The significance of the holiday was forever predetermined in scale after the world calendar was divided into “before Christmas” and “after”. The Son of God with his coming not only marked the birth of a new religion, but also shaped the worldview of thousands and even millions of people. We don’t think about it, but morality, standards of decency, concepts of good and evil - all this was revealed to the world by Jesus Christ. It is not surprising that all believers celebrate the holiday on a grand scale. But how did it all begin?
How the date was set
From the second century AD until the fourth, all Christians celebrated Epiphany on the sixth of January. At the same time they mentioned the day when Jesus appeared.
You can find information about the double celebration in the primary sources left by Clement of Alexandria. The author shared the view that the son of God was born on the twentieth of May.
In his opinion, the winter season was chosen specifically. Faith in one God no longer wanted to put up with pagan remnants, which were quite strong in the Roman Empire. After accepting Christianity, they continued to celebrate their holidays.
Before the Christmas holiday was moved to the twenty-fifth of December, the Romans organized their festivities in honor of the Invincible Sun. This was the most important celebration. The cult of the pagan deity became an addition to the Christian one, and the story of Christmas began. And the first entry in the Philocalian Calendar for the three hundred and thirty-sixth year of our era.
Differences in churches
For a long time, the history of Christmas begins on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar by the Roman Catholic Church.
At the same time, the Russian Temple, as well as Athos, Georgia, Jerusalem and Serbia are celebrated at this time, but only according to the old Julian calendar. If we take into account the recalculation of days, it turns out that Christmas is on the seventh of January.
But there are other date options. Cyprus, Constantinople, the territory of Hellas, Romania, Bulgaria and the Church of Alexandria celebrate so far on the twenty-fifth of December. They follow the New Julian calendar. This will continue until 2800, until the dates no longer coincide.
In Armenia, Epiphany and Christmas are celebrated on the same day. The holiday in many ancient kingdoms was celebrated on the sixth of January. Thus, two celebrations were combined into one.
Date of birth of the son of God
To this day, scientists continue to debate about when the story of Christmas began. The date of December twenty-fifth was set by the Roman Church, and approved by the Ecumenical Council. Beginning in the fourth century, the first memories of Christmas appear.
Historians cannot establish for certain the existence of such a person as Jesus Christ. And yet, if he existed, then the dates of his life are very vague. He was most likely born between the seventh and fifth years BC.
For the first time, the writer and ancient historian Sextus Julius Africanus recorded December 25 in his calendar in the two hundred and twenty-first year of the birth of Christ.
The date was confirmed already in our era by Dionysius the Less, who served as an archivist under the Pope. He took into account the early chronicles of three hundred and fifty fourth year and decided that Jesus was born at a time when Caesar ruled the Roman Empire. Dionysius ranked his reign as the first year of the new era.
Some researchers, using the New Testament as a source, argue that the star of Bethlehem that lit the sky was Halley's comet. It swept over the Earth in the twelfth year BC.
It is quite possible that he was born in the seventh year of our era, when the said census of the entire population of Israel was carried out.
Dates after 4 years BC look unlikely. Both the evangelists and the apocrypha mention that Jesus lived during the reign of Herod. And he died only in the fourth year before the birth of Christ.
The later time is not suitable because there is an approximate time of execution. If we take our era, it turns out that he was killed at a very young age.
The message from Luke says that during the birth of the Lord's son, shepherds were sleeping in the field. This indicates the time of year: early autumn or summer. But in Palestine animals could graze even in February if the year was warm.
Christmas story
The day of the birth of Jesus Christ is described in several sources, canonical and apocryphal.
The first texts tell the story of the Nativity of Christ in sufficient detail. The main sources are the letters of Matthew and Luke.
The Gospel of Matthew talks about why Mary and her husband Joseph went to Bethlehem, even though they lived in Nazareth. They hurried to the census, during which representatives of the same nationality had to be with their own.
