The fulfillment of the inspired words of the "Old Testament evangelist" soon followed. The evangelists Luke and Matthew narrate about this world-wide most joyful feast, the beginning and foundation of other most holy feasts: And everyone went to sign up, each in his own city. Joseph also went from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to register with Mary, his betrothed wife. While they were there, it was time for Christ to be born.
“And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, and swaddled him, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in an inn. In that country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and feared with great fear. And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you great joy, which will be for all people: for today a Savior is born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly, with an angel, a numerous heavenly army appeared, glorifying God and crying out: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!
When the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other: let's go to Bethlehem and see what O there it happened, as the Lord announced to us.
And hastening, they came and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in the manger. When they saw it, they told about what had been proclaimed to them about the Baby Sem. And all who heard were amazed that O the shepherds told them.
And Mary kept all these words, adding them up in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them. (Luke 2:1-20)
And having accepted with all their hearts and filled with thoughts about the “good will in men” of the Descendant from heaven, of whom they had just been called eyewitnesses, they hastened to testify to others what they saw and heard and, thus, became the first heralds of the “good news” to the world, and from They were the first to perceive faith in the Infant God, who came to save the human race.
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is as important for children as it is for adults. After all, the Savior came into our world for the sake of every person. He himself said:
"Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them"
Once upon a time, Jesus Christ himself was a child. His birth was predicted by the wise Jewish prophets. The Bible tells about this. Then it describes the story of the Nativity of Christ, His amazing life and sacrifice for the sake of people.
Matthew, Luke, Mark and John
four evangelical writers who preserved the story of the Savior
The memory of the Savior for future generations was preserved by four writers - evangelists: Matthew, Luke, Mark and John. It is to them that we owe the fact that today we can tell children about the Nativity of Christ.
For many centuries the coming of Jesus Christ was predicted by the prophets
The Jews knew in advance about the coming birth of Jesus Christ. Wise people - the prophets - warned them about this. These wise men were chosen by God. He endowed them with the ability to see the future. Many of the prophets wrote down their visions, and their texts became part of the Holy Scripture - the Bible.
The coming of the Savior is very important for mankind. And the prophets who knew this did their best to tell people the details of the coming event. They called Jesus Christ the Messiah, reported that he would be born in the city of Bethlehem. The prophets also retold the main events of the life of Jesus Christ.
The main events of the life of Jesus Christ were predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament
The prophecies about the Messiah are so full of lofty feelings that many Jews were waiting for the appearance, if not of God, then of a king, mighty and strong. Not everyone could imagine that Jesus Christ would be born in a modest place, surrounded by animals and loved ones.
This event did not meet the expectations of the Jews so much that they still do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah and are waiting for someone else. Although the fact that the Savior will be rejected, the prophets also predicted.
Archangel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus Christ to His mother, Mary
In Galilee, according to biblical history, there was a town of Nazareth. It is so small that the ancient authors did not write anything about it. At least, no information about Nazareth has come down to us. The city became famous later - when the whole world learned about Jesus Christ.
There was a woman in Nazareth named Mary. Until the age of fourteen, she was brought up in the temple. When her parents died, Joseph, an elderly carpenter, took care of her. He took Mary to his home.
Maria was distinguished by her love for God, she read the sacred books with interest, and went to church.
One day, a senior angel, the archangel Gabriel, appeared to her. He is often called the messenger of God precisely because he brings messages to believers. The archangel told Mary to rejoice, because the Lord was with her. When Mary did not understand anything, the messenger of God explained to her that she would give birth to a Son named Jesus. Her child will have a great future, for He is called the Son of the Most High.
Here is how the story is told in the Bible:
(Gospel of Luke 1:26–31)
“In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to the Virgin, betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; the name of the Virgin: Mary. The angel, having entered to Her, said: Rejoice, Blessed One! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting it would be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God; and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus."
Maria humbly and gratefully accepted her fate.
Since then, on this day, Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday - the Annunciation. We do not know exactly on what date the Archangel Gabriel visited Mary, but the believers agreed to celebrate on April 7th.
