Tyler Stafford By Joshua Jean and Lila De Almeida
Christmas should unite family and friends, but in today’s society, people frequently misunderstand the meaning of Christmas. People regard the vacation as an excuse to exchange presents, chow down on candy canes, and sing songs about reindeer. The origins of traditions are often misconstrued amongst the overly commercialized hubbub of the season. The holiday’s origin did not include any of these traditions.
According to Eve Watling, Christmas was first celebrated in Rome in 336 A.D. Because it fell in the shadow of Epiphany, Christmas was erased by the Puritan authorities for 18 years. That was until the Victorians converted the holiday into a joyous event. Also with the help of Saint Nicholas, who’s stated to be born in Patara withinside the year, 280 A.D. St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, is well known to children and adults that celebrate Christmas all over the world, and no doubt is the source of many sweet Christmas memories.
Several countries and people celebrate Christmas, but not everyone does it in the same way. One of the most essential aspects of Christmas celebrations is the recreating of the nativity scene. Naples is well-known for its world-famous nativity scene. The earliest nativity scene was performed in 1025 at the church of S. Maria del presepe. The Nativity scene is sometimes exhibited in the shape of a pyramid, which can be many meters tall! It has multiple layers of shelves and is embellished with colored paper, gold-covered pinecones, and miniature candles. Also a tiny star is frequently hung inside the pyramid/top triangle’s shelves above the manger scene might also contain fruit, candy, and presents. The Dominican Republic is another country that has developed a unique Christmas ritual. There are no Christmas trees there. Because there are no fir trees in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Republic has its own peculiar Christmas decorations known as charamicos (which is a slang word for a dry tree branch). These began as handcrafted tiny Christmas trees made of straw, twigs, and bendable wood that were painted white to resemble snow. Charamicos are now available in a variety of shapes, including balls, stars, angels, animals, and trees.
