Christmas

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus. It is celebrated in countries where Christianity is practiced around the world. There are some countries that are not traditionally Christian but have started to practice some of the traditions of Christmas such as gift giving.

Christmas is a season for giving and receiving gifts. The exchange of gifts is the main feature of the holiday season. Some believe that Christmas has become too commercial. Merchants depend on the sales during the holiday season to make their annual sales quotas.

Gift giving during the holiday season is different in many countries. In the United States, Christmas gifts are exchanged at work during the holiday season and may be opened before Christmas Day. Gifts mailed to relatives and friends may be opened before Christmas but are usually placed under the Christmas tree. Many families have their traditions for opening the gifts under the tree. Some people select one gift from under the tree to open on Christmas Eve. Others wait until Christmas morning to open all their gifts.

In some countries such as Italy and Spain, children receive their gifts on January 5, the eve of Epiphany, the twelfth night after Christmas. In Italian folklore, Befana, an old woman, goes down the chimney to deliver presents to children. Spanish children leave their shoes outside filled with straw and barley for the animals of the three wise men and hope gifts will be left by Balthazar.

The feast of St. Nicholas, patron saint of children, is December 6. In some northern European countries, St. Nicholas leaves gifts for children on this night.

The first Europeans who arrived in Japan in the sixteenth century introduced Christmas. However, it is only in recent years that the celebration has become popular and part of the Japanese culture. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan. However, more and more people are decorating their homes, exchanging gifts with their friends and preparing special meals to commemorate the event.

The exchange of gifts during the Christmas holiday season has taken on a special meaning for people who want to show kindness and share what they have with others.