Joseph and Mary began to wait for the birth of the Son of God
Mary and Joseph went to the census in Bethlehem, and there Jesus Christ was born to them
The country in which Joseph and Mary lived was ruled by King Herod the Great, but he was subject to the ruler of the Roman Empire. It was then a very influential state. And so the Roman emperor named Octavian Augustus issued a decree on the census. It was in 7 BC.
Each person had to appear in the city where he comes from. For Joseph, that city is Bethlehem. This is a small but very ancient city: today it is almost 2.5 thousand years old.
Joseph took his pregnant wife and went with her to the census in Bethlehem. This is how it is described in the Bible:
(Gospel of Luke 2:1-5)
“In those days a command went out from Caesar Augustus to make a census of all the earth. This census was the first in the reign of Quirinius over Syria. And everyone went to sign up, each in his own city. Joseph also went from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to register with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was pregnant.
Mary and Joseph could not stay at the hotel in Bethlehem because there was no room. Probably, everything was occupied by other people who were also in a hurry to the census.
Where exactly Joseph and Mary stopped is not explicitly stated in the Bible. But even the first Christians began to believe that this happened in a cave. They were often used as a barn, so it was warm inside, you could sleep on soft hay.
There is even a cave where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born. There is a Christian shrine. The place of birth is marked with a silver star in the floor.
Holy Scripture does not report not only the date, but also the year of the birth of Christ. In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary to celebrate this event on January 7th.
An angel told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus Christ
The first to know about the birth of the Messiah were not kings or priests, but simple shepherds. An angel appeared to them and indicated where to look for the baby Christ:
(Gospel of Luke 2:8-14)
“In that country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and feared with great fear. And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you great joy, which will be for all people: for today a Savior is born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly, with an angel, a numerous heavenly army appeared, glorifying God and crying out: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!
The shepherds obeyed the angel and found Joseph, Mary and her newborn Son:
(Gospel of Luke 2:15-20)
“When the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other: let's go to Bethlehem and see what happened there, about which the Lord announced to us. And hastening, they came and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in the manger. When they saw it, they told about what had been proclaimed to them about the Baby This. And all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them. And Mary kept all these words, putting them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.
The Star of Bethlehem led the Magi to the Christ Child
The news of the birth of the Savior reached not only the shepherds, but also some magicians living in the East. Probably, the priests from Persia or Media are meant. At least, that's what the text of the Bible hints at.
A strange phenomenon in the sky led the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus Christ - something that looked like a very bright star.
What it was - today they argue a lot. Some people think it's a comet. Others - that the conjunction of two planets: Jupiter and Saturn. There are those who believe that the Star of Bethlehem has nothing to do with astronomy.
There is still no consensus on what the Star of Bethlehem was: a comet, a planet, or something else.
The glow in the sky attracted the Magi. They knew the prophecies about the coming of the king of the Jews. For example, the prophet Balaam warned about the star:
(Book of Numbers 24:17)
“I see Him, but not yet; I see Him, but not close. A star rises from Jacob, and a scepter rises from Israel, and strikes down the princes of Moab and crushes all the sons of Seth.”
However, the Magi understood the expression "King of the Jews" in their own way - and went to King Herod the Great. They expected him to have an heir.
(Gospel of Matthew 2:1-2)
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, magicians from the east came to Jerusalem and said: Where is the King of the Jews who has been born? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
The king assured the guests that they had come in vain. And then they were on the road again. This time, the Star of Bethlehem led the Magi to the newborn baby Jesus.
Travelers brought him 3 gifts:
- Gold is a symbol of royalty
- Frankincense - a symbol that Christ will be a teacher of people
- Smyrna (scented oil) is a symbol of the sacrifice that the Mission will make.
Due to the fact that there are three gifts, the Magi are often depicted as three people. But the Bible does not say anything about their number. Often on icons, shepherds are confused with the Magi, or only one of the groups of people is left.