Joseph, who married the lovely Mary, having learned about the pregnancy before the wedding, was going to annul the marriage. But an angel came to him. He said that this son was a blessing from God, and that Joseph should raise him as his own.
When the contractions began, there was no room for them in the hotel, and the couple had to stay in the barn, where there was straw for the animals.
The first to see the newborn were the shepherds. An angel showed them the way, in the form of a star that shone over Bethlehem. The same heavenly body brought the three wise men to the stable. They generously presented him as a king: myrrh, frankincense and gold.
The evil King Herod, warned of the birth of a new leader, killed all the babies in the city who were not yet two years old.
But Jesus survived because the angel who was watching him told Joseph to flee to Egypt. There they lived until the death of the evil tyrant.
Apocryphal texts add some fragments, and the story of the Nativity of Christ becomes more accurate. They describe that Mary and Joseph spent that significant night in a cave where cattle came to protect themselves from the weather. While her husband was looking for the midwife Solomiya, the woman managed to give birth to Christ herself, without help. The texts indicate that the process was very easy.
Solomiya only confirmed the fact that Maria was previously innocent. The texts say that Jesus was born and the sun blinded those who came. When the radiance stopped, the child came up to his mother and lay down at her breast.
The history of Christmas
For a long time, the Church could not determine when to celebrate such a significant and large-scale religious holiday.
Since the first Christians were Jews, for whom birth is considered the beginning of pain and misfortune, so was the Nativity of Christ. The holiday was not celebrated in any way.
Among church dates more important was Easter, the moment of resurrection.
But when the Greeks joined Christianity, they brought with them the tradition of celebrating the birth of the son of God.
Initially, the celebration was called Epiphany. It included both the birth of Jesus and his baptism. Over time, the church divided the events into two.
The first mention of the birth of the Savior was made in three hundred and fifty-four in the Roman source “Chronograph”. The entry in it suggests that Christmas appeared as a holiday after the great council of Nicaea.
Other researchers believe that early Christians celebrated the holiday even before the church schism, that is, even in the third century. It was then that, in their opinion, the exact date appeared.
Christmas: the history of the holiday in Russia
This holiday was persecuted for a long time, exterminated, it was postponed, but still it retained its original sacred meaning. Even in pre-Petrine times, this day was celebrated, and stories about Jesus were passed on from the older generation to the younger.
Pre-revolutionary holiday
Under Tsar Peter the Great, the tradition of installing and decorating a Christmas tree in homes came into use. She symbolized, like laurel and mistletoe, immortality, long life in prosperity.
On the twenty-fifth of December a service was held in honor of the birthday of Jesus. Celebrations began in every Russian church. Everyone loved and celebrated Christmas. The history of the holiday tells that young people dressed up beautifully and picked up a star on a stick, as a symbol of the one that showed the way to the Magi to the baby. They carried it from house to house, telling them that Jesus had been born. The children were dressed up as angels in honor of the one who told the shepherds about the miracle that had happened. Some played at animals, which, according to Orthodox tradition, were also in the stable where Mary gave birth to the child. The solemn procession sang Christmas hymns and carols, glorifying mother and child.
These beautiful traditions in the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire were preserved in the memoirs of the writer Ivan Shmelev. While in Paris, in exile, he spoke longingly of the old days.
The empire loved this day so much that at first one Church of the Nativity of Christ appeared, and then the number increased every year. Such shrines appeared in all big cities.
It should be noted that the most famous thematic temple is located in the capital of Russia. It is called in honor of the Nativity - Christ the Savior. It has its own long and amazing history. Years have passed. The Church of the Nativity still stands where it was before.
In 1812, when the army of Alexander the First defeated the French, on December twenty-fifth an imperial decree was issued on the construction of a new temple. It said that it was God who helped save the country from imminent destruction. In honor of this, Alexander ordered the construction of a temple that would stand for many centuries.
