The Amazing History of Christmas | 5 Minute Video
How much do you know about Christmas – about its origins and its many beloved traditions? Do you know where the idea of stocking-stuffers comes from? Or how lights found their way onto the Christmas tree? Or why we all have the jolly, red-suited, white-haired image of Santa Claus in our heads? In this video, historian William Federer explores the holiday’s rich and unique history.
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Script:
“‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…”
You probably know what happens next. But do you know who wrote this poem, and when? Do you know where the tradition of the Christmas tree comes from? Lights on the Christmas tree? Stockings? Even the idea of gift-giving?
No holiday has a richer and more varied tradition than Christmas. So let’s look into its history and see if we can uncover some of that richness and tradition. And if you don’t celebrate Christmas—well, at least you’ll have a better appreciation of why so many people do.
Here’s what everybody knows:
Christmas is when Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. That in itself is a very big deal. Christianity, in all its many iterations, remains the most popular religion in the world. Two billion people follow it.
Aside from its obvious religious significance, the first Christmas stands as the great divide for the recording of human history. Until recently, history was divided between BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, which is Latin for “Year of Our Lord”). Now you’ll often see BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era). No matter. The divide is still Jesus’s birth.
The great kings of the first millennium recognized the significance of the day and attached themselves to it. Charlemagne, Alfred the Great, and William the Conqueror, among many others, were either baptized or coronated on December 25.
The idea of Christmas as a time of gift-giving also goes back to the earliest days of Christianity. The story is told that a third-century church bishop, Nicholas, would anonymously throw bags of gold coins into the windows of the poor. The coins supposedly landed in the shoes or stockings that were drying by the fireplace. Thus, was the stocking stuffer born. After Nicholas died and was declared a saint, his popularity and positive Christmas message spread across Europe, each nation adding its own distinct contribution.
In Germany, the winter tradition of placing evergreens in their homes took on a new significance in the 16th century when Protestant reformer Martin Luther put candles in the branches. He told his children the lights were like the sky above Bethlehem on the night of Christ’s birth.
The idea that St. Nicholas would judge whether you’ve been good or bad during the year stems from the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, which depicts Christ returning to Earth riding a white horse. In the Middle Ages, the legend sprang up that Saint Nicholas had been chosen as the Savior’s advance guard. He wouldn’t come at the end of the world, but every year to check things out and give a report.
When this notion arrived in Norway, it encountered a problem: there were no horses in Norway. But they did have plenty of reindeer. And, of course, Norway abuts the Arctic Circle and the North Pole, so St. Nick found himself with a new domicile.
All these various European traditions came together in the great melting pot of America.
In New York in 1823, a professor at the Protestant Episcopal Seminary, Clement Moore, wrote a poem for his children, ‘Twas the night before Christmas:
“…The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…”
The poem caught on and became a Christmas staple every school child could recite.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/video/the-amazing-history-of-christmas
source
You can't get into the real details in only 5 mins.
Notice how they slightly mentioned… 'Europeans added their own traditions' and 'Xmas became a melting pot'
What did Jesus rebuke the Pharisees for?
'You take traditions of men and male the Word of YHWH of no effect' they care more about traditions than what the Word of YHWH says.
What were these added 'European traditions'? Religious symbols and practices to their pagan gods. No mention of Saturnalia and pagan worshipping the birth of sun gods at winter solstice around December 25th?
Did we forget about the Word of YHWH in Deuteronomy 12?
Don't look at the religious practices of the pagans. And to use their ways to worship YHWH.
The Roman Catholics in spreading north were like the Roman Empire. They conquer you and say you can keep your pagan religious practices as long as you also worship Caesar. Keep you pagan traditions as long as you worship Jesus.
Melting pot?
What does the Word of YHWH say?
So many instructions of not mixing with the pagans. Yes, Christianity is a melting pot of people and cultures. But YHWH says to turn from your wicked pagan ways and worship Me.