Jesus Christ was born to make our world a better place
Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ appeared on earth. He chose a modest place for his birth, a barn, he came modestly - but with an important mission. This event is very significant for humanity. During his short life, Jesus Christ gave the world a lot of necessary knowledge about a righteous life, about God, love, and the values of a good person.
The image of the newborn Jesus is very loved by mankind. He is a popular topic:
- icons,
- frescoes,
- paintings,
- New Year's cards.
And many other things. By the way, it is the Nativity of Christ that is depicted on the most popular edition of the children's Bible in Russia.
Jesus Christ is an example for every believer, and therefore His Christmas is one of the most beloved holidays in the world.
The Christmas holiday is lost against the background of traditional New Year's greetings, Christmas trees, gifts. However, the story of Christmas is no less important for children than for adults. We are all equal before God. The Holy Spirit equally illuminates the life of every person.
We should know that on this holiday the Savior gave us one of the most important gifts - his love.
“And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed above all the cattle and above all the beasts of the field; you will walk on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life;
and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it will strike you in the head, and you will sting it in the heel.”
(Genesis 3:14,15)
“I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He will speak to them whatever I command Him…”
(Book of Deuteronomy 18:18)
“I see Him, but not yet; I see Him, but not close. A star rises from Jacob and a scepter rises from Israel…”
(Book of Numbers 24:17)
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.”
(Isaiah 7:14)
“Behold, My Servant, whom I hold by the hand, My chosen one, in whom My soul delights. I will put my spirit on him, and he will proclaim judgment to the nations;
he will not cry out and lift up his voice, and will not let him be heard in the streets;
He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not quench smoking flax; will execute judgment in truth;
he will not fail and fail until he establishes judgment on the earth, and the islands trust in his law.
Thus says the Lord God, who created the heavens and their expanse, who spread out the earth with its products, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it.
I, the Lord, called you in righteousness, and I will hold your hand and keep you, and I will make you a covenant for the people, a light for the Gentiles,
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners out of prison, and those sitting in darkness out of prison.
I am the Lord, this is My name, and I will not give My glory to another and My praise to idols.
(Isaiah 42:1-8)
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
to the Virgin, betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; the name of the Virgin: Mary.
The angel, having entered to Her, said: Rejoice, Blessed One! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.
She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting it would be.
And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God;
and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and thou shalt bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name: Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father;
and shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom shall have no end.
Mary said to the Angel: How will it be when I do not know my husband?
The angel answered her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy being born will be called the Son of God.
Here is Elizabeth, your relative, called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and she is already six months old,
for with God no word will remain powerless.
Then Mary said: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And an angel departed from her.
(Gospel of Luke 1:26-38)
“In that country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and feared with great fear.
And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you a great joy that will be for all people:
for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord;
and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly a large host of heaven appeared with the angel, praising God and crying out:
glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
(Gospel of Luke 2:8-14)
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; on those who dwell in the land of the shadow, the light of death will shine.”
(Isaiah 9:2)
“For a child is born to us - a Son is given to us; dominion on his shoulders, and his name will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There is no end to the increase of His dominion and peace on the throne of David and in his kingdom, in order for Him to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and righteousness from now on and forever. The jealousy of the Lord of hosts will do it.”
(Isaiah 9:6,7)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
It was in the beginning with God.
Everything came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being that came into being.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
(Gospel of John 1:1-5)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father.”
(Gospel of John 1:14)
“There was a true Light that enlightens every person who comes into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and the world did not know Him.
He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.
And to those who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the power to become children of God,
who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
(Gospel of John 1:9-13)
“And from His fullness we all received, and grace upon grace,
for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed.”
(Gospel of John 1:16-18)
The mysterious, close to each of us, joyful feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the most important events in the Christian world. It is celebrated especially solemnly. Christmas trees, decorations, gifts, a Christmas goose on the table are the main attributes of the holiday.
How many of us think about the essence of Christmas? How many people tell a wonderful Christmas story to children? Or every year, by inertia, we decorate a fir tree, give gifts to loved ones and eat, eat?
