Thursday, January 1, 2009

Origin of Christmas

Christmas is the festival celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. The story of Christmas is based on the biblical accounts given in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Jesus was born to Mary, assisted by her husband, Joseph in the city of Bethlehem. According to popular tradition, the birth took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals. A manger is mentioned in Luke 2:7 where it states "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Shepherds from the fields surrounding Bethlehem were told of the birth by an angel, and were the first to see the child. Christians believe that the birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament.

There is a very long tradition of producing depictions of the nativity. Nativity scenes are traditionally set in a barn or stable and include Mary, Joseph, the child Jesus, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men, who followed a star, known as the Star of Bethlehem.

In the U.S., Christmas decorations at public buildings once commonly included Nativity scenes. This practice has led to many lawsuits, as groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union believe it amounts to the government endorsing a religion, which is prohibited by the United States Constitution. In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lynch vs. Donnelly that a Christmas display (which included a Nativity scene) owned and displayed by the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island did not violate the First Amendment.

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