Origin of Christmas
Common Core
• 5.C.1.2 Exemplify how the interactions of
various groups have resulted in borrowing and
sharing of traditions and technology.
• 5.C.1.4 Understand how cultural narratives
(legends, songs, ballads, games, folk tales and
art forms) reflect the lifestyles, beliefs and
struggles of diverse ethnic groups.
Common Core
I Will Know
• 5.C.1.2 Examples of borrowing and sharing of
traditions and culture.
• 5.C.1.4 The historical background of cultural
narratives in order to understand their
context.
Common Core
I Will Understand
• 5.C.1.2 Interactions between cultural groups may
lead to the borrowing and sharing of traditions
and technology.
• 5.C.1.4 Elements of culture can be expressed in
various ways.
• 5.C.1.4 Cultural expressions can reveal the values,
lifestyles, beliefs, and struggles of diverse ethnic
groups.
What is Christmas Anyway
• To many people the Christmas
story starts with Jesus Christ
• To the Christians of the world
Christmas celebrates Jesus’
birth
• But where does Santa Clause,
stockings, Christmas Trees &
and all that other stuff come
in?
• First we will start with what
most of you are familiar with
Christian Christmas Story
• Christian Christmas Story
comes from the most
purchased book ever created
the Bible
• The Bible has sold more copies
than any other book ever
printed
• The Christmas story comes
from two books of the Bible
• It comes from the book of
Mathew & the book of Luke
Mathew
• Mathew was a tax
collector who was well
educated but hated by
many people because he
would knock door to door
and collect taxes for the
Roman Empire
• He quit his job as a tax
collector to follow Jesus
and become one of his
disciples
Luke
• Luke actually never met
Jesus Christ
• Luke was a doctor that
quit his job after the
disciple Paul convinced
him to follow him
• Luke wrote the Christmas
Story based off of what
was told to him by Paul
and other disciples
Combination of Luke & Mathew
• The Christian Christmas Story
comes from a combination of the
book of Mathew & Luke
• People have long put parts of
these two men’s books together
to create the Christmas Story
• These two men were different
ages and they wrote their gospels
at different times
• This is why there is some
argument among historians about
the details of the Christmas Story
Jesus Comes to Earth
• Instead of beaming down from
Heaven or riding a white horse
through the clouds Jesus
arrives on the Earth just like
everyone else. He is born
• Jesus’ mother was a woman
named Mary and his father a
man named Joseph
• Though they were very
humble people they were
descendents of the Great
Israelite King David
Decedents of King David
• Being descendents of King David
was important because in those
days Israelites believed that a
Davidic Messiah would come to
save them from their enemies
(Roman Empire)
• Messiah comes from the Hebrew
word meaning “Anointed One” or
“Chosen One”
• In Greek Messiah is said Christos
which is where we get the the
title Christ
Mary the Mother of Jesus
• Mary was not only a direct
descendent of King David
she also became pregnant
without lying with a man
• This is something that is
impossible for humans and
that is why many believe
Mary is divine and chosen
by God
• Divine is when someone is
not as great as God but
better than mankind
Angel Gabriel
• Even though Mary had become
pregnant she did not know she
was pregnant until one night
• She is visited by the Angel Gabriel
who says “The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of
the Most High will overshadow
you. Therefore, the Holy One who
is conceived in you will be called
the Son of God” Luke 1:35
• This dream or visit by the Angel
Gabriel is know by Christians as
the Annunciation (Announcement
of the birth of Jesus)
Telling Her Husband
• The next day Mary told
Joseph about the dream
and how the Angel
Gabriel had come to her
and told her that she
would be with child
• Joseph is furious and
seriously contemplates
leaving her
Joseph’s Visitor
• The night after Mary tells
him an angel visits Joseph
• The Bible does not give a
name for this angel but says
that the angel delivers an
important message to
Joseph
• The angel tells Joseph that
she is pregnant but the
pregnancy is divinely
orchestrated (done by God)
Joseph’s Visitor
• The angel tells Joseph
that he must not only
marry Mary but he
must name his son
Jesus (Mathew)
• The angel tells Joseph
that he will save many
people from their sins
(Mathew)
Mary & Joseph Accept the Challenge
• Over the next 7-8 months
Mary and Joseph prepare
themselves to the baby
• Mary meets with her
friends and they make her
items for her baby (baby
shower)
• Joseph who is a carpenter
begins making furniture
pieces for the baby
Cesar Augustus
•
Shortly before the baby is to be born
Cesar Augustus sends out a decree to
all citizens of the Roman Empire that
there is to be a census taken
•
He was trying to see how large he
could get his population of Rome. If
you were an emperor in those days
the larger your Empire the more
glorious of an Emperor you were
•
This was not the first time he had
ordered such a census either
– 28 BC
– 8BC
– 14AD
What did that Mean
• The Census Decree meant that
everybody had to go to their
ancestral hometown and get
their names registered so they
were counted in the Census
• That meant Mary (who was
nine months pregnant and not
too happy) & Joseph would
have to walk over 90 miles
from Nazareth in Galilee to the
birthplace of their ancestors
• The 90 mile trek would lead
them to a little town
O’ Little Town of Bethlehem
• They walked to Bethlehem which
is the town where King David
grew up
• Even though this trek was
incredibly inconvenient for Mary
& Joseph it was important
because it connects Jesus’ life
with what the Angel Gabriel said
about the coming of a Davidic
Messiah
• The Lord God will give [Jesus] the
throne of his ancestor David, and
he will reign over the house of
Jacob forever. And his kingdom
