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Christmas Around The World - December 23, 2006
By time this daily devotion is published, my son, who is in the Armed Forces, will be celebrating Christmas in Iraq. Knowing this, I began to wonder about how other peoples of the world celebrate the birth of Jesus.
I was surprised to find out that in Christian homes in Iraq, on Christmas eve, one of the children in the family reads the story of the Nativity from an Arabic Bible while the other members of the family hold lit candles. Once completed, a bonfire made of dried thorns is lit in the home's courtyard, and a psalm is sung around it. On Christmas day, a similar bonfire is built in the church, and the bishop holds a replica of the baby Jesus, then continues on with a long service and blessing of the congregation, known as "the touch of peace."
In the traditional Russian Christmas, there is prayer and fasting, sometimes for 39 days, (until January 6th, when the first evening star in appears in the sky). A 12 course feast, in honor of each of Christ's apostles is had. On Christmas Day, songs are sung, people gather in festively decorated churches, and another special dinner is enjoyed.
Christmas in Mexico begins with "La Posada," a procession which reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. The red star-shaped poinsettia flower is displayed, and the story passed down through the generations that a boy walking to church long ago to see the nativity figures had no gift to place before the Christ child, so he gathered plain green branches which miraculously bloomed as he set them down by the nativity scene. On Christmas day, children gather their gifts of candy from a pinata. Children deemed as "good," also receive a gift on January 6th, in memory of the "three wise men." Most Mexicans attend a midnight mass (la misa del gallo) and sing lullabies to the baby Jesus.
Regardless of your cultural background, may all the peoples of the world sing Christ's praises on the day they set aside to acknowledge His birth! Let the feasts be had, and the rooms gaily decorated, for God gave to us a Savior who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
In closing, let us read about Christ's birth as revealed in the book of Luke (chapter 2) of the Bible:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2005 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living: A Christian marriage manual and Life-guide", "Son Salutations" and "Daily Contemplations", which are a collection of read-one-a-day modern inspirations. For more information, visit www.MelanieSchurr.com
By time this daily devotion is published, my son, who is in the Armed Forces, will be celebrating Christmas in Iraq. Knowing this, I began to wonder about how other peoples of the world celebrate the birth of Jesus.
I was surprised to find out that in Christian homes in Iraq, on Christmas eve, one of the children in the family reads the story of the Nativity from an Arabic Bible while the other members of the family hold lit candles. Once completed, a bonfire made of dried thorns is lit in the home's courtyard, and a psalm is sung around it. On Christmas day, a similar bonfire is built in the church, and the bishop holds a replica of the baby Jesus, then continues on with a long service and blessing of the congregation, known as "the touch of peace."
In the traditional Russian Christmas, there is prayer and fasting, sometimes for 39 days, (until January 6th, when the first evening star in appears in the sky). A 12 course feast, in honor of each of Christ's apostles is had. On Christmas Day, songs are sung, people gather in festively decorated churches, and another special dinner is enjoyed.
Christmas in Mexico begins with "La Posada," a procession which reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. The red star-shaped poinsettia flower is displayed, and the story passed down through the generations that a boy walking to church long ago to see the nativity figures had no gift to place before the Christ child, so he gathered plain green branches which miraculously bloomed as he set them down by the nativity scene. On Christmas day, children gather their gifts of candy from a pinata. Children deemed as "good," also receive a gift on January 6th, in memory of the "three wise men." Most Mexicans attend a midnight mass (la misa del gallo) and sing lullabies to the baby Jesus.
Regardless of your cultural background, may all the peoples of the world sing Christ's praises on the day they set aside to acknowledge His birth! Let the feasts be had, and the rooms gaily decorated, for God gave to us a Savior who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
In closing, let us read about Christ's birth as revealed in the book of Luke (chapter 2) of the Bible:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2005 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living: A Christian marriage manual and Life-guide", "Son Salutations" and "Daily Contemplations", which are a collection of read-one-a-day modern inspirations. For more information, visit www.MelanieSchurr.com
