somerset or
Gloucestershire. |
1500
+- |
Trees |
Martin Luther (1483-1546) the
Protestant Reformer was the first to adorn trees with candles,
inside his home. He attempted to recreate the effect of his
witnessing of the stars shinning through the branches of a fir
tree. |
|
1521 |
Carol |
A set of Christmas Carols were
printed out by Wynkin de Worde in 1521. The carols were more
festal chansons rather than the religious songs that were more
common. |
|
1582 |
Dec. |
Christmas had been Celebrated on January 6th. In 1582 Pope
Gregory XIII by decree, ordered that the calendar skip ten days
and fifteen seconds due to the miscalculations of the Julian
calendar. The new Gregorian calendar would be the new calendar
for most of Europe that were mostly Catholic. Protestants held
to the Julian calendar for nearly the next 300 years.
(Switching from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar
moved January 6th to the 16th making the next Christmas on
December 25th.) |
|
1600s |
Carol |
"God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" was written in London, England
four hundred years ago. |
|
1600 + |
Trees |
Germany decorated trees indoors and out with apples, roses,
colored paper and candy. A popular play during the Advent season
depicted Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. A
fir tree with apples symbolized the Garden of Eden. The play
concluded the the coming of a saviour. |
|
? |
Carol |
"Here We Come A-Wassailing" is an old English version of
'Cheers'. 'Wassail' derived from 'wes hál',
the old English version of the salutation 'cheers!' The
'wassail bowl' is filled with punch. When caroling the children
carried the wassail bowls adorned with rosemary. Such is a
tradition that survives today in some areas of Yorkshire,
England. |
|
1621 |
Jan. |
Governor William Bradford discovered some new members of his
work crew had scruples about working on Christmas Day, January
6th (Julian calendar).. |
|
1642 |
* |
Isaac Newton the Famous scientist
was born prematurely on Christmas Day 1642. |
|
1647 |
Jan. |
In Britain the Canterbury proclaimed that Christmas Day and
other festivals of superstitution be abolished. A market would
be kept on Christmas Day, January 6th. (Julian calendar) |
|
1650 + |
Candy
Cane |
Candy and Cookies were the most common Christmas Tree decoration
but as the tradition spread throughout Europe ingenuity would
create special decorations. Straight white sticks of candy were
used as decorations; seventeenth century crafstmen began to make
them in the shape of a shepherd's crook after the choirmaster at
Germany's Cologne Cathedral made the suggestion. The caned
treats were given during mass of the living creche (nativity
scene) to keep children quiet. The candy tradition spread across
Europe. |
|
1600s |
Poins-ettias |
In the seventeenth century the Franciscans in Mexico used the
Poinsetta in their celebrations. A legend says a young boy on
his way to the nativity scene with no gift in hand, gathered
green branches from along the road. The other children laughed
too soon for on the end of each branch a star appeared. The
upper bright red petals of the poinsetta were often mistaken for
flowers. |
1600
mid. |
Clause |
The popularity of Saint Nicholas waned after the Reformation but
his legend lived on in Holland. The Dutch spelling Sint Nikolaas
eventuall became Sinterklaas. Children would leave their Dutch
wooden shoes near the fireplace and if the child was good the
shoes would be filled with treats. Dutch colonists to the New
World brought with them the Sinterklaas tradition. During the
later part of the sixteenth century the Anglican term Santa
Clause came about. |
|
1652 |
Dec. |
Protestants had been protesting against observing Christmas. The
Catholic church celebrated Christmas on December 25th. The
English Parliament ordered on December 24, 1652 that "No
observance shall be had of the five and twentieth day of
December, commonly called Christmas Day." |
|
1719 |
Carol |
"Joy To The World" was originally called "Antioch" for the city
in Syria where believers were first called Christians. (Acts
11:26) Isaac Watts (1674 - 1748) wrote the lyrics and the music
was written by George Frederick Handel (1685 - 1759). |
|
1739 |
Carol |
Charles Wesley wrote "Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing" in 1739.