will never end (Luke 1:32-33)
Away in a Manger
•
There are two versions of this part of
the story according to many
historians
•
The first version is that Mary &
Joseph arrive to Bethlehem and it is
late and because of the Census all of
the hotels are full and the only place
to sleep is in a barn with all the
animals
•
The second version is that Mary &
Joseph get to Bethlehem and stay
with some relatives. After Mary has
the baby Mary & Joseph want some
privacy so they go to the bottom
floor. In those days the bottom floor
is where the animals were kept
Away in a Manger
• In any case Mary has
the baby Jesus and he is
placed in the manger
because there was no
bed
• A manger is a trough
where animals eat from
Angels We have Heard On High
• The exact moment that Jesus was
born a angel appears to some
Sheppard's in a nearby field that
are tending to their flock of sheep
• The angel says to them “Behold! I
bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all people. For
today in the city of David is born
to you a Savior who is Christ the
Lord” (Luke 2:10-11)
• Then a multitude of angels
appear and declare glory to God
in the Highest and peace to his
people on Earth
Sheppard's Go To Jesus
• Sheppards are really
excited they want to see
this thing that has
happened and this baby
that they call the Christ
Child
• They go to Jesus and
worship him
• Meanwhile far in the East
We Three Kings of Orientar
• The story goes that three
kings see the star of David
shining brighter than any
star in the sky (The Kings
were Astrologers)
• An angel appears to them
and tells them to follow the
star to Bethlehem where
the Christ Child lies
• The Kings will bear gifts of
Gold, Frankincense's and
Myrrh
We Three Kings of Orientar
• There is only one problem
• It was highly unlikely that
the Three Kings were there
the night of Jesus being
born
• If you combine the gospel
according to Mathew & the
gospel according to Luke
the three Kings were there
sometime between the day
Jesus was born and up to
two years later
King Herod
• The Three Kings finally get
to Jerusalem and talk to
Herod and ask him where
the King of the Jews has
been born
• Herod was the ruler of the
Jews
• Herod has not heard
anything about Jesus being
born but he is not too
happy about it
King Herod
• Harrods advisors tell him
that the Jesus has been
born in Bethlehem that
night
• Herod passes the
information along to the
three wise men but
requests that they come
back when they have
found him so that he too
could give praise to the
newborn
A King’s Dream
• The three wise men find
baby Jesus and bring
gifts and worship him
• That night an angel
appears to one of the
wise men warning them
not to back to King
Herod but to take a
different route back to
their countries
Herod is Mad & Orders the Slaughter
of the Innocents
• About a week later Herod
finds out that the wise men
have left without telling him
the location of the baby
Jesus and he is furious
• He orders the “Slaughter of
the Innocents”
• This was the order to kill all
male children two years old
or younger that lived within
25 miles of Bethlehem
Joseph’s Angel
• Three nights before the
“Slaughter of the
Innocents” is to take place
an angel of the Lord warns
Joseph to get his family out
of Bethlehem
• Joseph and his family
escape to Egypt
• They remain in Egypt until
the death of Herod and they
returned to Nazareth
What about the Rest
• Jesus would go onto to
be crucified on a cross
by the Romans and rise
from the dead thus
saving mankind from sin
• But what about
Christmas the Holliday
Origins of Christmas
• Long before Jesus Christ was
born the Romans celebrated
many different Pagan Holidays
especially in December
• One of the most famous Pagan
Holliday was called Saturnalia
which began on December
17th
• This was a party to honor the
Roman Mythological God
Saturn who was the God of
Agriculture
Saturnalia
• They celebrated her so
that she would bless
them with a bountiful
harvest of crops so they
could feed their families
• Saturnalia was a raging
party that lasted
anywhere from 3-7 days
straight
Winter Solstice
• The next party was the
winter Solstice party which
was like their new years
• Because many Pagans
worshiped the sun the
winter solstice marked the
beginning of the new year
• That party lasted 7-10 days
straight and started on
December 21st
Mathura Sol Invictas
• In between those two
parties there was a party
celebrated for the Roman
God Sol Invictas
• Sol Invictas was the
Roman Sun God
• They celebrated his
birthday on December
25th
Christmas Lights
• The date of December
25th fell very close to
the winter solstice (21st)
so Romans lit bonfires
and candles like they
did to celebrate the
winter solstice
• This became where the
idea of the Christmas
Lights first came from
Christmas Lights
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#christmas-lightfanatic
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#christmas-lighttechnology
Christianity Accepts Pagan Traditions
• Just like you learned in the
Halloween Lesson in the 4th
Century (more than 2000
years ago) Roman leaders
decided to absorb Pagan
traditions into their
Christian culture rather than
outlaw the traditions and
start another war
• This is when the Christian
Church first began to honor
Jesus’ birth
Christianity Accepts Pagan Traditions
• The Roman Catholic
Church decided to select
December 25th to
celebrate Jesus birth
because it fell on the day
of Sol Invicta
• Nobody knows Jesus’
exact birthday because
the date was never
written down by anyone
who was there
December 25th
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#why-christmas-iscelebrated-ondecember-25th
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#birth-of-a-holiday
•
Ancient European Christmas Traditions
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#europeanchristmas-customs
What about Santa
•
In 1822 Professor Clement Clark Moore
wrote a famous poem called A Visit from St.