Christmas Ban
But times came when religion became prohibited. Since 1917, it has been forbidden to talk about Christmas. Churches fell one after another. They were robbed. Looters tore off the gilding from the naves. IN Religious holidays It was customary to work to prove one's loyalty to the party.
The star became five-pointed. Even the Christmas tree was initially persecuted as a symbol of faith. And in 1933, a Decree appeared stating that this tradition could be returned. Only the tree became New Year's.
It would be wrong to say that after the ban, Christmas holidays were not celebrated. People secretly brought fir branches into the house, saw clergy, performed rituals, and baptized children. They sang Christmas carols at home. Even in political prisons or exiles, where many priests were kept, traditions were quite strong.
Celebrating a prohibited event could result not only in dismissal from work, but also in years of repression, deprivation of liberty, and execution.
People secretly entered dilapidated churches to listen to the service on the Orthodox Nativity of Christ.
A new time in the history of Christmas
In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the celebration of the day of the birth of Christ was officially allowed.
The power of habit, the upbringing of people who were for a long time forbidden to celebrate religious events, was so great that even now many people associate the holiday with a secondary thing. It is second in popularity to New Year.
Since its inception Russian Federation The traditions of Christmas carols and the use of certain symbols during the holiday are being revived.
Features of Christmas
There is a lot of meaning in this ancient sacred act. It contains many symbols that are interpreted by the church. Each of them complements the whole picture.
The most common symbols of Christmas:
Light is what first appeared at the moment of birth. The path that the messenger of God took to descend down to sinful people was illuminated.
Star - according to the New Testament, during the Birth of Jesus, a sign appeared over Bethlehem. He was in the form of a bright star in the sky. Only true believers were able to understand him correctly.
Census of people. Under Augustus, who at that time led the Roman Empire, a recount of all citizens was carried out. He did this in order to introduce an orderly taxation system. Those who lived in other cities at the time of the census had to return and register. This is what Joseph and Mary did.
Winter. It is controversial whether Christ was born in winter. However, for the church, this season became a symbol of the darkness that was illuminated by the son of God. He also appeared at the moment when winter began to wane.
Shepherds. The whole city was asleep at the time when the savior came into the world. No one noticed this, except for the ordinary poor shepherds guarding the flock on Christmas Day. An angel came down from heaven to tell them the good news. Shepherds represent pure souls, not corrupted by wealth or vanity. They interacted most with animals.
Bethlehem is a city that many believers associate with spiritual blindness. All the people in it were so obsessed with their own problems that they did not even notice how the Nativity of Christ came to them in Bethlehem. And then they failed to recognize the Savior.
Magi. The first to appear before Jesus with their gifts were the wise men and philosophers. They were not kings, they did not own great wealth. The Magi are those believers who constantly sought wisdom from the scriptures. They knew the truth. The long road to self-knowledge and faith was crowned with blessing.
Gifts. Jesus received frankincense, gold and myrrh for his birth. A precious metal was a symbol of power, incense was a sign of divinity, and myrrh meant the future of Christ, his self-sacrifice for the human race and death with further resurrection.
World. With the birth of the son of God, peace reigned on Earth for a whole year. Afterwards, people themselves began to spoil the idyll and fight.
Cave. When the doors were closed to Mary and Joseph at the inn, they found a new refuge. The couple came to the house where the cattle lived. According to church beliefs, the souls of animals are completely innocent. They warmed the baby Jesus with their breath. The animals gave up their own food so that the hay could be turned into a makeshift children's bed.
Night. This time of day is still associated with the decline of faith. At that moment the Savior appeared, as if giving hope to all people for the future.
Expectation. Humanity suffered for its own sins. After the expulsion of Adam and Eve, people could not hope that God would be favorable to them. But the Lord took pity on his creatures and sent them his own son to atone for their sins. Jesus took upon himself all the suffering. According to the biblical canon, he atoned for the original sin of Adam.