W.H.Cummings adapted the tune, thinking it more appropriate for
gay secular wording. |
|
1751 |
Jan. |
England finally officially adopted the Gregorian Calendar in
1751. Some parts of Great Britain call the 6th of January, Old
Christmas Day. |
|
1760 |
Carol |
The Latin 'Adeste Fidelas' was translated into English in 1760
to become "O Come All Ye Faithful." The translation is thought
to be by John Wade (1711-1786) The carol was first heard in
public in 1782. |
|
1800s |
Carol |
The traditional Welsh song is a carol of the 19th century. |
|
1816 |
Carol |
"Angels From the Realm of Glory" was a French carol that was
translated into English in 1816 by James Montgomery. |
|
1818 |
Carol |
From the Tyrolean village of Hallein, local church organist,
Franz Gruber and schoolmaster, Joseph Mohr came the carol
"Silent Night." This is one of the most popular of the Christmas
Carols. It was written in 1818. |
|
1822 |
Clause |
Clement C. Moore wrote, The Night Before Christmas, first
titled A Visit from Saint Nicholas, as a gift for his
children. He portrayed Santa Claus as:
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly,
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; |
|
1828 |
Poins-ettias |
Joel R. Poinsett, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico brought the
Poinsetta to America in 1828. |
|
1833 |
Carol |
The carol "The First Nowell" was written in the early 17th
century. It was first published in 1833 to become one of the
most favored tradional Christmas Carols. |
1835
+- |
Cards |
The First Christmas cards were made in the eary nineteenth
century by school boys in England as an exercise to practice
writing skills. Those first cards had painted boarders with
written messages to the boy's parents. |
|
1836 |
day |
The first state to grant a legal recognition of Christmas was
Alabama in 1836. |
|
1839 |
Trees |
Prince Albert, native of Germany married Queen Victoria of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1839. The
Christmas Tree was introduced to England by Prince Albert. |
|
1843 |
Cards |
Sir Henry Cole, the first director of the London's Victoria and
Albert Museum, found himself too busy during the 1843 Christmas
season to write the long hand-written letters of Christmas
greetings. Sir Cole had a card printed. He commissioned artist
John Calcott Horsley for the illustration; a family enjoying
Christmas festivities; the inscription read, "A Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year to You." |
|
1847 |
Candy
Cane |
The National Confectioner's Association says that Agust Imgard,
a German immigrant, used the candy cane to to decorate a
Christmas tree in 1847 in Wooster, Ohio. |
|
1848 |
Trees |
In 1848 the Illustrated News published an etching showing the
Royal family of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Taken in
Windsor Castle the Prince and Queen and their children were
gathered around a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree became
popular throughout Victoria's England. |
1850
+- |
Carol |
Basing the music on a traditional melody that most likely
originated from the area of Herefordshire in England, the
Unitarian Minister, Edmund Sears (1810 - 1876) wrote the carol,
"It Came Upon A Midnight Clear." |
1850
+- |
Carol |
Filled with Victorian sentiment was the carol "Good King
Wenceslas." The Reverened J. M. Neale (1818 - 1866) carried a
reputation for reviving carols and wrote the lyrics setting them
to a 14th century dance tune. |
1850
+- |
Carol |
The words to "Once in Royal David's City" was written by Mrs.
C.F. Alexander (1832 - 1895) the wife of the current Bishop of
Ireland. The Music was written by H.J. Gauntlett (1832-1876). |
|
1857 |
Carol |
Sounding much older than it is, "We Three Kings of Orient Are"
was composed in 1857 by American, John Henry Hopkins. |
|
1870 |
day |
The District of Columbia had made an official recognition of
Christmas in 1870. |
1800s
late |
Trees |
The Pennsylvania Germans brought the Christmas tree tradition to
America in the late eighteen hundreds. |
|
1890 |
day |
By 1890 all States and U.S. Territories had acknowledge
Christmas as a legal observance. |
1900
+- |
Candy
Cane |
Over 50 years after the hanging of the Candy Cane on a Christmas
Tree in Ohio Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia made the candy
treat for family friends and local shopkeepers. |
1900
+- |
Carol |
"Away in a Manger" was written by an American church organist,
W. J Kirkpatrict who lived from 1832 untill 1921. He based the
carol on a traditional American poem to be performed by a Sunday
School class. |
|
1914 |
Dec. |
During World War 1 German soldiers on the Western Front, were
heard singing Christmas carols on Christmas eve. The British
commander investigating, found a lone German soldier was
requesting to talk with a British soldier. The British Commander
asked to talk with a German officer. Christmas greetings were
exchanged and an agreement was made to cease hostilities until
midnight Christmas Day.
A later agreement, allowed soldiers on both sides to enter the
battle field between both front lines to bury the dead. Together
British and German soldiers spent Christmas Day burying the
fallen soldiers. |
|
1931 |
Clause |
Santa Clause had been depicted as an elf up until 1931 when
Coca-Cola commercials portrayed him as life-sized as an average
adult. |
|
1939 |
Clause
Rudolph |
The Montgomery Ward store chain would distribute coloring books
as Christmas gifts to children of their customers. To save money
the management commissioned one of their own copywriters,
employee Robert L. May to write a Christmas story. Twenty four
million copies of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer were
distributed in 1939. Over 6 million copy would have been
distributed over the next seven years during the wartime paper
shortage. The story was inspired by The Ugly Duckling and
the writer's own childhood experiences. He tested the rhyming
couplets on his four-year-old daughter who was delighted by the
story. Mr. May had considered Rollo, Reginald, and Rudolph as
names for Santa's newest reindeer. |
|
1940 |
Song
Bing |
It is believed that Irving Berlin wrote the song White
Christmas in 1940 at the poolside of the Biltmore hotel in
Phoenix, Arizona. Berlin instructructed his secretary saying,
"Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best
song I've ever written - heck, I just wrote the best song that
anybody's ever writen." |
|
1941 |
Song
Bing |
Bing Crosby first performed White Christmas in 1941 on
Christmas Day on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall. |
|
1942 |
Song
Bing |
Bing Crosby recorded White Christmas in 18 minutes on May
29, 1942, with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken
Darby Singers for Decca Records. Gettin off to a slow start,
White Christmas eventually topped the Your Hit Parade
chart, with eleven weeks at the top of the Billboard
charts.
