the name christmas is short for“christ’s mass”.a mass is a kind of church service.christmas is a religious festivai.it is the day we celebrate as the birthday of jesus.
there are special christmas services in christian churches all over the world.but many of the festivities of christmas do not have anything to do with religion.exchanging gifts and sending christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the christmas in the world.
the birth of jesus had a story：in nazareth，a city of galilee.the virgin’s name was mary was betrothed to joseph.before they came together，she was found with
child of the holy spirit.joseph，her husband was minded to put her away secretly.while he thought about these things，gabriel，an angel of the lord appeared to him in a
dream and told him did not be afraid to take mary as wife.and mary，will bring forth a son，and he shall call his name，jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.
before jesus births.joseph and mary came to quintus was governing syria.so all went to be registered，everyone to his own city.joseph also went up out of
galilee.out of the city of nazareth.into judea，to the city of david.which is called bethlehem，because he was of the house and of the lineage of david，to be registered with mary。his betrothed wife，who was with child.so it was that while they were there.the days were completed for her to be delivered.and she brought forth her firstborn son.and wrapped him in swaddling cloths.and laid him in a
manger.because there was no room for them jn the jnn.and that.christmas is the feast of the nativity of jesus.is on 25th，december every year.but nobody know the acluai birthday of jesus.and the christmas has become popular when christmas cards appeared in 1 846 and the concept of a joily santa claus was first made popular in nineteenth century.
“圣诞节”这个名称是“基督弥撒”的缩写。弥撒是教会的一种礼拜典礼。耶诞节是一个宗节我们把它看成耶稣的生日来庆贺，因而别名耶诞节。这一天，世界所有的基督教会都举办特殊的礼拜典礼。然则有许多圣诞节的欢庆运动和宗教并无半点联系关系。交流礼品，寄圣个诞卡，这都使圣诞节成为一个率土同庆的日子。
圣诞节是基督教世界最年夜的节日。4世纪初，1月6日是罗马帝国东部各教会纪念耶稣出世和受洗的双重节日、称为“主显节”epiphany，亦称“浮现节”即天主经由过程耶稣向世人显示本身。其时只有耶路撒冷的教会破例，那边只纪念耶稣的出生而不纪念耶稣的受洗。后来汗青学家们在罗马基督徒惯用的日历中发明公元354年12月25日页内记载着：“基督出世在犹年夜的伯利恒。”经由研讨，一般以为12月25日伴为圣诞节可能开端于公元336年的罗马教会)约在公元375年传到小亚细亚的安提阿，公元430年传到埃及的亚历山年夜里亚，耶路撒冷的教会接收得最晚，而亚美尼亚的教会则仍然保持1月6日主显节是耶稣的生日。
12月25日本来是波斯太阳神(即光亮之神)密特拉(mithra)的生日，是一个异教徒节日，同时太阳神也是罗马国教众神之一。这一天又是罗马历书的冬至节，崇敬太阳神的异教徒
都把这一天看成春天的愿望，万物苏醒的开端。可能因为这个原因，罗马教会才选择这一天作为圣诞节。这是教会初期力争把异教徒的风气习惯基督教化的办法之一。
后来，固然年夜多半教会都接收12月25日为圣诞节，但又固各地教会应用的历书分歧，具体日期不克不及同一，于是就把12月24日到第二年的1月6日定为圣诞节节期(christmas tide)，各地教会可以依据本地具体情形在这段节期之内庆贺圣诞节。自从12月25日被年夜多半教会公以为圣诞节后，本来1月6日的主显节就只纪念耶稣受洗了，但上帝教会又把1月6日定为“三王来朝节”，以纪念耶稣生时东方三王(即三位博士)来朝拜的故事。跟着基督教的普遍流传，圣诞节已成为各教派基督徒，甚至宽大非基督徒群众的一个主要节日。在欧美很多国度里，人们异常看重这个节日，把它和新年连在一路，而庆贺运动之热烈与隆
重年夜年夜跨越了新年，成为一个全平易近的节日。12月25日的重要纪念运动都与耶稣出世的传说有关。
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