On January 7, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. the site will tell you what kind of holiday this is, what traditions must be observed on this day, what you can do and what you cannot do.
The history of the birth of Christ
Christmas is considered one of the greatest holidays, the main purpose of which is to honor the memory of the birth of the savior of mankind in Christianity - Jesus Christ.
The holiday began with a biblical legend: it was on this day in Bethlehem, located south of Jerusalem, that Jesus Christ was born. His birth begins to be celebrated on Christmas Eve, on the evening of January 6th. According to legend, on this day the first star appeared in the sky - the same one that once led the Magi to Bethlehem.
Source: alter-idea.info
The very first celebration of Christmas was noted on December 25, 354 in the ancient illustrated Chronograph calendar. However, the holiday itself was officially legalized at the Council of Ephesus in 431.
In Rus' Christian holiday began to spread in the 10th century. Christmas combined with the ancient Slavic winter holiday in honor of ancestral spirits (Svyatki), remnants of which were preserved in “Yuletide” rituals (mummers, fortune telling), which the church currently considers unacceptable, since according to Christian clergy, any fortune telling is a terrible sin.
Why are the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Christmas different?
In some countries, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar or according to the new style, in others - on January 7 according to the Julian calendar or according to the old style.
For a long time, the Nativity of Christ was called the Epiphany. Ancient Christians celebrated both Christmas and the Baptism of Christ on December 25 according to the old style. In the 4th century, in order to give greater significance to the first and second holidays and not to confuse the very concepts of celebrations, these days were divided into January 7 and January 19. At the same time, with the appearance of the division into the Gregorian and Julian calendars, a shift occurred, which in our time is incorrectly called the division into Catholic and Christian Christmas, but in fact this is only associated with different calendars.
Traditions and symbols of Christmas
The main tradition of Christmas is to forgive everyone on this day. According to the New Testament, God forgave man and his sins. Therefore, the church considers it important to forgive everyone in order to get closer to the mystery of the Incarnation, as well as to cleanse the soul at the Sacrament of Confession.
One of interesting traditions Christmas celebrations include a "Christmas manger" or nativity scene depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. The world's first nursery was created in 1562 in Prague. For a long time they were installed only in churches; later the custom was adopted by aristocrats and rich people. The scene of the Manger is as follows: the baby in the cradle is surrounded by his parents, the legendary ox and donkey, shepherds, and wise men. An important role was played by characters from the common people crowding around: enthusiastic fishermen, a fish seller, a woman with a clay jug and others.
Esteban Bartolomé Murillo, Adoration of the Shepherds. Another feature of the Christmas festivities is the scene about the birth of the baby Jesus. The tradition of these scenes lies in medieval mystery plays, “living” scenes of the birth of Christ. Birth scenes were played out in churches and were accompanied by church singing. Thus, one of the widely known symbols of Christmas was the first rising star in the sky, according to which, according to legend, the Magi came to Bethlehem to worship the infant Christ. But returning to religious symbolism, the first star is symbolized by the very first candle that is taken out after the service. So, it is customary not to eat anything until the first star, and on January 6 it is only allowed to eat, and on January 7, after the liturgy, fasting ends and you can eat everything.
The spruce tree also became one of the symbols of Christmas; among the ancient Romans, this tree was a symbol of eternal life. Once upon a time it was decorated only with fruits, most often apples. And when there was a very poor apple harvest in 1858, Lorraine glassblowers created glass balls to replace the apples - hence the tradition of Christmas tree decorations. In France, you can take a tour to the glass workshops where the first Christmas tree balls were made.
Also noted. First of all, carols are chants. Previously, these were pagan chants, but now they praise Christ. The singing of carols is a kind of folk sermon that talks about Christ and thus more people learn the story of Jesus Christ.
Christmas has always been so woven into life. Russian peoples, what after October revolution, when faith in God began to be equated with treason and the Soviet government tried to cancel any church celebrations, people had to invent an alternative: it is believed that this is how New Year's parties and performances with fairy-tale characters, which are actually remade Christmas scenes.
