Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the world. His arrival is cause for celebration and joy because he gives us very special moments with family and friends. For this reason, although not all people share the meaning and origin of Christmas, no one wants to miss it, at least in our country, because, after all, is there anything more Spanish than signing up for a party? Exactly. And since in Your Spanish Shop apart from being faithful to the Spain brand, we also like to give you interesting information, in this post we tell you about the origin and history of these very important and emotional dates in which you can enjoy our gastronomy and of the art of good eating.
The origin of Christmas: what it is and why it is celebrated
It is well known that the origin of Christmas is actually the date set to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Messiah and son of the Christian God. It is celebrated precisely in honor of his birth, which is said to have happened practically at midnight from December 24 to 25.
Thus, on the 24th Christmas Eve is celebrated, on the eve of his birth, and on the 25th Christmas, with Christ already born. That is why many people in Spain attend the celebration of the Misa del Gallo on the 24th before midnight, since in Catholicism it is the Christmas Vigil that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem, a place that is 9 kilometers south of Jerusalem, located in the West Bank and belonging to Palestine.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth and why does Christmas celebrate his birth?
According to the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God, the Redeemer. Also known as Jesus of Nazareth, he was the son sent by God to earth so that people would follow his path to live like this with the creator. Her mother, the Virgin Mary, was chosen by the Holy Spirit for the Angel Gabriel to announce that she would carry in her womb and give birth to the son of God.
According to the Christian religion, Jesus was born, lived as messiah, suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, thus giving rise to the gift of repentance and forgiveness. In this way, only through his mercy and grace, any person can be saved after death and from their condemnation to Hell.
In fact, after his crucifixion and death at the age of 33, he rose again on the third day, thus preparing the way for each person to also overcome physical death, which is known as Atonement.
In this way, Jesus of Nazareth is the Savior and Redeemer of humanity and for this reason his birth is celebrated on Christmas Day, December 25.
However, did you know that the birth of Jesus Christ is actually believed to have occurred in the spring and not in December? So why is it celebrated on these dates?
The historical origin of Christmas
The truth is that the commemoration of the birth of the Child Jesus bears many similarities with the pagan festivals that the Romans celebrated in honor of Saturn, which is why they are known as the Saturnalia festivals.
These date from December 17 to 23, dates on which the birth of the God Saturn, God of agriculture and harvest, is celebrated. This celebration coincides with the winter solstice, which is the darkest period of the year, when the sun rises later and sets earlier.
On these dates in ancient Rome, parties were celebrated on these days in which even slaves could live with significant permissiveness. They could put off their daily chores and jobs, wear their masters' clothes, and be cared for as people without receiving any kind of punishment.
In addition, a tradition that is maintained today at Christmas and that comes from these holidays is the union of friends and family. During pagan celebrations, the Romans visited loved ones, held public banquets, and exchanged gifts.
In addition, the Romans also had a very special date, December 25, to commemorate the day of the winter solstice and another important birth, that of the God Apollo, known as the God of the Sun.
In fact, it was Julius Caesar, in the Roman Empire, who introduced December 25 as the date of celebration into the calendar in 45 BC, which has become part of our Gregorian calendar and the one that has hosted the celebration. of the birth of Jesus.
And it was Pope Julius I who in the years 320-353 fixed the solemnity of Christmas on December 25, despite the belief that Christ was born in spring.
The Pope may have made this decision with the intention of taking advantage of the Roman celebration so that pagans could more easily become Christians.
We cannot confirm the reason for this decision, but the truth is that whatever it was, the following Popes managed to formalize this date as such. In the year 440, Pope Leo the Great established it to commemorate the Nativity; and in 529, Emperor Justinian officially declared it the Empire's holiday.
On the other hand, the first representation of the Bethlehem in art deserves a special mention. A painting of Saint Francis of Assisi made on Christmas Eve in 1223, which depicts the birth of the Child Jesus in a cave near the Hermitage of Greccio, Italy. From there comes the idea that today we know and stage as the Bethlehem, the place where the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ.
How is Christmas celebrated?
As you have been able to verify, the origin of Christmas brings us the gathering of friends and family with the celebration of tasty banquets since Roman times. A tradition that is already celebrated throughout the world due to the great presence and history of Christianity, which is the religion with the most followers in the world.
That may be why it has been more viable for the Christmas tradition to cross time, borders and yes, also religion. In fact, these holidays are celebrated by both Christian people and those who do not believe in any religion. As it is also celebrated in all places except in six countries where its celebration is prohibited, which are North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tajikistan, Somalia and Brunei.
In this way, the rest of the world shares the tradition of celebrating the Christmas holidays among friends and family who exchange gifts and who attend incredible banquets where the best dishes that can exist in the gastronomy of each country are cooked. .
What's more, there are typical Christmas dishes in Spain that cannot be missing from the table, such as suckling pig, turkey, seafood or fish soup.
The truth is that each region has its Christmas recipes, but yes, something that is never lacking nor does it vary in our country, regardless of the place, is the presence of nougats.
It would be strange to be at the Christmas table without a tray of nougats with different types and flavors that anyone likes and that give it that sweet touch that we all hope to end the year.
At Your Spanish Shop we are committed to offering you the best Spanish products from our regions. For this reason, in our special Christmas offer you cannot miss products that satisfy any palate, from the best traditional artisan nougats, to sugar-free nougats for those who are a little worried about gaining those extra kilos at Christmas.
In fact, if you are one of those who refuses to put another hole in your belt, we have a tasty offer of sugar-free nougats, in which you can find products from the best brands, such as the assortment of Vicens sugar-free artisan nougats or the Virginias Sugar Free Raspberry Cheesecake Nougat.