Every year on December 25, Christmas is celebrated throughout the Catholic world. On this day, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is celebrated. In America, as in any other country in the world, over time, its own characteristics and traditions of this day have been formed. Religious rituals are intertwined with secular and family customs.
The celebration of Christmas on December 25 began around the 4th century. Presumably Jesus was born either in the spring or fall, but at that time the Catholic Church had to compete with the pagan holidays. In December, the pagans celebrated the birthday of the sun god, and therefore the Catholics moved Christmas to December 25th.
In America, the tradition of celebrating Christmas magnificently did not take root immediately. At one time, the Puritan settlers generally forbade it to be celebrated. The celebration, practically in the form it is now, was formed in the United States only in the 19th century. There is a tradition of buying sweet gifts for small children. The formation of the image of Santa Claus belongs to the same period. He is a cheerful kind-hearted man who rides in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and gives gifts to good children.
In modern America, religious celebrations of Christmas begin on December 24, Christmas Eve. Mass is held at midnight, followed by a lavish and cheerful feast. But this is only one scheme. For the very celebration of Christmas, Americans begin to prepare in advance, as gifts need to be prepared for all relatives and close friends, and postcards should be signed for friends and colleagues.
On this day, it is customary to decorate the house with holly, ivy and mistletoe. Holly gives a person hope and faith in the future. Ivy is traditionally personified with immortality. Mistletoe was revered long before the birth of Christ. So the Celts believed that mistletoe can heal many ailments and help protect the house from evil spells. This is the origin of the tradition of hanging mistletoe branches over the entrance to the house.
This is a traditional celebration of Christmas. Do not forget that America is a multi-ethnic country and most often the traditions associated with this celebration depend on which country the ancestors came from. This is how Christmas is spent differently for Americans with Polish and Hungarian roots. Celebration also varies in different regions of the United States. In the south, everything is carried out more magnificently and on a larger scale than in the northern part. And the celebration of Christmas in Alaska takes place more modestly and with its own traditions.