The Bible story is the best illustration of the essence of Christmas
Almost all people have ever read the story written on the pages of the Bible about the birth of Jesus Christ. The Evangelist Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tells how an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, and said words that pierced her to the very heart: “Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you!” And then the angel of God announces to her the great news that she will give birth to a Son and call Him the name Jesus, and He will be the Savior of the world.
In the Gospel of Matthew (1 chapter 18 verse) it is clearly stated that before they were combined, it turned out that Mary was pregnant with the Holy Spirit. In other words, Mary was in a difficult position. There was a conversation with Joseph and much depended on his reaction.
According to the law, a woman who was in fornication was punished by death. And if Joseph had spread a bad rumor about the bride, being driven by wounded pride, then Mary would have simply been stoned. We see from the text that Joseph was a righteous man and therefore wanted to secretly release the girl after the conversation. That is, without publicity, quietly, peacefully.
However, God has a plan. An angel appeared to Joseph and said wonderful words to him, after which the righteous husband accepted Mary and did not know her until she gave birth. An angel announced to Joseph the birth of a baby, whom he should name Jesus - "The Lord is our salvation." Here, the essence of Christmas is clearly visible - the salvation of people from their sins.
In the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke it is said that at that time there was a census of the population and everyone had to go to the place where he came from. Most likely, this event did not take place in winter for the simple reason that weather conditions would not allow many to travel to their area.
In addition, in favor of the fact that Jesus was not born in winter, the fact that the shepherds who saw the angels could not feed the sheep during the cold season speaks in favor of the fact that Jesus was not born in winter. During this period of time, the herds were not driven out to pastures due to unfavorable weather. Oddly enough, but most likely, the date of December 25, as the birthday of Christ, was brought by newly converted Christians from pagans. And the church, instead of fighting pagan traditions, helped to “Christianize” them.
Be that as it may, it is not the date itself that is important (after all, this is all conditional), but an event that happened many years ago: Christ was born - the Messiah, the Savior, the One who became the mediator between God and man and through whom we have access to the Creator of the worlds.
But back to the biblical story. Mary, along with Joseph, went to the house of her relationship for the census - in Bethlehem. There, in a barn, due to lack of space in the hotel, Christ was born and placed in a manger for cattle. His birth was invisible to others. Only those who in their hearts expected more than anything in the world to see the Messiah, those in whose hearts there was room for faith, were able to witness this miraculous event.
The shepherds looked after their flock. At night, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of God shone upon them. How would we react to the presence of angels? It is written that the shepherds were greatly frightened. No wonder. The night is quiet, there are stars in the sky, and suddenly - the heavenly army cries out: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men."
But the angel said to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid, I proclaim to you great joy that will be for all people, for today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has been born to you in the city of David.” Then the shepherds heard about a sign, that they would find the Baby lying in the manger.
Surprisingly, the first people who heard the good news were ordinary people, whose work was not held in high esteem by the Jews. Not the Pharisees - the most righteous of the people, not kings, not grandees, but ordinary people who are waiting for the Savior and who believed the Word of God.
This clearly shows the meaning and essence of Christmas: to have faith, even with a mustard seed, so that you can receive what you ask for. Christ was born to save us not through our good works, but through faith. Faith that He exists and rewards those who seek.
The faith of the shepherds had an effect. They hurried to Bethlehem and, having found the Infant there, worshiped Him, and, returning, announced to everyone about the wonderful event that had happened at night.
Wise men from the East had the honor of seeing the newborn Jesus. It is safe to say that these people were looking for God. They studied the star bodies, the laws of the universe. They saw the Hand of the Creator in everything and therefore, reading the Holy Scriptures, they believed in the coming of the Savior of the world and expected Him.
The wise men saw a star in the East and followed it in search of a Child to worship. It was so pleasing to God that they met with King Herod. Herod ordered the magi to find out the time when Jesus was supposed to be born in order to allegedly worship Him.