What not to do on the night of Christmas
According to the clergy of the church, the most important thing is to be pure in heart and not sin.
Previously, in houses for the celebration of Christmas, a didukh was prepared - a symbolic, festively decorated sheaf of grain (rye, wheat, oats), which was placed in the corner and it was believed that from that time on the souls of the patron ancestors were there. As long as the didukh was in the house, it was forbidden to do any work other than caring for livestock.
Not only the dinner on Christmas Eve, but also the following dinners until the Generous Evening on January 13 were called “sacred.” At the same time, it was forbidden to work throughout the holiday week.
Also, from Christmas to Epiphany, men were not allowed to hunt: killing animals during Christmas time is considered a great sin and can lead to disaster.
Many hundreds of years have already passed since our ancestors began to believe in Christ. Cities Ancient Rus' they heard the melody of bells ringing, chants began to sound in churches, and praying people saw the faces of saints. Christ came into our difficult and contradictory world, sharing human sorrows, problems and joys. The significance of Christmas for Christians is so great that it is called the “mother of all holidays.” And even chronology soon began to be calculated precisely from the date of birth of our Savior. It is not surprising that in Rus' this holiday is popularly loved and revered. Even during the years of repression, people secretly celebrated the birth of Christ, ate kutya, fasted and attended church services. Times have changed and now it has become again official holiday in many former republics of the Union.
The history of the Nativity of Christ holiday
In ancient times, church historians argued for a long time, finding out the true date of birth of the Savior. Until the very end of the 4th century, it was celebrated in all Eastern Churches on January 6th. It was connected with the Baptism of the Lord and bore the general name - Epiphany. By the way, the Armenian Church has remained faithful to this tradition, and even in our time it celebrates Epiphany on January 6, the same day as Christmas. The date of celebration was moved to December 25, first in the Western Church. This happened on the orders of Pope Julius in the first half of the 4th century. The Council of Constantinople in 377 spread this custom to the Orthodox East.
The day of Christmas celebration was established as follows. At first it was believed that the Savior was born on the same day as the first man Adam - on the sixth day of the first month. That is why Christmas was celebrated, initially on January 6th. But later they decided this an important event allocate and move to a separate day. Christ had to be on the sinful Earth for the full number of years. This means that the date of conception must coincide with the date of death on the cross. It is known exactly - March 25th Jewish Passover. Counting 9 months from it, we get the desired date - December 25. In ancient times, it coincided with the pagan holiday of the winter solstice. People, participating in church celebrations, turned away from the ancient cult. They knew the true God, who in the New Testament was called the Sun of Truth and the Conqueror of death. The introduction of the Gregorian calendar led to the fact that Catholics and Orthodox became different days. Russia, Belarus and Ukraine do this together with other countries Orthodox Church according to the old style - January 7.
History of Christmas celebration in Rus'
With the advent of Christianity to our lands, Christmas began to be widely celebrated in the great Kievan Rus. Here it also coincided with ancient pagan holidays - Christmastide. The ancient Slavs performed rituals dedicated to their ancestor spirits on this day. The day preceding Christmas has long been called. Sochivo – porridge with vegetables and vegetable oil. It is possible to have fun on the eve of Christmas, but other food on this day was strictly forbidden, until the very rising of the Star of Bethlehem.
The people gradually established the traditions of celebrating Christmas. In the morning, people cleaned the huts, washed in the bathhouse, and prepared for carols. In the evening, young people painted their faces, gathered in large groups, and, dressed in inside out clothes, led them around the village of Kolyada. This was the name given to a doll or a girl dressed in a special outfit. Children carried the star around the village, entered houses and sang carol songs. For this, the owners gave them a reward - candy or other sweets. The obligatory dishes on Christmas Eve were kutia and vzvar. With Christmas, the people began their merry Christmastide, which ended with Epiphany. Everyone needs to remember that the main purpose of this holiday is to remember and glorify the great event of the appearance of the Savior on earth. This is a great and joyful day for us all.