Is YHWH not good enough Christians need to borrow from Satan to worship YHWH yet we forget about the 7 joyous holydays YHWH gave us in His Word?
Christmas came from the pagan catholic roman church..it was originally call saturnalia which was in the winter solstice. Pagans would give gifts and have orgies. Also many of the pagan gods were born on december 25th.
Thank you, channel created by a Jewish guy for explaining my Christmas traditions. And thank you other Jewish people for giving us some of the best Christmas songs ever written.
Your god is a rapist.
Try working retail during Christmas season. I don't think it's necessarily a blanket statement that people are kinder. 😞
CHRISTMAS IS A PAGAN FEAST
Almost all Christian-professing religions (the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, the Protestant churches and other 'Christian' groups) in the entire world celebrate the so called "Christmas day" which is the most popular and reknowned holiday ever celebrated in the whole world.
The feast is annually celebrated to commemorate the natal day of the Lord Jesus.
We, Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) members do not participate with their practices not because we don't care our Lord Jesus Christ; neither, we're against rejoicing his birth. In fact, we care Him so much because we were the ones who benifitted from His coming and sacrifices. We were purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28 Lamsa). Hence, we are certain of attaining salvation comes judgement day (Romans 5:8-9 TEV).
Then why we members of the Church of Christ won't jump on the bandwagon? Why we don't participate to their activities? Absolutely we would never ever take part with them because first of all, there's no passage can be found in the Holy Scriptures specified that the Christians commanded to commemorate the birthday of Christ Jesus. Secondly, there is no mention from the New Testament of the Bible or any historical record that our Lord Christ Jesus has been born on December 25 or at any specific date. It would have been absurd and ridiculous for the inspired writers of the New Testament to miss recording the date of Christ's birthday if it should be commemorated by His disciples.
In the book "The Catholic Encyclopedia" Volume 2 p. 607, the Catholic authorities admitted that "The actual date of the Lord's birth is unknown". Other authorities say that "It is impossible to determine the exact date of the birth of Christ, either from the evidence of the gospels, or from any sound tradition"(Collier's Encyclopedia, Vol. VI, p. 403)
Thirdly, the Apostles and early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or the birth anniversary of our Lord from their time until the end of the third century (The Externals of the Catholic Church, p. 190). The Catholics celebrated the first ever Christmas festival just in the beginning of the 4th century and it was originally celebrated on January 6. In about the middle of the fourth century, Pope Julius I (337 -352) changed the date to December 25 and decreed the Catholics to celebrate the date of nativity.(The Handbook of Catholic Practices p. 176)
Moreover, the date of the festivity which was fixed on December 25th was merely influenced by the Roman's pagan religious festival of the Mithras cult in the Roman Empire from the time of Emperor Aurelian (275). The Roman pagans celebrate the birthday of their sun-god Mithras, along with other pagan deities such as Saturn, Horus and Dionysus every 25th of December.
Other feast which probably one of the most popular pagan festivals in the entire Empire at that time was also celebrated during that date to commemorate the birth of Sol Invictus, The Unconquerable Sun (Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, p. 60)
Hence, Christmas all along is not the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ but of the Roman's deities such as Saturn, Sol Invictus, Horus, Dionysus and Mithras.
If the Catholics learn to know the true history of Christmas, will they still have the stomach to take part in celebrating this christianized pagan holiday?
As members of the true Church of Christ, how could we take part to a christianized pagan festival? How could we participate in celebrating a feast which is merely commanded by the pope? How could we join to a festival which is unbiblical? The apostles warned the Christians "not to live like the pagans or the heathens who have worthless thoughts and dark minds. They are stubborn and ignorant" (Ephesians 4:17-18)
As true Christians, we will never ever abide to anybody but to the words of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ which are written in the Holy Scriptures that are taught to us by Bro. Felix Y. Manalo, the last messenger of God and continuously teaches by the Church Administration.
