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August Sravanam / Sravana Maasam / Aavani
Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaviti on September 3
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Home > Other Astrological Information > Events / Festivals > Merry Christmas
Christmas, the most universal of festivals has many traditions and legends associated with it. Christian and non Christians too across the world celebrate the festival. Wine flows, music booms families and friends get together and exchange gifts.
The word ‘Christmas’ itself has a special meaning having its origins in the prayer service performed on the occasion of Christ’s birth, ‘Christ – Mass’ or the ‘Mass of the Christ’. For everybody, Santa Claus is synonymous with Christmas. People are reminded of Santa Claus through advertising, greeting cards, decorations and the annual appearance of Santas in department stores and shopping malls. The history of Santa Claus is almost as old as the history of Christmas.
The Santa Claus idea was born out of the legend of a kindly priest Saint Nicholas who lived in an impoverished, windblown coastal town somewhere in northern Europe in the fourth century AD. In the lean winter months, he distributed food among the poor hungry children and brought cheer in their homes. Legends say that in order to remain anonymous, he would drop off packets of food inside the snow boots left at doorsteps. The loveable figure, without whom Christmas is incomplete is called by different names in different countries.
It is a belief that Santa lives in the North Pole and travels through the air in a sledge pulled by nine reindeer. In Britain, children write their letters to Father Christmas and throw them in the fireplace so that they float up the chimney and fly to the North Pole. Despite specific beliefs of various Christian orders with slight differences in the celebrations, all rejoice with the birth of Jesus Christ, the sending of God’s son to men. Traditions apart, the true message of Christmas is peace on earth and good will to mankind
Christmas falls on December 25 of Every year
Important Festivals, Holidays & Observations during the year of 2007