It’s Christmas again ! Love, fellowship and togetherness make the Christmas season all the more special. Christmas also means spreading the warmth of our heart into the lives of others and bringing in joy and cheers.
So this Christmas, let these special Christmas sms messages show how much you cherish the presence of your loved ones in your life. Wishing you a Merry Christmas from all of us !
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Two things upon this changing earth can neither change nor end; the splendor of Christ’s humble birth, the love of friend for friend.
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Ur friendship is a glowing ember through the yr n each december frm its warm n livin spark v kindle flame against da dark n with its shining radiance light our tree of faith on Christmas night. Read the rest of this entry »
Tinsel and several types of garland or ribbon are commonly used to decorate a Christmas tree. Delicate mould-blown and painted coloured glass Christmas ornaments were a specialty of Czech and Polish glass factories from the late 19th century, and have since become a large industry, complete with famous-name designers.
Lighting with candles or electric lights (fairy lights) is commonly done, and a tree topper completes the ensemble. Strands of tinsel may be hung in groups from longer branches to simulate icicles, though this trend has gradually fallen off since the late 1970s, due primarily to a cessation of the manufacture of metal tinsel because of environmental concerns.
This was replaced with silvered saran based tinsel, which many have found to be unsatisfactory, leading to the demise of tinsel in tree decorating in the United States (it remains popular in many European countries). Read the rest of this entry »
Natural trees
The best species for use are species of fir (Abies), which have the major benefit of not shedding the needles when they dry out, as well as good foliage colour and scent; but species in other genera are also used. Commonly used species in northern Europe are:
* Silver Fir Abies alba (the original species)
* Nordmann Fir Abies nordmanniana (as in the photo)
* Noble Fir Abies procera
* Norway Spruce Picea abies (generally the cheapest)
* Serbian Spruce Picea omorika
* Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
and in North America and Central America:
* Balsam Fir Abies balsamea
* Fraser Fir Abies fraseri
* Grand Fir Abies grandis
* Guatemalan Fir Abies guatemalensis
* Noble Fir Abies procera
* Red Fir Abies magnifica
* Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
* Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
* Stone Pine Pinus pinea (as small table-top trees)
Several other species are used to a lesser extent. Less-traditional conifers are sometimes used, such as Giant Sequoia, Leyland Cypress and Eastern Juniper. Read the rest of this entry »
It is generally thought that Christmas trees were established in Britain after Queen Victoria’s consort, Prince Albert, brought the custom over from Germany. However, there are records of small fir trees being used to decorate houses before this and sailors used to affix one to the top of the mainmast of their ships.
In Germany and northern Europe, the practice of decorating coniferous trees originated in pagan times, when the trees were seen as phallic symbols representing the fertility of the nature gods.
The practice was associated with the Winter Solstice (around December 21) which was seen as the date of the rebirth of the Sun God. Tree decoration was later adopted into Christian practice after the Church set December 25th as the birth of Christ, thereby supplanting the pagan celebration of the solstice. Read the rest of this entry »
According to Church records, Saint Boniface (who, also according to Church records, had felled the Thor’s Oak) attempted to Christianise the indigenous Germanic tribes by introducing the notion of trinity by using the cone-shaped evergreen trees because of their triangular appearance.
Roman mosaics from what is today Tunisia, showing the mythic triumphant return from India of the Greek god of wine and male fertility, Dionysus. The god carries a tapering coniferous tree.
Mediaeval legends tended to concentrate more on the miraculous “flowering” of trees at Christmas time. A branch of flowering Glastonbury thorn is still sent annually for the Queen’s Christmas table in the United Kingdom. Read the rest of this entry »
Christmas Day, not a public holiday, is celebrated mainly in the southern and eastern parts of Nigeria. Nigerians have special traditions they employ to celebrate Christmas. Almost everyone goes to church on Christmas Day.
Weeks before the day, people buy lots of hens, turkeys, goats and cows. Children hover around the beasts, taunting, and mostly gawking at them. There are feverish preparations for travel, holiday, and exchange of gifts, caroling and all manner of celebration.
On Christmas Eve, traditional meals are prepared. In Yoruba, such meals usually include Iyan, (pounded yam) eba or amala, served with peppery stewed vegetables.
People find themselves eating this same meal three to four times on that day, as they are offered it at every house they visit; and according to Yorùbá customs, it was considered rude to decline to eat when offered food. Read the rest of this entry »
In the United Kingdom the traditions are quite similar to those of Australia, North America and New Zealand, and all other commonwealth traditions as they stemmed from Britain.
Christmas is very special to many Britons, as it is a mainly religious festival, that everyone can enjoy. The Christmas season starts at Advent, where holly wreaths are made with three pink, one pink and one purple candle, however many shops sell christmas decorations beforehand, and lasts until 6 January, as it is considered bad luck to have Christmas decorations up after this date.
On Christmas Eve, presents are delivered in stockings and under the Christmas tree by Father Christmas, who previously had been something like The Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but has now become mainly conflated with Santa Claus.
The two names are now used interchangeably and equally known to British people, but Father Christmas tends to be used more often, and some distinctive features still remain. Many families tell their children traditional christmas stories, about Father Christmas and his reindeer. Read the rest of this entry »
Christmas in Ireland is the largest celebration of the year and lasts from 24 December to 6 January, although many may view 8 December as being the start of the season as it is the traditional Christmas shopping day in Ireland due to all schools being closed.
It plays an extremely important role in both religious and secular aspects of Irish life.
Although religious devotion in Ireland today is considerably less than it used to be, there are huge attendances at religious services for Christmas Day, the most popular service by far being Midnight Mass.
Most families get their deceased relatives prayed for at these Masses as it is a time of remembering the dead in Ireland. It is traditional to decorate graves at Christmas with a wreath made of holly and ivy. Read the rest of this entry »
Although Southern Basque Country is part of Spain and Northen Basque Country is part of France, the Basque people have their own traditions at Christmas.
The Three Wise Men are popular in the South and Père Noël in the North, but there is also another character which is well known in both sides of the Pirineess, called Olentzero.
Olentzero was a pagan coal worker who went to adore Jesus to Bethleem. Nowadays, it is said that he brings presents to all good people at Christmas Eve. Read the rest of this entry »
Christmas in France is celebrated mainly in a religious manner, though some secular ways of celebrating the holiday also exist.
Children put their shoes by the fireplace so Père Noël (Father Christmas) can give them gifts. Many French families also decorate their homes with Nativity Scenes depicting the birth of Jesus.
Many families attend midnight mass. Some people put additional Santons (little saints) in their nativity scenes, which are bought at special Christmas fairs before the holidays Read the rest of this entry »