EGS ✌️
Always thought that coming up with bce and ce was kinda pointless, despite what secularists were trying to do you're still referencing the birth of Christ by de facto. Wouldn't be surprised if it was actually way for secularists to give Christians the finger.
Lol of course PragerU doesn't mention its pagan origins.
Merry Christmas and joy to the world!
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
– Isaiah 9:6-7
Trying to give this wonderful video a bump with a like and a comment three years later. 😃
Merry Christmas
Thank you. Peace 2u and God Bless y'all
Christmas 🎅🎄☃️ Was Celebrated By Pagans Long Before the Birth of Jesus Christ ✝️ in Ancient Rome Christmas Was Saturnalia ♉ 25th of December Was the Rebirth of the Sun ☀ God Known by the Greeks and Romans as Mithrias Horus by the Egyptians and Tammuz in the Babylonian Mystery Religion's
failed to mention it originates from the celts and the pagans. stories don’t tell real history
PragerU completely missed the REAL history of Christmas. How did you blow this one so bad? Lets be honest, The Catholic Church stole Christmas from the Pagan Winter Solstice. The tree and wreath are pagan fertility symbols.
I LOVE prager u! But I don’t celebrate Xmas or Easter. They are a 100% mash up of multiple pagan holidays. And God told us he does not want to be worshipped the way other people worship their gods. And I don’t believe you can or should just ‘change the meaning’ of those holidays to make them more ‘Christian’. They are tainted with paganism to the core. It was very hard for me to give them up, because I LOVED Xmas. But the sacrifice has been worth it.
Lol fake news. I love how this channel pretends to be intellectual. But its political.
need to watch this
The Original Yuletide now has its own Holiday Carol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSoolLK_-9g
Amazing how little we know.
Happy holidays 🙂
I'm pretty left leaning, and I'm definitely not a fan of PragerU, but this was a nice video. Good job not strawmanning the left.
~|~ 💚 & L|GHT ~|~
I am about to instruct my pupils on the importance of this most precious of holidays employing this video.
Happy Sanguinala, citizens!
"Thus says The Lord: Most assuredly, I say to you, any and all rituals which are rooted in paganism are an abomination in the eyes of God! And all who place My name upon them, or do them by permission in My name, have surely taken the name of The Lord in vain!
I know many say they celebrate this holiday in loving memory of My earthly birth, yet on this day I did not come into the world by way of water and blood. For that day and hour remains unknown to you, nor do you understand. For you cast off knowledge, and refuse to honor the appointed times which The Father commanded you to keep holy and remember.[1] Thus My people are indeed destroyed for lack of knowledge, as it is written.[2]
How long shall you mar My image before the people?!
How long shall My name be blasphemed
Because of you, O churches of men?!…
How long shall you commit adultery with the
Harlot and revel in the idolatries of the pagan?!
How long shall you remain married to this world
And all its fornications against God?!…
Again I tell you, ALL religions, religious rituals
And celebrations, rooted deeply in paganism,
Are an abomination in the eyes of The Most High God!
Well did My servant Sha’ul (also known as Paul) prophesy of you, saying: In the latter days some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared as with a hot iron.[3] And well did he prophesy of this generation, saying: Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof[4].
Therefore, woe to all who celebrate this detestable holiday of men! Woe, I say to you! And three times woe, to all who do so in MY name! Hypocrites! Workers of idolatry! You are a perverse people who do always take the name of The Lord in vain! Yet I hear you saying, “But we only seek to honor You, Lord, in any and all ways.” Yet I ask you, how can we be one if your heart belongs to another?[5] And how does reveling in those things I hate honor Me? I tell you the truth, all who love this world more than Me are not worthy of Me! And all who honor the ways of the harlot dishonor Me and shall share in her judgment! And ALL, who revel in the ways of the pagan, have cast their lot with satan! Or have you never read these Scriptures: You can not drink the cup of The Lord and the cup of demons; you can not partake of The Lord’s table and of the table of demons?![6]
Indeed, what do all these things have to do with Me? Why do you decorate the tree? Is it not beautiful as it is? And why do you decorate your house? A household, which seeks to honor Me, has no need of worldly decorations. For in humility, set apart, shall you shine forth. And why do you give worldly gifts in My name? Am I not The Gift, He who ascended on high, He who led captivity captive and gave gifts to men?[7] Therefore receive of Me, of all I offer, and be separate. For in following My ways do you give gifts to Me and to each other, even to all those around you, for the gifts I bring endure forever.
