Christmas!

WARNING! Religious content, this does not mean that I believe exactly what follows, it is intended for informational and entertainment purposes.

Well this is Christmas eve, for my family, its a time to spend time with our relatives. But religiously it is kind of a mixed up time because what the public, and i mean the media mostly, knows is Santa Claus and Christmas trees. These things really have not much to do with actual Christmas that Christians celebrate does not include Santa and Christmas trees, presents or anything like that.

Christmas for Christians is about the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the son of God who was born by a virgin to save us all. He was born on a cold winters night in a stable outside of a inn that didn't have any rooms for his mother and her husband to stay in. That night a bright star shone above the city of Bethlehem where the inn was. Three wise men, Magi, followed the star to him and brought gifts to him to acknowledge the fact that he is the earthly son of God. Angels came down from heaven and sang to some shepherds nearby and told them that the son of God had come. So they came to the stable and bowed down to him.

This is what the Christians believe. What most people celebrate is a cross between that and a pagan midwinter feast. This includes bringing fresh pine boughs into the home lighting a fire in the hearth with the largest log you can find. It also includes giving presents and having candles everywhere, this has changed to hanging Christmas lights everywhere.

Santa Claus is kind of a mystery, no one is exactly sure where he came from and the stories differ from country to country. Here in the US Santa Claus is a jolly old man who wears a red suit and lives at the north pole with his little elves. During the year they make all sorts of toys and presents for all the good little children. He keeps track of who has been naughty or nice. Then on Christmas eve during the night he flies around the world in a sleigh pulled my eight flying reindeer delivering presents.

SO this is Christmas. Have a good one.