The wise men had a revelation from God not to return to the ruler. Herod was ridiculed and, angry, ordered to exterminate all babies in Bethlehem and the surrounding area up to 2 years old. Joseph, Mary and the Child were far away from that place at that time. In a dream, Joseph received a revelation to flee to Egypt.
Crying and crying filled the earth. The first to suffer for Christ were foolish children. It was about them that Christ said: "For of such is the kingdom of heaven." We are unable to understand the ways of God with our limited minds. Therefore, let us be afraid to grumble.
The star led the Magi to the birthplace of Christ. They brought Him precious gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is truly a royal gift, a symbol of the fact that Christ is King and God.
Odorous resin - incense symbolizes the purity of the heart. This gift was brought to Jesus as the High Priest.
Smyrna is a type of the Perfect Sacrifice that Jesus offered for the sins of the world. This sacrifice is the Lord Himself.
Reflecting on this truth, the question arises: why do we need a sacrifice at all? The answer is given in Scripture: "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Just as there are laws in the physical world, so there are laws in the spiritual world. This is one of them.
In the Old Testament, a person had to shed the blood of an animal for his sin. But even she could not satisfy the holiness of God. Then the Creator, in His love for fallen humanity, sent His Son to be born into this world, to be crucified and resurrected.
The essence of Christmas is to come to die for the sins of the people. For us, for you and me, or instead of you and me. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, according to the flesh - man, according to the spirit - God.
Traditions as an attempt to capture the essence of Christmas
The official church and believers begin the holiday with anticipation. It is customary to keep fasting. Waiting symbolizes a spiritual gift.
After that, the so-called approach of Christmas begins - Christmas Eve, when a special dish is prepared. At this time, it is necessary to prepare for confession and communion, to tune in to the celebration of Christmas.
An indispensable attribute of the celebration is a fir tree, symbolizing eternal life given in Christ, and a star, as an ornament to the top of a forest beauty, recalls the Bethlehem star that led the Magi to the Baby.
And finally, the gifts that we give each other also help to remember the Christmas events, when the wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the feet of Jesus.
Why know about the essence of Christmas?
Knowing about the purpose of Christ's coming into this world is both necessary and important. It is important not only to pass on traditions and rituals to the future generation. It is vital to convey to those who will come after us the true meaning of Christmas, to encourage children to read and study the Bible, to seek the truth, to reflect, to notice the Hand of God in everything that surrounds us.
The essence of Christmas is the good news
The main purpose of the birth of Jesus can be summarized as follows:
To redeem us
To restore or revive us
To reconcile with God
Summarizing all of the above, it is worth emphasizing that the essence of Christmas is the good news. The news that once a Savior came to this world, through whom access to God is still open, through whom we have the right to raise our gaze to Heaven and say: “Father, for the sake of Jesus, forgive me and accept me, and when my It's time to bring me into your kingdom."
How to convey the essence of Christmas to children?
On the eve of the holiday, it is important to read the story of the birth of Jesus to the baby. This is the main thing to do. Simply and intelligibly with looking at the pictures to reveal the meaning of Christmas.
Some aspects to pay attention to:
1. Many years before the birth of the Messiah, this event was prophesied by the prophets of the Old Testament.
2. Without the Perfect Sacrifice it became impossible to satisfy the holiness of God.
3. Mary and Joseph were righteous people.
4. Due to lack of space in the inn, Mary had to give birth in a barn among sheep and oxen, and, swaddled, put the Baby in a feeder for cattle.
5. The Son of God was born in a wretched cave, and not in a palace, so that the most “worthless” person, the greatest sinner and the poorest could come to Him.
6. Shepherds were the first to hear the good news. They hurried to bow to the Newborn because they believed.
7. Wise men from the East searched and found. When you seek, you always find.
In addition, you can create a special holiday atmosphere. Buy pictures of the Holy Couple, turn on Christmas music, give an opportunity to watch a cartoon about the birth of Jesus. All this will help to convey to the child the essence of Christmas.
