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Is there more to the holidays than buying gifts and eating too much food? People seem to have lost the original meaning of Christmas and the values it represents. Delving further into the holiday will reveal just how meaningful the festive season can be and remind everyone of the true meaning of Christmas.
The Heart Of Holiday Values
You can find some peace looking up at the permanent christmas lights that illuminate the outside of your home, but the peace associated with Christmas can come from somewhere else. Christmas is a reflection of a human’s deepest aspirations, especially at the end of the year. It’s a time to look forward and create expectations for the new changes people want to make in their lives.
Christmas encourages generosity between peers, sharing gifts, and offering warm meals for everyone to enjoy. The presence of other people nearby can remind you that you’re not alone in this world and that there are people who still care for you. Along with generosity is gratitude. No one should take anything for granted and should count all of their blessings, no matter how small.
Lastly, Christmas is a time for family, joy, and peace. Spending the holidays with those you are closest to, sharing a laugh or two during a good meal, and taking in the beauty of the world around you when everything is quiet and winding down at the end of the year.
The Pagan Roots Of Christmas
Before Christmas became the cornerstone of Christianity, there were ancient cultures that celebrated what’s called the winter solstice. This is to mark the longest night of the year before Earth starts to tilt towards the sun again. This incident was considered very significant for several cultures, including the Romans. This marked a time of merriment and feasting in order to celebrate the god of agriculture, Saturn.
It was also celebrated by the Norse, who called the event Yule. They would burn a large log and feast at it until it was completely burned through. During this burning, the Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year as a symbol of hope.
Adoption By Christianity
As Christianity started to spread across Europe, church leaders started to incorporate these pagan traditions to create a smoother transition towards Christian celebrations. By the turn of the 4th Century, the church established Jesus’ birthday as December 25th, since it aligned closely with the winter solstice traditions already in place. This imbued the holiday with themes of love, hope, and simplicity with the humble beginnings of the manger scene.
Evolution Of Modern Christmas Traditions
These traditions have evolved over the centuries and have absorbed cultural influences all over the world. The celebration of Christmas had a resurgence during the Victorian era, which as established many of the customs still practiced to this day, including decorating Christmas trees and sending holiday cards.
However, Christmas still retains its religious significance to many, though it is still celebrated by people from various faiths. This is due to the human desire for connection with others, celebrating the end of a year, and exercising recognition for something greater than the self, all desires that Christmas embodies.
Developing Habits During Christmas
The celebration of Christmas doesn’t have to be about putting on a grand show that everyone’s going to brag about to their friends and family. Instead, it should be a time of appreciation, gratitude, and generosity. Christmas can help you to develop some habits you can continue to use outside of the holiday season.
- Sending a positive message or compliment to someone to spread joy.
- Writing down something you are thankful for each night before bed.
- Establishing a routine of contacting family members to share memories and thoughts so that you can still feel connected to them.
- Finding a reason to laugh every day, even if it’s with a funny video or recalling a funny memory.
- Incorporating meditation of mindful breathing into your daily life to find peace.
Jumpstarting The Christmas Spirit
The essence of Christmas speaks to the universal longing to find the light during the darkest times, for warmth during the cold, and for connection during times of solitude. This essence is not only embodied in the grand gestures of the season but also in the quiet acts of kindness that people share with each other.
There is the presence of hope, that even in the quietest and humblest settings, something extraordinary can take place. There is the recognition of anything being possible, and the presence of love that everyone yearns for. Christmas invites people to look beyond their personal concerns and embrace the needs of others, encouraging togetherness, compassion, and generosity.
It is also about reflecting on the events of the year, tribulations you have endured, lessons you’ve learned, and good moments you got to be a part of. In these moments, you can take the time to appreciate the blessings you’ve experienced that you may have overlooked throughout the busy year. Lastly, it is an invitation to experience joy and to share that joy with those who are the most important to you. Building snowmen, making gingerbread cookies, everyone bringing food for Christmas dinner… It’s a time to put troubles and concerns aside and to just enjoy life to the fullest.
Final Notes
The Christmas season is definitely a time when magic feels truly alive. It can bring out the best in people, especially during a time when people are more cynical and unforgiving to those around them. Christmas encourages healing, both physically and of the spirit, and renewing the commitments made to ourselves and other people.
Let Christmas be the beacon that you need in your life so that you have a deeper appreciation for everything that is going on around you. Embrace the true meanings of hope, love, and joy, and allow them to remain in your heart throughout the coming year so that you can practice being more kind towards others.
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