That first recording topped the Black-oriented Harlem Hit
Parade for three weeks. |
|
1945 |
Song
Bing |
Decca re-released Bing Crosby's recording of White Christmas
in 1945, returning it to the number one spot on the Billboard
chart during the Christmas season. |
|
1946 |
Song
Bing |
Decca again re-released Bing Crosby's recording of White
Christmas for the 1946 Christmas season, returning it to the
number one spot on the Billboard chart dated January 4, 1947. |
|
1947 |
Song
Bing |
Decca called Bing Crosby to the studios on March 18th, 1947 to
re-recored White Christmas. The 1942 original had become
damaged due to frequent use. Attempts were made to duplicate the
original using the same orchestra and back-up singers although
there were subtle differences in the orchestration. Among the
differences were the addition of a celesta and flutes to enliven
the introduction. |
|
1947 |
Clause
Rudolph |
Robert L. May had been Left in debt after the illness and
passing of his wife. May was able to gain the copyright of
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer from Montgomery Ward. His
story was printed commercially in 1947, ensuring his financial
security. |
|
1948 |
Clause
Rudolph |
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer was was made into a
nine-minute cartoon that was shown in theaters in 1948. |
|
1949 |
Clause
Song
Rudolph |
Robert L. May's brother-in-law, songwriter Johny Marks wrote
both the lyrics and melody to the song Rudolph the Red-nosed
Reindeer to birth the Rudolph phenomenon. Many artists
refused the piece afraid of going up against "Santa Clause." The
same year it was written, Gene Autry recorded the song at the
urging of his wife. Two Million copies were sold the first year,
to eventually become the second best selling Christmas song of
all time. (The Best selling was Bing Crosby's White
Christmas.) |
|
1950s |
Candy
Cane |
Brother-in-law to Bob McCormack (see 1900), Catholic priest
Gregory Keller, invented a machine to make the popular candy
cane treat. |
|
1947 |
Song
Bing |
The song White Christmas was the basis for the 1954 movie
White Christmas staring Bing Crosby. |
|
1957 |
Clause
Grinch |
As a commedy, in the same vein as the Cat in The Hat and
based on the Santa story, Dr. Seuss published and illustrated,
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas in 1957. The Grinch hated
Christmas and sought to steal Christmas from the citizens of
Whoville. |
|
1964 |
Clause
Rudolph |
Burl Ives narrated the 1964 Television special of Rudolph the
Red-nosed Reindeer which remains a holiday favorite today.
Rudolph has gained a perminent place in Santa's sphere. |
|
1966 |
Clause
Grinch |
An animated move, Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas,
played in theaters, in 1966, to become a yearly television
tradition. |
|
1969 |
Clause
St.Nick |
The Roman Catholic church revised its calendar to omit St.
Nicholas Feast Day, due to the lack of documentation of its
place in history and to the church. |
1970s
80s ? |
Candy
Cane |
At some point in history peppermint became the standard flavor
of the Candy Cane with red and white stripes. With no
documentation for proof and more recently the colors have come
to have religious meanings; Christ's purity in the white, His
blood shed in the red and the three red stripes to represent His
Holy Trinity. Occassionally found in various flavors the red
striped pepermint candy cane remains a favorite Christmas treat
and decoration. |
|
2000 |
Clause
Grinch |
A large budget 2000 movie remake of the animation How the
Grinch Stole Christmas used live actors. Jim Carrey played
the Grinch as no other could have. Taylor Momsen played
Cindy
Lou Who. |
|
© Copyright 2010
Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com |
|
Other Christmas Facts |
|
We get "Christmas" the word, from the Old English "Christes maesse"
that today would be "Christ's mass". |
|
Xmas or X-mas is sometimes used in place of Christmas. The first
letter of Christ's name is X in Greek. |
|
Often errantly believed to be the twelve days leading up to
Christmas, the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" are actually
the 12 days between Christmas and the Epiphany. |
|
Scandinavia had festivities that were known as Yule. The growing
season was followed by winter with an opportunity to enjoy the
summer's bounty with feasting and merriment. |
|
Burning of the 'Yule' log came from the pagan worship of
vegetation and fire. |
The Saturday before Christmas is typically the busiest shopping
day of the year.