Therefore, again I ask you, what matter these things of the world and men, which shall soon pass away? Yet you say, “All these things are a metaphor and a testament to You, Lord.” Yet I tell you, anything which comes from sin is sin; do not do it! Tear down all these whitewashed walls of abomination, and do only as The Word of God instructs! For the season of giving is each and every day, and the season of love is every day, every hour, every minute, every moment of your life lived in Me. So then, share My gifts and withhold not; lift up the poor in spirit and feed the hungry, help the needy and comfort the sick, doing so in My name. Yet do not do as the pagans do, for this is sin. Be completely separate and shun these perverse holidays of men; stop breaking My Commandments!
You wish to celebrate My name and My earthly birth, do so; yea, bring glory to My name by your obedience, set apart. You wish to enjoy festivals with your family, do so; I have given you seven.[8] And in these seven is wisdom and understanding, the very mind of God, revelation beyond words, the will of God made manifest. Yet no more do as the pagans and false teachers would have you do. Cast off this holiday; throw away your tree and lights, rid your house of all decorations, turn away from these filthy traditions. Honor Me as I truly am, obey the Scriptures, and turn away from the commandments of men.[9]
Know this: The Salvation Day of Men is four-fold…
It was ordained before the foundation of the world,
Fulfilled at My birth, finished at My death on the cross,
And solidified eternally upon My resurrection…
I AM THE LORD."
[1]http://answersonlygodcangive.com/Regarding_The_Holy_Days_of_God
[2]Hosea 4:6
[3]1 Timothy 4:1-2
[4]2 Timothy 3:2-5
[6]1 Corinthians 10:21
[7]Ephesians 4:8
[9]Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7, Titus 1:14
~
"Thus says The Lord: My children, keep The Passover. Keep it according to the New Covenant, in faith and love, and remember.
Yet you who call of yourselves Christian do always dishonor Me. Behold, you pollute the glory of My sacrifice with filthy traditions and desecrate My resurrection with pagan practices, forsaking those things which you were to keep holy and remember, nor will you incline the ear. Churches of men, know you not that in these Seven (the Holy Days) is wisdom and understanding, the very mind of God?! Yet you choose vanities on top of vanities, embracing corrupt doctrine and pagan-laced tradition, placing your stamp of approval on them. For you are a most perverse and adulterous generation.
Churches of men, I am not of this world, yet you are of this world. Thus only those who obey My voice trust in Me, and only those who embrace Me as I truly am are set apart. For I live in them and they follow Me. You claim you trust in Me and that I live in you, yet not one of you obeys My voice; indeed, you ignore My example and refuse to walk in My ways. For if I truly lived in you, then you would do as I did.
Beloved, follow Me! Keep the Passover, honor the Holy Days, and remember the Sabbath. Only then will you begin to see, only then will you understand. For the Holy Days are revelation, every Sabbath a blessing, a sign between Me and you that you may know I am The Lord who sanctifies you.
And behold, four are fulfilled:
Salvation assured, sin and death overcome, the Spirit given…
Three are coming quickly:
Sin destroyed, evil bound, My seat taken, Judgment…
A new day, even one thousand years…
Then a short season, consummation…
An everlasting day in The Lord!…
Amen, and amen."