Traditions and ceremonies in themselves are not so important as it is important to have awe and reverence for the One Who voluntarily came into this world to atone for sin. Now there is no need to go and sacrifice an animal for every sin. Christ gave Himself so that we could, in simplicity of heart, if we have sinned, say: “Lord, for the sake of Your son, forgive me and give me strength to do as You teach.”
This is the essence of Christmas - the Savior gives the garments of righteousness to everyone who desires it, who believes in His atoning sacrifice. For everyone, Christ can become a personal Savior. Just to really want it.
Holiday name
It is difficult for a child to find any explanation for the very name of the holiday. Parents should explain to the kid what is the meaning behind the mysterious name: "Christmas". After all, in order to enjoy this day, you need to know what its essence is.
You may find it helpful to compare this day to your child's birthday. Remind your child of his last birthday and ask if he knows why everyone congratulates him. Probably, the child will answer that on this day he was born. Then you can begin to explain the essence of Christmas - the birth of someone very important, who is honored by the whole world.
The history of the origin of the holiday
It is very important to tell the baby the story of the birth of the Baby. This is the main thing that both adults and children who celebrate Christmas should know - this is where the holiday begins. You can read the story of Christmas from the children's Bible, as well as from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Be sure to tell the child that it is from the Nativity of Christ. A toddler will understand the expression "A.D. 1985" much better if you explain it to him in the context of a Christmas story.
Why is the youngest group in kindergarten called "nurseries"? Ask your child about this after talking about the Baby Jesus. The newborn Christ was placed in a manger - a feeder for livestock, so today we call the toddler group of the kindergarten that way.
And where did the tradition of hanging a star on the top of the Christmas tree come from? Remember the story of the Magi, who, seeing a new star, realized that the Savior of the world was born. And can't we remember the gifts of these wise men, brought to little Jesus, when we put gifts under the tree for our relatives and friends?
How to celebrate Christmas with your family
So that your children will remember Christmas for a long time and remind you of something good, joyful and warm, start celebrating this day with the whole family. To do this, you need to create family traditions, some of which you can borrow from others, and some of which you can invent yourself.
The center of all ceremonies at Christmas should be the idea of the manifestation of God's mercy to people: the Almighty loves us and therefore sent us His Son. It is important that everything reminds you of the essence of Christmas as much as possible, otherwise your holiday will turn into a feast, of which there are many throughout the year.
Decorate the room in which you will celebrate the holiday with Christmas attributes: angels, a crib, candles.
Learn simple Christmas songs and rhymes with your children. Include them in the program. After reading the story of Christmas from the Bible, you can make a quiz for your family from simple questions. Do not forget to stock up on prizes for players, because Christmas is a holiday of gifts, the most important of which is God's gift to people - the Savior Jesus.
Play the game "What do I know about Christmas". Around the circle, everyone should say one fact that he knows about the birth of Christ. The one who, in turn, could not name anything, leaves the game. The last remaining participant is the winner.
Ask each family member what they expect next Christmas. Record the answers on the video, and in a year it will be very interesting for you to find out what dreams of your loved ones have come true.
Do not forget to pay attention to your loved ones living nearby on this day: treat them with a fragrant pie, give a gift. Tell your child how he can do good to his friends: put treats in a bag, let the kid distribute them on the playground. If you know someone in need, Christmas is a good opportunity to help them in any way you can. Create a holiday for your neighbor, and you will feel how magical this day will become for you!
Telling a child about Christmas
Jesus is both Man and God at the same time. How He was born as God, we do not know. Just as we do not know how the Virgin Mary's immaculate conception of her Son took place: the Archangel Gabriel only brought her the good news about the future birth of the Savior.