Neither the Gospel evidence nor any reliable tradition allows us to determine the exact date of Christ's birth. During the first three centuries of Christian history, the church opposed the pagan custom of celebrating birthdays, although there are indications that the purely religious remembrance of the birth of Christ was included in the rite of the feast of the Epiphany. Clement of Alexandria mentions the existence of such a practice in Egypt at the turn of the 2nd and 3rd centuries; There is evidence that this holiday was celebrated in other lands. After the victory of Constantine the Great, the Roman Church established December 25 as the date for celebrating the Nativity of Christ. Already from the end of the 4th century. the entire Christian world celebrated Christmas on this day (with the exception of the eastern churches, where this holiday was celebrated on January 6).
Wonderful and unusual events are associated with the Birth of Jesus Christ. The evangelists Matthew and Luke tell us about them.
In Bethlehem, where the Virgin Mary and Joseph came, many people gathered, and there were no free places in the hotel. They had to spend the night outside the city, in a cave where shepherds sheltered their cattle from a thunderstorm. There the Baby Jesus was born, whom the Mother of God, swaddling, laid on hay in a manger for cattle.
At the same time, angels appeared to the shepherds in a field near Bethlehem with the news that the Savior had come to the world. As a sign of great joy about the fulfilled promise, the Heavenly army glorified God, proclaiming to the whole universe: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” And the shepherds came to the cave to worship the Infant God. Eastern sages - the Magi - saw a new, unusually bright star shining in the sky. According to Eastern prophecies, the fact of the appearance of the star meant the time of the coming into the world of the Son of God, for whom the Jewish people were waiting.
The Magi headed to Jerusalem to inquire where the Savior of the world was. Hearing about this, King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time, became agitated and called the Magi to him. Having found out from them the time of the appearance of the star, and therefore the possible age of the King of the Jews, whom he feared as a rival to his reign, Herod asked the wise men: “Go, carefully investigate the Child and, when you find it, notify me, so that I too can go and worship Him.” .
Following the guiding star, the Magi reached Bethlehem, where they worshiped the newborn Savior, bringing Him gifts from the treasures of the East: gold, incense and myrrh. Then, having received a revelation from God not to return to Jerusalem, they departed to their own country another way. The angry Herod, discovering that the wise men did not listen to him, sent soldiers to Bethlehem with orders to put to death all male infants under two years of age. Joseph, having received a warning about danger in a dream, fled with the Mother of God and the Child to Egypt, where the Holy Family remained until the death of Herod.
In Rus', the Feast of the Nativity of Christ was especially loved.
On Christmas Eve, until the “evening star”, that is, until the evening chants “The Magi travel with the star,” they did not eat anything and did not sit down at the table. Parents told their children about how the Magi came to worship the newborn Jesus Christ and brought him expensive New Year's gifts. From an early age, children adopted from their elders not only folk wisdom, but also traditions and customs that had developed over centuries.
Homes were decorated with the Christmas tree we loved from childhood.
And on the night of December 25, a solemn Divine service was held throughout the country, in small and large churches.
The twelve days after Christmas until the Epiphany of the Lord are called Christmastide - that is, holy days sanctified by the coming of the Savior into the world. The Church began to especially celebrate these days in ancient times.
Already in the 6th century charter of the Monk Sava the Sanctified it is written that on the days of Christmastide it is not necessary to bow down and perform a wedding. The Second Council of Turon in 567 designated all days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany as holidays. In the first days of the festival, according to tradition, it is customary to visit acquaintances, relatives, friends, and give gifts - in memory of the gifts brought to the Infant by the Magi.
The housewives set the tables beautifully and prepare the best treats. It is also customary to remember the poor, sick, and needy people: visit orphanages, shelters, hospitals, prisons. In ancient times, on Christmastide, even kings, dressed as commoners, visited prisons and gave alms to prisoners.