~
"Therefore, again I call you to kiss The Son
And bow before your King!…
For He alone is your salvation,
He alone is your only escape!…
He is The Light, The Only Way, The Only Truth!…
There is no life apart from Him;
Apart from Him is only darkness and death,
The wide path which leads to destruction…
YAHUSHUA-YAHUWAH
Is His name, The Mashiach!…
The Bearer of your cross, The Lover of your soul,
The Risen One, The Mighty One of Jacob…
Immanu El!"
http://trumpetcallofgod.com
I never got to vote to change BC and AD to BCE and CE. Why must we obey what a select few elitists have declared?
Minor correction; the Puritans refused to celebrate Christmas because they thought it was "too Catholic", not anything to do with commercialization.
"Santa Claus, which is Dutch for Saint Nicholas"
Wow, guys, aren't you the greatests at improvisation
https://youtu.be/vTGDFhi7z4U
Jesus was actually born in 4BC, Jesus could not of been born in Christmas since he was born when land could be farmed, Christmas was originally a Roman pagan holiday to honor the God Saturn were people got drunk and even had gay sex. The way we got many Christmas traditions were from the Germanic people celebrating it and the Romans taking the tradition after they were converted the Catholics
If only our pagan ancestors could see what became of their festivity, all over the world.
https://youtu.be/l2g0jEdu8qk
This video was a docs google homework for me I enjoyed every moment of this video.
https://youtu.be/xuDB67dWILI
Happy holidays.
Irving Berlin also wrote, "Happy Holidays", you absolute turnips.
WHEN DID PRAGER-IANS BEGAN TO LIE.?????????????????????????????
In Colonial America, the Pilgrims of New England disapproved of Christmas.The Plymouth Pilgrims put their loathing for the day into practice in 1620 when they spent their first Christmas Day in the New World building their first structure in the New World—thus demonstrating their complete contempt for the day. Non-Puritans in New England deplored the loss of the holidays enjoyed by the laboring classes in England. Christmas observance was outlawed in Boston in 1659.The ban by the Puritans was revoked in 1681 by an English appointed governor, Edmund Andros; however, it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region.By the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it was not widely celebrated in the U.S.
In 1647, the Puritan-led English Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas, replacing it with a day of fasting and considering it "a popish festival with no biblical justification", and a time of wasteful and immoral behaviour. … Many clergymen still disapproved of Christmas celebration.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
So the song "America, F*** Yeah!" was right to associate us with Christmas.
BCE just means before the CHRISTIAN era
And CE just means CHRISTIAN era
After all both age delineators are predicated on the same event
shortened version: we stole a bunch of pagan traditions by forcing pagans to convert under threat of death and destroyed thousands of cultures by forcing everyone to assimilate into christianity
The Bible is historically and scientifically inaccurate. Humans didn’t stem from two people. The flood never happened. Exodus didn’t happen in the absurd #’s that the Bible claims. The world is not inside a dome with holes for stars lmao. The two creation stories at the start of the Bible contradict one another. It’s a book written by people who had no idea how the world works. It’s time to grow up as a civil action and stop believing in fairy tales.
irving berlin wrote a song called happy holiday!
i know facts mean nothing to the members of cult 45 that frequent this channel.
you're still claiming the cult leader wasn't rejected at reelection, so the sane ones of us aren't surprised!
oh my god the perpetual victimhood of the right and this deluded idea there is a war on christmas!
you're all going to clutch your pearls forever at the idea of corporations trying to make it ore inclusive so they can profit even more from the corrupted consumerism that holds it now.
christmas isn't even jesus' birth. so you've got that wrong too! if that imaginary character existed, he was born in spring.
also. the guy that wrote white christmas also wrote a song called happy holiday…. does anyone want to take offence at this and call that jew a cultural marxist that is trying to destroy christianity?
happy christmarx!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Lol you're all insane. Happy holidays ✌🏼
The Puritans where correct- it’s Pagan.It’s like giving God a sacrifice with POOP on it . Would you accept such a gift kindly????