When is Christmas Celebrated?
Christmas Festival is celebrated every year mainly on 25th December in India as well as all over the world. Though this date is marked as a traditional holiday in the calendar of the Christian religion, this is actually a 12 days long festival. However, in the modern era, residents of India usually start celebrating this holistic and auspicious festival from 24th December.
Since when is this festival celebrated in India?
Though the nation witnessed the advent of Christianity in A. D. 52, but this religion became prominent mostly during the 15th and the 16th Centuries. Mainly, Indians came to know about this festival post arrival of the religion of Christianity in the country of India. However, the modern form of this festival is a product of 100 years long religious as well as secular traditions across the globe.
Why is Christmas celebrated in India?
As per the traditional belief, this much awaited festival is celebrated in the country to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, being the epitome of Divinity, this festival symbolizes a deep truth of spiritual life. Born during the time of ignorance, greed, superstition, hypocrisy and hatred, He was able to inspire people for pure thoughts. Apart from this religious aspect, Christmas Festival in India, in modern times, even serve as a platform for enjoyments and carnivals in winter season.
How is Christmas celebrated in India?
Being one of the biggest festivals in India, this festival is considered to be a national festival in the country. Marked as a national holiday in the nation, the country celebrates the festival with great joy and enthusiasm. From much earlier than the actual Christmas Day, people start preparing for this festival. The cities, towns as well as the villages dress up in vibrant decorations. Though this is mainly a Christian festival, still this is widely celebrated by people from all creed and caste. People buy themselves and their loved ones varied kinds of gifts as well as new clothes since exchanging gifts is amongst one of the traditional custom of the Christmas Festival. Even the shops start preparing for this huge Christmas sale from much before. Many shops offer mega sales and discounts during this famous Christmas Festival in India.
Apart from that, people even buy lots of decorative items to decorate their home as well as workplace. Green colored Christmas trees, colorful balls, stars, jingle bells, cotton for making artificial snow, lightings, candles, festoons and other trinkets are some of the most popular items that inhabitants of India buy to decorate their home. Many people, including those who are not even Christians set up a Christmas tree at their home and decorate it as beautifully as possible. Some of them even hang beautiful paper lamps. These star shaped lamps come in different sizes and colors and illuminate the home with purity. Lamps from Kerala are known for being elaborated with cutwork designs and various other beautiful patterns.
Sending Christmas greetings to family and friends residing at distant places is another tradition of this festival. Some of the school, club and church choirs start visiting their neighborhood as a part of Christmas celebration in India. Singing Christmas carols and greeting people with cakes, pastries, chocolates and numerous other kinds of eatables are some of the popular activities of this festival. People even arrange for Christmas parties for their friends and family members to celebrate this auspicious occasion.
Christmas Eve that is the evening before 25th December is generally featured with burning of sparklers and many other types of fire crackers. On the morning of the actual Christmas Day, people visit Churches to make holy prayers. This is followed by a biggest feast, where people meet their relatives and friends. Wishing each other “Merry Christmas”, they enjoy the day with their close ones.
Many special carnivals are held during this time. Young generation even celebrates Christmas Festival in India by arranging excursions, watching movies and partying with friends.
Last Updated on 09/19/2011
| Festivals of India | |
