Christmas is traditionally an important midwinter party. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The evangelists Luke and Matthew describe the birth of Jesus in the Bible. Especially Luke gives broad attention to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in the Western Christian world and in some Churches of Eastern Christianity. In many regions there are also special celebrations on the evening before (Christmas Eve, midnight mass) and/or the day after. In Western Europe, December 25 is considered Christmas Day and December 26 is considered Boxing Day.
The Christianization of Europe is presented by Christians as an ascent from barbarism to civilization, and paganism was therefore often considered inferior and had to be fought. On the other hand, various pagan customs and feasts were integrated into Christian culture, whether or not in a transformed form. We only have to think of the Easter bonfires, the celebration of Christmas around the winter solstice, and the various aspects of the feast of St. Nicholas.
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