But we know for sure that Christ was born as a Man, as one of us, that is, in the flesh. That is why the full name of the holiday is the Nativity of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
The Virgin Mary with her husband, Joseph the Betrothed, lived in the town of Nazareth (it still exists in Israel today). Because of the census of the Roman Empire under Emperor Augustus, they went to Bethlehem. According to the decree of the emperor, in order to facilitate the census, each inhabitant of the empire had to appear "in his city." Since both Mary and Joseph were distant descendants of King David, they went to Bethlehem. Since it was in this city that David was born - one of the greatest rulers of Israel, from whose family, according to the promise, that is, the promise of God, the Messiah was to come. Bethlehem is literally a couple of kilometers from Jerusalem (now in the Palestinian Authority, on the territory of the West Bank of the Jordan River), but it is quite far from Nazareth - about 170 kilometers. It is difficult to imagine what kind of work it cost the Virgin Mary in the last month of pregnancy to overcome such a long distance.
Since many people came to Bethlehem, the Virgin Mary and Joseph did not get places in the hotel, and apparently they did not have relatives in the city. Therefore, they had to spend the night in a cave - shepherds used it as a barn to shelter livestock from bad weather. Here the One who was destined to become the Savior of the world was born. “While they were there, the time came for Her to give birth; And she gave birth to her Firstborn Son, and swaddled Him, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in an inn,” writes the Evangelist Luke.
The fact that not just a baby was born was known not only by the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. Shepherds were the first to come to bow to the Savior - they were nearby. An angel appeared to the shepherds, who said to them: “... I proclaim to you great joy that will be for all people: for today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has been born to you in the city of David; and here is a sign for you: you will find a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-14).
The shepherds left their flocks, went towards Bethlehem and found the Virgin Mary, Joseph and the Child in a manger in a cave. The shepherds told Mary what the angel had told them. The Mother of God was amazed, because exactly nine months ago the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and spoke exactly the same words - that the Savior of the world would be born to Her. We now celebrate that day as the Feast of the Annunciation. Later, the Holy Family moved to the city - whether the places in the hotel were vacated, or someone let them stay, it is not known for sure. Meanwhile, somewhere in the east, far from Palestine, three wise men (they were called magi) saw an unusual star in the sky
They took it as a sign. After all, the Magi knew that soon the King of Israel was to come into the world. The Magi were not Jews, they were pagans, but they understood that such a global event would affect all peoples (this is exactly what happened, as we know - now there is not a single country in the world where there is not at least one Christian community). Therefore, seeing an unusual star in the sky, the Magi went to Jerusalem, came straight to the palace to the then ruling King Herod and asked him where, in fact, they could see the newly born Jewish King. Although they were wise men, they could not assume that the future, in their opinion, Tsar was born not in a palace, but in a barn.
King Herod did not know where Jesus was, and was extremely alarmed by the news of the wise men of the East. After all, once a new Tsar was born, then the old one, it seems, is no longer needed. He was a very cruel and suspicious ruler, it is no coincidence that his name became a household name. However, Herod did not show his anxiety to the Magi, politely escorted them out of the palace and asked, if they found the newborn King, to inform him of His whereabouts.
The star led the Magi to the house in Bethlehem, where they “saw the Child with Mary, His Mother, and fell down and worshiped Him; And having opened their treasures, they brought Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:9-11). Frankincense and myrrh are incense, which were then very expensive.
Having bowed to Christ, the Magi "... having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way to their country" (Matthew 2:12), that is, they did not reveal to Herod the secret of the location of the Savior. “Then Herod, seeing himself ridiculed by the Magi, became very angry, and sent to beat all the babies in Bethlehem and within it, from two years old and below, according to the time that he found out from the Magi,” says the Evangelist Matthew.
The cruel king, fearing competition for the throne and not finding the One who, as it seemed to everyone, should take it, ordered to kill all the babies in Bethlehem. However, Jesus was no longer in the city at that moment.
An angel appeared to Joseph and said: “Get up, take the Child and His Mother and run to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the Child in order to destroy Him” (Matthew 2:13).
The Holy Family was in Egypt until King Herod died. Returning, Jesus, the Mother of God and Joseph settled in Nazareth.
From there, the Way of the Cross of the Savior began. And from the Nativity of Christ a new era of mankind began - our era.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
PEACE, GOOD, HAPPINESS AND LOVE TO YOUR FAMILY!
