Show christmas lit baity birly et irly christians did not celebrate I 1 the ho birthday of christ it was not until the fourth century that decem ber 25 come came to be accepted as tho the pre presumed s umed anniversary of the gi great event in that year pope gregory V set this day officially his intention tion was partly to absorb the old pagan gan festival of the returning sun skin the winter solstice on december 22 in a christian feast A number of f pagan celebrations were overlapped in this manner during the first centuries of christianity it t is s for this reason that the remnants of ancient rites ind and customs have become intermingled with genuine christian practices and symbolism the yule rites rites or of the the scandinavian germanic and british nations blended with the new christian holy day in northern europe in italy france spain and other nations descended from roman colonies the rowdy festival spirl spirit t and customs of pagan rome hung 0 on n to some extent and merged with the observation of christmas 1 in the main however the birth of christ was a religious holiday joyous IOUs but restrained in mood in the early centuries of the christian era gradually however in the middle ages the feast became more robust as peasants and lords made merry in the baronial halls nativity plays on the other hand the nativity plays were purely christian in origin having arisen spontaneously in many parts of europe in the early middle ages in one form 0 or r another they ha have ve been enacted all over the world with additions and embellishments there are puppet versions elaborate pageants music scores all treating of the birth of christ in spanish countries the po posadas adas Is the name given to a com combination procession and party with religious overtones that covers the nine days preceding christmas itself the polish christmas play Is an intermingling of the nativity story with elements of polish history i and legend the santa claus tradition depre 1 the combining of a number of widely differing relics of old super sti 1 tion and beliefs the y northern europeans european in pre christian times believed in a spirit of 0 woods and fields who had to be placated now and then or he would ruin the harvests this being was known in norway as the nisse and by various names in other scandinavian di din avian countries it Is still a custom in rural regions for children to set out porridge and beer on christmas eve to please the nisse in britain the character known as father christmas Is supposed to b be e a chr christian I 1 atlan version of this ancient spirit of the fields field s the dutch sinter klass or st nicholas Is still recognizable as the good bishop of myra in dutch plays but he too is being absorbed in the more popular version of santa claus the fat red coated little man with the big bag of presents this idea of santa claus Is a south german interpretation in other parts of germany the t he dispenser of gifts Is dame bertha the custom of hanging banging up stockings comes from italy switzerland has developed the custom of parading from house to house and singing carols in a picturesque way costumes are remarkable young men and women wear he addresses representing houses ships mountains and so forth huge sleigh bells tinkle from their waists and shoulders these swiss caro calders carders lers also have a peculiar dance used only on christmas eve in switzerland as in in other I 1 southern european countries the gifts are brought to good children not by santa claus but by the christ child who comes from the N north th pole in in a fairy sleigh members of the orthodox ox G greek k church who ho cling to the old sty style e calendar celebrate christs christ s birthday on is january 6 many jarrat I 1 RO ys fa people in greece serbia romania romani and i other balkan asjes states as well as many russians belong to a the orth orthodox 0 dox church their christmas feast traditionally begins with a bowl of butya which is a combination of wheat honey ground p poppy seed d and pecans mushroom soup fruit fish and nuts are also served A small layer of hay Is spread under the table cloth to show humility ity tor for christs birth in a stable so every country and every district often has its own special ways 1 of f keeping christmas the united 1 states being composed of people from everywhere has received customs from every people and has adopted those it liked and altered them to fit the american style so it has been with santa claus the christmas tree holly and mistletoe the christmas plays and carols the luscious menus everything has been gladly taken over with thanks to the many nations and peoples thal thai have bequeathed them to us |