Holidays and Special Occasions

Author	Message
Krunchin-Keith [USA] Send message Joined: 11 Sep 07 Posts: 2 Credit: 10,766 RAC: 0	Message 384 - Posted: 25 Dec 2007, 12:36:04 UTC Peace and Goodwill to all. Please make it a safe and happy holiday season. ------------------------- Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth with various secular customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. The date as a birth date for Jesus is traditional, and is not considered to be his actual date of birth. In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th. Christmas Eve is the preceding day, December 24. The word "Christmas" is a contraction of two words "Christ's mass" and is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes m�sse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ (Χριστός). Since the mid-16th century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X, was used as an abbreviation for Christ. Thus, Xmas is an abbreviation for Christmas. After the conversion of Anglo-Saxons in England from their indigenous Anglo-Saxon polytheism (a form of Germanic paganism) in the very early 7th century, Christmas was called geol, which was the name of the native Germanic pre-Christian solstice festival that fell on that date. From geol, the current English word Yule is derived. Many customs associated with modern Christmas were derived from Germanic paganism. The prominence of Christmas Day increased gradually after Charlemagne was crowned on Christmas Day in 800. Around the 12th century, the remnants of the former Saturnalian traditions of the Romans were transferred to the Twelve Days of Christmas (26 December - 6 January). Christmas during the Middle Ages was a public festival, incorporating ivy, holly, and other evergreens, as well as gift-giving. Modern traditions have come to include the display of Nativity scenes, Holly and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Popular Christmas themes include the promotion of goodwill and peace. ID: 384 · Rating: 0 · rate: / Reply Quote

purplemkayel Send message Joined: 8 Dec 07 Posts: 9 Credit: 245,108 RAC: 0	Message 385 - Posted: 25 Dec 2007, 23:52:26 UTC Happy holidays to everyone!!! :) Calm Chaos... are you feeling it yet? ID: 385 · Rating: 0 · rate: / Reply Quote

MJ Send message Joined: 17 Nov 07 Posts: 16 Credit: 95,844 RAC: 0	Message 407 - Posted: 7 Jan 2008, 22:38:35 UTC - in response to Message 385. Happy holidays to everyone!!! :) Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all! ID: 407 · Rating: 0 · rate: / Reply Quote

Misfit Send message Joined: 7 Dec 08 Posts: 6 Credit: 0 RAC: 0	Message 726 - Posted: 20 Dec 2008, 0:54:19 UTC A very special message from Santa to all members of the US armed services. *Join BOINC Synergy!* misfit@boincsynergy.com ID: 726 · Rating: 0 · rate: / Reply Quote