Christmas day, or known as Christ’s Mass, is the Christian holiday celebrating the actual birth of the Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messiah of the Christians.
It is also a day of giving and receiving presents, christmas trees and fabulous Christmas lunches which include either traditional home made meals of turkey, baked potatoes, pumpkin and other flavourful side dishes, or eating out with the whole family.
Christmas Day sees the whole of South Africa mostly spending time with family, whether they are Christian or not. Most shops and malls are closed on this day and it is very seldom that there are people who work on this day.
The few restaurants that stay open are usually packed up to maximum capacity and booking your seat for christmas day is absolutely essential because there is not a place to be found with an empty seat on this day.
Churches all have services on Christmas Day, these services usually take place in the early mornings or in the evenings to accommodate the fact that the rest of the day is spent with the family.
The lesser known fact about the Christian holiday of Christmas is that it was originally a world wide Pagan practiced festival called Yule. It venerated the return of the sun, where the Great Horned hunter god the father is slain by his son, and he son then rules.
The dates of Southern and Northern Hemisphere differ for obvious reasons for Yule, however the Christian adaptation was kept on the 25th worldwide.
A Christmas Poem :
Today, December 23rd, another Christmas nears.
I try to keep tradition up while holding back my tears.I know I have been blessed for all the many years
of love and joy and family and times we had to share.
The presents wrapped, the tree is lit, the wreath upon the door,
but pondering all the Christmases past and tears begin to fall.
This Christmas will be different,
for some very special loved ones have received God’s final call.
Then I dry my tears and say a special prayer.
Dear God, my gift to you is that soul I loved so dear.
I thank you for their life and love
I was so blessed to share.
Now all that I can ask of you is to keep them in your care!
I also want to offer you my each and every tear.
Now I promise to make Christmas joy for those I still have here
and put a smile upon their face while we have time to share.
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