Why do we have Christmas?

[mylittlebubs]

(i posted this twice, sorry the 1st time i did in "forum meet", i really thought i was in xmas forum)

This might sound silly, but I only ever celebrated xmas 4 times in my life. I'm Asian and we don't have xmas. and i admit i don;t know much about xmas.

I married the English guy and I had a bit of argument with mil last year. She said i don't know anything about xmas, i only care about presents.
I said i know it's not just about presents and i'm not waiting for the presents from her.... i know it's about friends and family too,presents is a part of it... long story

we celebrate xmas here and i know it;s not the same as doing it back in the UK

Anyway,She said she wants my baby to know why we (in Europe)have xmas
Can anyone tell me briefly why and how it started.

 

[Charlotte-j]

christmas is to celebrate the birth of jesus

 

[Pyrrhic]

It's a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Although that meaning has been lost along the way as most European people celebrate it regardless of religious belief and it's more a magicial time of year where santa claus delivers presents to people and it's a time for goodness, kindness and reflection on the year gone past.

The Christmas season is commonly known as the season of goodwill toward all men.

 

[mylittlebubs]

the argument happened because we were all invited to our friend's xmas dinner on 24th last year and she changed her mind in the last minute when we got ready to go
Then she said we shouldn't have gone to friends because it's suppose to be time for just family and i didn't care anyway ( not that i didn't care, but she meant that i didn't care about it anyway)
I thought it's happy time for friends as well not just family
Am i wrong?

 

[lorrilou]

its a happy time for friends and family, not just family. Ignore your mil.

 

[princess_x0]

Christmas is a time for giving, for everyone to celebrate the birth of jesus together. x

 

[Jem]

Christmas is a time for friends and family so ignore your MIL! The original meaning of christmas was Jesus's birth and the story behind it. Although in all honesty Jesus wasn't actually born on christmas day, it was more September time. There is a reason why December 25th was chosen to celebrate his birth but I can't remember it! Anyway I'd say Christmas now is about giving and receiving gifts and being with the people we love and for the kids it's all about Santa! x

 

[marley2580]

They picked 25th December to celebrate it because that was already when the pagan new year/midwinter festivals were - at the time of the winter solstice (23rd?)