A special tradition of Christmastide in Rus' was caroling, or glorification. Young people and children dressed up, walked around the courtyards with a large homemade star, singing church chants - the troparion and kontakion of the holiday, as well as spiritual carols dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. The custom of caroling was widespread, but in different regions of the country it had its own characteristics.
In some regions of Russia, the star was replaced with a “nativity scene” - a kind of puppet theater, in which scenes of the Nativity of Christ were presented. The celebration of Christmastide is richly reflected in folklore and literary works. Christmas days become, in the words of the great Russian writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, “days of family gathering,” days of mercy and reconciliation. Stories about good, wonderful events that happen to people at Christmas are called Christmas stories.
Since 1917, in the atheistic Soviet state, it was forbidden to even mention Christmas, not only to celebrate it. Star of Bethlehem replaced by a five-pointed one (and it was strictly ensured that any star depicted had only five rays), the green spruce was also subjected to disgrace as a Christmas symbol. People at that time secretly carried green branches into the house and hid them in distant rooms from prying eyes. In 1933, by a special government decree, the spruce was returned to the people, but as a New Year's tree.
During the years of repression, Christmas services were held secretly in homes, in camps, prisons and exiles. Christmas was celebrated in the most incredible conditions, at the risk of losing jobs, freedom and even life.
By decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1991, Christmas is again an official holiday for all peoples of the Russian Federation.
Today, “The Nativity of Christ” in Russia is a Great Orthodox holiday.
Christmas is one of the most important holidays for every Christian. It is celebrated by the whole family and children take an active part in the celebration. Curious kids will probably be interested in knowing what this event is, why it is celebrated and what Christmas traditions mean. For a child to understand how important this day is, he should tell the story of the Nativity of Christ for children. It is important to convey to your child the history of this great day in a form that will be close and understandable to him. It is the adapted version of the Christmas story that will help the child understand the essence of the holiday, because the traditional adult version described in the Bible may be too difficult for him to understand.
You can accompany your story with illustrations from the children's Bible if the child does not yet know how to read.
It’s better to start the story with a story about the main character of the holiday.
Jesus is the son of God. God sent him to earth to save us all. For this, Jesus had to die, but this was planned - his torment was atonement for the sins of our ancestors. Jesus lived a long time ago, more than two thousand years ago, but we still remember him and the fact that he sacrificed himself so that we could live now.
What is Christmas?
Like any person, Jesus had his birthday. It is January 7 that is considered to be the birthday of our savior, although exact date no one knows his birth. In many countries, including Europe and the USA, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, according to the old style. Christmas is a holiday in honor of the birth of Jesus, and we still celebrate it today in memory of the son of God.
The Story of the Birth of Jesus
Well, now let's talk in more detail about the day when Jesus was born, but let's start our story with his parents - Mary and Joseph. In fact, Jesus' father is the Lord, but Joseph was entrusted with an important mission - to raise and raise the son of God.
Just before the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary were forced to send
went to the city of Bethlehem, as the king ordered a census of the population. There were a lot of people in Bethlehem and all the houses and hotels were occupied by those who arrived for the census, so Mary and Joseph had to spend the night in a cave along with the cattle. It was on this night that little Jesus was born. Since there was no crib in the cave, the baby had to be placed directly in the manger. A manger is a box from which animals eat and is usually filled with hay. It was on this soft hay that Mary laid her newborn baby.
In honor of these nurseries they named the nursery in kindergarten, which attends children under three years of age.
But let's get back to our story. That same night, shepherds with their flock passed nearby and saw a bright light and an angel who announced the birth of a savior who came to earth to save everyone from sins. The angel also ordered the shepherds to go to the baby and said that he was lying in a manger.