Busiest "On-line" Shopping days:
Second Monday of December from 2000 to 2005. - Wednesday,
December 13th, 2006 -
Monday, December 10th,
2007 - Tuesday, December 9th,
2008 - Tuesday, December 15th,
2009 |
|
© Copyright 2010
Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com |
Story of Baby
Jesus
- Book of Matthew -
Conception
- Conspiracy -
Maji -
Warning -
Infanticide
The Nativity
- Book of Luke - |
Story of Baby Jesus
From the Book of Matthew |
Now
the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they
came together she was found to be with child by the Holy
Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man
and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her
away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as
your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her
is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you
shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people
from their sins."
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by
the Lord through the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL
BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL
HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH
US." And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the
angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his
wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a
Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Holy Bible;
Matthew Chapter 1, verses 18-25 - NAV |
Now
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days
of Herod the king, *magi from the east arrived in
Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King
of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have
come to worship Him."
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief
priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them
where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In
Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by
the prophet: "AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE
BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF
YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE
ISRAEL.'" Then Herod secretly called the magi and
determined from them the exact time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search
carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him,
report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."
Holy Bible;
Matthew Chapter 2, verses 1-8 - NAV
*Magi
is a caste of wise men
with studies in astronomy, astrology, and natural science.
|
Magi Follows
The Star
After
hearing the king, they went their way; and the star,
which they had seen in the east, went on before them
until it came and stood over the place where the Child
was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly
with great joy.
After coming into the house they
saw the Child with Mary His
mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their
treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod,
the magi left for their own country by another way.
Holy Bible; Matthew
Chapter 2, verses 9-12 - NAV
|
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and
said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to
Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is
going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up
and took the Child and His mother while it was still
night, and left for Egypt.
He remained there until the death
of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by
the Lord through the prophet: "OUT
OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."
Holy Bible; Matthew
Chapter 2, verses 13-15 - NAV
|
Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged,
and sent and slew all the
male children who were in Bethlehem and all its
vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the
time which he had determined from the magi. Then what
had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was
fulfilled: "A VOICE WAS
HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL
WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE
COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE."
Holy Bible; Matthew Chapter 2,
verses 16-12 - NAV |
The Nativity - from the Book
of Luke
And it came to pass
in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar
Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went
to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also
sent up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into
Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; to
be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with
child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days
were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there
was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And. lo,
the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying
in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men.
Now in those days
a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a
census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was
the first census taken while Quirinius was governor
of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register
for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also
went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to
Judea, to the city of David which is called
Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of
David, in order to register along with Mary, who was
engaged to him, and was with child. While they were
there, the days were completed for her to give
birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and
she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
In the same region there were some shepherds staying
out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock
by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood
before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them; and they were terribly frightened. But the
angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I
bring you good news of great joy which will be for
all the people; for today in the city of David there
has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a
baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And
suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory
to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men
with whom He is pleased."
When the angels
had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds
began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to
Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened
which the Lord has made known to us." So they came
in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph,
and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had
seen this, they made known the statement which had
been told them about this Child. And all who heard
it wondered at the things which were told them by
the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things,
pondering them in her heart.
The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God
for all that they had heard and seen, just as had
been told them.
Holy Bible; Luke Chapter 2,
verses 1-20
- NAV
|
|
Other Links:
Christmas Poems by the
PoetPatriot
Christmas Sayings for the Church Sign
Sources
Bible; Mathew 2: 1-14; Luke 1: 8-13, 23,24 - Bible; Luke 1:
5-47, 56-60 -
http://books.google.com/books?;The Story of France Told to Boys
and Girls - Encarta 96
Encyclopedia
http://books.google.com/books?; Observations on the Popular
Antiquities of Great Britain -
Encyclopedia Brittanica
http://space.about.com/cs/astronomyhistory/a/isaacnewtonbio.htm
-
http://www.christmas-time.com/ct-carols.htm
http://books.google.com/books?; Yule-Tide in Many Lands -
http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/christmas/history.html
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Puritan_New_England
-
http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-hist.html
http://www.christmas-time.com/christmastruce1914.htm -
http://www.allthingschristmas.com/traditions.html
http://www.portharbor.com/santa/xsahist.php -
http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-trench.html
http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/jesus-christ-born-december-25-christmas.htm
- World Book
http://www.the-north-pole.com/carols/rudolph.html -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170016/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert,_Prince_Consort
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i6c8a99484479c6fe02ad38736168ba3c
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/fe88e7e31850ebc4f5269128ee0c0bd0.html
-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060345/
http://www.thepaytons.org/essays/origins.html
|
|
|
|
|