Nicholas, you might know it better as Twas
the Night Before Christmas
•
In that poem he brought Santa Clause to life
•
In the 1860’s Illustrator Thomas Nast
–
–
–
•
Naughty Nice List
Living at the North Pole
Made Santa Bigger and gave him elves
Santa Clause comes from three different
people some real some fake and three
different traditions
–
–
–
St. Nicholas
Norse God Oden
Dutch Sinterclause
St. Nicholas
•
St. Nicholas was a 4th century bishop
of the Catholic Church in Mira which
is in Turkey
•
He was born from a wealthy family
•
He used his whole family inheritance
to help the poor and suffering people
of Turkey
•
Legend tell of St. Nicholas throwing
gold through a window to save a
peasant girl from being sold into
slavery. The gold landed in a sock
that was drying by the fireplace
St. Nicholas
•
Word spread and children started
hanging stockings by their fireplaces
•
Another legend has that a man had
three daughters but was too poor to
have them betrothed so they would
become prostitutes and the man was
heartbroken. He went to pray and St.
Nicholas heard him and dropped 3
sacks of money down the man’s
chimney with allowed the three
daughter to afford their weddings
•
After his death he was canonized as a
saint and he was celebrated on
December 6th by people giving
presents to one another
Norse God Odin
• The Norse God Odin is
included because he
represents a father like
figure to the Norse (Viking)
people
• He rides on a horse in the
sky and protects his people
and looks after them
• He also judges if they have
been good or bad and visits
their houses accordingly
Sinterklaas
•
The legends of St. Nicholas spread
west from Turkey to countries like
Germany, Netherlands, Belgium
•
They came up with the fictitious
figure that represented St. Nicholas
but called him Sinterklaas
•
Sinterklaas was named that because
of the language difference from
Turkey to the Germanic countries
•
He had the same qualities of St.
Nicholas as he gave presents and joy
to the world
Santa Clause
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#origins-ofsanta-claus
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#evolution-of-santaclaus
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#baberuth-santa
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
• The Norse Vikings in the 2nd
Century would bring Evergreen
branches into their homes to
liven their homes
• When Christianity spread through
Europe many other cultures
began putting up Christmas Trees
• In 1848 the Christmas Tree went
viral when Queen Victoria
insisted on having a Christmas
tree in the Royal Home and soon
everyone had to have one
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
• It became popular and
people would have
contests on who could
decorate their Christmas
Tree the best
• They put little apples
(representing the apple of
the garden of Eden) and
light candles and put
them in the tree (dumb)
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#thechristmas-tree
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#the-lifeof-a-christmas-tree
• http://www.history.com
/topics/santaclaus/videos#craftingglass-ornaments
The Christmas Carol
• Origanally a Carol was a
song for holidays, birthdays,
weddings, important events
not just Christmas
• In about the 12th century it
took on a Christmas look
and people didn’t sing
carols except for at
Christmas
• There were not many
Christmas Carols for many
centuries
The Christmas Carol
• In the 1800’s Charles
Dickens wrote the book
The Christmas Carol
motivated many people
to write more & more
Christmas Carols
• During this span We
Three Kings of Orientar,
Jingle Bells, O Little Town
of Bethlehem, It Came
Upon A Midnight Clear
• http://www.history.com/t
opics/santaclaus/videos#history-ofthe-christmas-carol
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#north-poledeconstructed
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/video
s#bet-you-didnt-knowchristmas
• http://www.history.com
/topics/christmas/intera
ctives/christmas-facts