Also that night, a bright star appeared in the sky - the Bethlehem star, which showed the wise men the way to the newborn baby. They guessed that the light of the star announced the birth of the Savior and went to him with gifts. The Magi knew that Jesus was destined to become the King of Heaven on earth.
King Herod, who was ruling at that time, also heard the news of the birth of the king and was afraid that Jesus might replace him on the throne, so he ordered to kill all the babies in the city. The Son of God miraculously managed to survive.
Fasting before Christmas
Forty days before Christmas, it is customary to fast, that is, not eat meat, eggs, milk, only occasionally fish and vegetable oil are allowed. Such fasting is needed to cleanse the body, but this is not the main purpose of fasting; it is needed to cleanse the soul. During the period of fasting, you cannot be angry, offended, quarrel, or think about bad things. It is in order for everyone to become at least a little kinder that fasting is needed.
Christmas Eve
The last day of Lent and before Christmas Day is usually called Christmas Eve. To be more precise, this is the evening before the holiday. Christmas Eve occurs not only before Christmas, but Christmas Eve is the most revered day by Christians. On this day we were intensively preparing for the celebration of Christmas.
The name of Christmas Eve comes from the name of the dish - sochivo. Sochivo is made from grains - barley, rice, wheat. Cereals are boiled and soaked with poppy seeds, nuts, and fruits. No butter was added on Christmas Eve, because it was still a day of fasting, and to make the dish more tasty and satisfying, they put a little honey in it.
They also put other dishes on the table on Christmas Eve. There should have been 12 of them - as many as Jesus had apostles. In addition, all dishes for Christmas Eve should be lean, because the Nativity Fast is still ongoing.
Christmas traditions
This day is famous for its traditions, which have become a little forgotten, but now everyone is trying to remember them and observe them, because these traditions unite families, make them friendlier, and make Christmas itself long-awaited, bright and unforgettable.
In fact, there are a lot of such traditions and they differ in each region, but there are several basic ones that are observed by many people.
Christmas tree
Decorating a tree is not such a long-standing tradition. It appeared a long time ago, but was finally established a little more than a hundred years ago. Now many people associate the Christmas tree with the New Year, but originally the tree was decorated for Christmas. The first Christmas trees were decorated not with balls, but with apples, gingerbread cookies, bells, and small candles. Each of the decorations had its own meaning and purpose. And the main decoration of the tree - the star at the top symbolizes the very star of Bethlehem that announced the birth of Jesus.
Carols
Mostly children and young people sang carols; they went from house to house and sang carols, and the owners had to thank them. It was believed that the more carolers who came to the house, the better and happier the whole next year would be.
This tradition is still observed today, although not on such a scale as before. But preserving traditions brings families together and helps preserve the connection between generations, so it is necessary to tell children about the holiday of the Nativity of Christ; the story for children about this holiday should be heard in every home.
Dinner with family and godparents
Christmas - family celebration and on this day the whole family gathers at one table. Children also bring treats to their godparents. This tradition differs in different regions, but the godparents always take dinner after dinner with their parents. And the godparents, in turn, give the godchildren sweets, money, and gifts.
Kutya
Sweet, made from wheat, rice or other grains - this is a real treat for children. For Christmas Eve they prepare hungry, Lenten kutya or, as it is also called, sochivo. This kutia is liquid, without butter and milk. At Christmas, it is customary to prepare rich kutya with milk and butter.
Dried fruits and chocolate are also added to kutya.
Miracle of Christmas
It is believed that at Christmas the heavens open and you can ask them for anything. The main thing is that the desire is sincere and bright. 
On the night before Christmas and on Christmas day, miracles happen: people are healed of illnesses, their innermost dreams come true. But in order for a miracle to happen, you must believe in it. It is important for children to instill this faith in miracles, with which it is easier to go through life and overcome difficulties. Therefore, you need to tell your kids about Christmas, the story of the holiday for children should sound like a fairy tale, a good, kind fairy tale that the child will believe in and his soul will become a little warmer and brighter)))
