The year's most celebrated holiday is celebrated
on December 25th, both in homes and churches
worldwide. The meaning for Christmas is to recognize
Christ's birth, of which the exact date is not known. During
the fourth century the Bishop of Rome set December 25th
as Christ's birth date. Some authorities claim that the
choice of December 25th was made because it coincided
with Chanukah, Mithraic's feast of the sun god, and the
people of northern Europe's winter solstice feast. The
winter solstice is the time of year in the Northern
Hemisphere when the noon sun appears to be farthest
south. (All About American Holidays, 1962 Encyclopedia
Encarta, 1998) The Saturnalia was celebrated for seven
days, during the period of time when the winter solstice
occurred. During this, slaves were given freedom, gifts
were exchanged, and banquets and happiness prevailed.
(Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) Holiday Greenery
Evergreens, the symbol of eternal life, have long been used
for Christmas time decorations. The Christmas wreath
represents everlasting life and God's endless love for us.
Kissing under a mistletoe supposedly started out when
early Roman enemies stopped fighting when they met under
a mistletoe. Holly is the most known Christmas greenery,
and there are several legends about it, one is that Jesus'
crown was made of holly, and the holly berries represented
his blood. (All About American Holidays, 1962) The
Christmas tree: The Christmas tree is an evergreen trimmed
with lights, decorations, and tinsel, is derived from a
"paradise tree", or the tree in the Garden of Eden. (Encarta
98 Encyclopedia, 1998) The use of the Christmas tree
began early in the 17th century, in Strasbourg, France,