Saturday, February 16, 2008
CA2 Part C By All 4 Members
Christmas, also known as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday falling on December 25 or January 7 that honors and celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
It is believed that Christmas tree tradition begun in Germany in the 18th century though many argue that Martin Luther began the tradition in the 16th century and it is unknown exactly why 25th December became associated with Christ's birth as the New Testament does not give the specific date although Sextus Julius Africanus popularized the idea that Christ was born on December 25 in his Chronographiai, a reference book for Christians written in AD 221. This date is nine months after the traditional date of the Incarnation (March 25), now celebrated as the Feast of the Annunciation.The Christian idea that Christ was conceived on the same date that he died on the cross is consistent with a Jewish belief that a prophet lived an integral number of years.
The celebration of Christmas as a feast did not arise for some time after Chronographai was published as Tertullian does not mention it as a major feast day in the Church of Roman Africa. Furthermore in 245, the theologian Origen denounced the idea of celebrating Christ's birthday "as if he were a king pharaoh". He contended that only sinners, not saints, celebrated their birthdays.
Christmas celebrated by Luke and Timothy
Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important traditional Chinese festival that falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month and ends on the 15th day also known as the Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year eve more commonlt known as Chuxiye. Chu literally means "pass", xi means "eve" and ye means "night".
A Chinese New Year belief was to give out red packets which is passed to unmarried juniors by the eldery or married relatives. Red packets are also known as YaSuiQian which evolved from a word meaning money used to put down or supress evil. Another Chinese belief was that the money given in red packets should not be odd numbered as odd numbers are associated to money given during funerals also known as Bai Jin. Furthermore the money within the red packet should never add up to $4 as 4 is a homophone of death while it is auspicious for the money to add up to $8 as it is a homophone for wealth.
Fireworks are bamboo stems filled with gunpowder that were burnt to create small explosions were once used in ancient China to drive away evil spirits. In modern times, this method has eventually evolved into the use of firecrackers during the festive season. Firecrackers are usually strung on a long fused string so it can be hung down. Each firecracker is rolled up in red papers, as red is auspicious, with gunpowders in its core. Once ignited, the firecracker lets out a loud popping noise and as they are usually strung together by the hundreds, the firecrackers are known for its deafening explosions that it is thought to scare away evil spirits. Another Practice is the shopping for a perfect plum tree which is similar to Westerns shopping for a Christmas tree.
Teck Hui: I feel that Chinese New Year and Christmas have similar parts such as the shopping for a tree but unlike Chinese New Year, Christmas does not have an auspicious colour or practises of setting off firecrackers to drive off evil spirits and even red packets which has a history against evil spirits. But Christmas focused of a saint known as Jesus who was crucified to atone for the people's sin which was astonishing and like the giving of red packets, during Christmas, people exchange gifts.
Hao Tian:During Chinese New Year, most of their pratises were associated with evil spirits while Christmas was much more simple as it is only associated with Jesus' birthday.
Timothy:Jesus died while believing in a prophet while there was no saint or god involved in CNY
Luke : Jesus did not die on the same date as the day he was born jesus was born during christmas and died on good friday he also rise on the third day. Its also written in the bible that jesus was 33 yrs old when he died.
#* The Festives *# 9:42 PM
