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Volume No. 11 January - February 2020 Issue No. 1 From the Editor’s desk… Dear colleagues, New Year 2020 is around the corner. An attractive number. A new beginning. Writing new/ fresh chapters in our book of life. New resolutions. Renewed and new hopes. Fresh experiences. Opportunities to put behind our misses and failures. Learning from the past – both our successes and mistakes and making sure we do not repeat them! Hoping to find ways to alleviate pain and sorrow and grow stronger. Surging ahead, treading tough paths and overcoming bottlenecks. Finding new ways of doing things. Looking for improvements all the time. Not getting bogged down when knocked out – to stand up! To run! Turning dreams into reality. Taking some ‘me’ time, at least once in a while, and rejuvenating. Making a difference! Playing the various roles, we don, well! Taking every day and every minute as an opportunity that should not be missed! Treading towards success! All of these and more are my wishes for you and your families for 2020. Enjoy our New Year Special with information on Christmas and New Year celebrations around the world. God Bless! g s rin a sha stmand hri ing C f car ival o The fest Come December and what and carols and the jolly old Santa comes to one’s mind is the figure Claus – the mystical character who Christmas of Santa and Christmas! distributes gifts for children? Christmas symbolises the spirit of While historians claim that the isn’t a season. generosity, unselfish love, charity first Christmas was celebrated in and forgiveness. Rome circa 336 AD, there is still It’s a feeling. All of us know that Christmas controversy on the exact date of falls on the 25th of December Christ’s birth. But, it was decided every year to commemorate the to celebrate Christmas on the birth of Lord Jesus Christ, the 25th December after a consensus central figure of Christianity. was reached by Christian leaders While celebrations begin on the and this was gradually accepted eve of Christmas on the 24th by the Western World and the of December, they continue till Eastern churches as well. the New Year’s Day on the 1st of The history of Christmas can be January. traced to some popular festivals During this period, people across celebrated by early civilisation the world make merry, party and – Mesopotamian New Year, exchange season’s greetings and Persian and Babylonian Sacaea, gifts. Solstice winter by the Europeans, And what is Christmas without Yuletide of Scandinavia and the the star, Christmas tree, cakes Roman Saturnalia. 2 The story of Christmas The story dates back to some When Augustus 4000 years ago to the Roman era, Caesar declared with Augustus Caesar as the ruler that every person and Israel, governed by King in the entire Herod. Roman empire In the small village of Galilee should register at in Nazareth, Israel lived Mary the place to which a young virgin, engaged to be they belonged, married to Joseph, a Jewish Mary and Joseph carpenter. Story goes that an had to go to angel visited Mary in her dreams to a son. They named him Jesus, Bethlehem to register and Mary and told her that she was chosen as the angel had said. was close to giving birth. They to bear the Son of God and his When Jesus was born, there travelled many days and nights, name was to be Jesus. And thus appeared a shining star over were turned away from many Mary miraculously became Bethlehem and an angel appeared places and finally reached an inn, pregnant through the Holy Spirit. before the shepherds and said, An angel also visited Joseph in when the inn-keeper directed “Fear not. For I bring you tidings his dream and verified that Mary them to the nearby caves where of great joy. For unto you is born had conceived miraculously and shepherds would stay with their this day in Bethlehem – a Saviour he took Mary to be his wife. cows and sheep. Mary gave birth who is Christ the Lord.” Christmas traditions Decorating the Christmas tree is celebrations as well as of the family the day of Christmas. Gifts are one of the most popular traditions unit since time immemorial. The placed under the tree, as family of Christmas. The fragrance and celebrations usually begin with and friends gather around to essence of the Christmas trees the selection of the tree, and celebrate the birth of Christ. have been an integral part of the proceed with the decorations till Fir trees play a symbolic part because they stay green and alive when other plants appear dead and bare during winter. They represent everlasting life and hope for the return of spring. The Christmas star has traditionally been associated with the spirit of the celebration and the significance of the star can be found in the story related to the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas star symbolises high hopes and high ideals. 3 This plays an important role grew leaves out of season in order as it is believed to bring good to hide the Holy Family from luck.The Christmas symbol of Herod’s soldiers. Since then, it ivy stands for the eternal life in has been evergreen as a token of pagan religions, whereas Romans Christ’s gratitude. believed laurel was sacred to the The Poinsettia flower is small, Christmas Sun God Apollo. Rosemary was green or yellow and situated in symbols used during the Middle Ages by the middle of the bracts. The Mistletoe is a symbol housewives to spread on the floor Poinsettia is named after Joel R. of love, peace and at Christmas. Poinsettia, who served as USA’s goodwill; it is an aerial The evergreen Holly symbolises first minister to Mexico, from parasite that has no roots eternal life. Druids believed 1825-1829. of its own and lives off the the Holly or Ilex was sacred. The Glastonbury thorn legend tree that it attaches itself to. They thought this plant stayed ties in Christ’s death as well as It is believed that the plant green year round because it was the celebration of his birth. has special healing powers especially favoured by the Sun. for everything from female Christian legend says one winter infertility to poison ingestion. night, the Holly miraculously Widely known, the customs of Christmas wreath come from the traditional celebration of the birth of Christ, which was later on combined with the harvest and winter solstice festivals in ancient Rome. Children anywhere in the world are excited and joyous on receiving Christmas toys as a gift. Available in almost infinite variety of choices, Christmas toys are for every age of childhood, and there are many different kinds for each age. And who else can bring gifts to children but Santa Claus – whose personality is well etched out and is a very attractive icon of children. Christmas is a festivity most awaited by Christmas tree, children and this has immensely helped Santa and gifts in the survival of the legends of Saint Children all over the world Nicholas or Santa Claus and particularly continue the tradition of hanging his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The Christmas stockings. Originally, American version of St. Nicholas, or children simply used one of their Santa Claus originally came from the everyday socks, but eventually Dutch version called Sinterklaas. The special Christmas stockings were Dutch settlers in New York brought this created for this purpose. fun and lively tradition to America. 4 Christmas cake The story of the plum cake begins was abundant in raisins, hence in medieval England, where it was the name. The cake has come to a popular tradition to observe a stay, even though it was very close period of self-denial, fasting, and to being lost in the reformation abstinence from every kind of period of the late 19th century indulgence in the weeks leading when Queen Victoria banned to Christmas. The abstinence the feast of the twelfth night. and occasional fasting was In the last two centuries since supposed to prepare the body for it first travelled out of England, the overindulgence and excesses the plum cake has reached every of Christmas. With the passage corner of the world. of time, and as more ingredients Christians actively participate in made their way into the porridge, midnight Christmas Mass and it started to resemble its current the joyous Christmas carnival. form. Christmas evening is the time to It is not clear, however, how relish some traditional Christmas it came to be called the plum food especially the Christmas pudding, or plum cake. Some Cake. Tradition of singing believe that raisins, or currants, Christmas carols and songs is were also referred to as plums (or also practised with faith and plumb) in England. The recipe dedication. Christmas Feast ‘Christmas’ is said to be a shortened some connection with the English such as Goan Catholics have pork form of ‘Christ’s mass’ and is often Christmas dinner involving roasted and beef dishes as part of their associated with festivity right meat and pudding. The Christmas main course. These include Pork from Christmas Eve to the end of pudding and Christmas cake Vindaloo and Sorpotel. For dessert, Christmas Day. The meals are often evolved from this tradition. a dish called Bebinca is popular. particularly rich and substantial, In India, we in the tradition of the Christian cook a variety of feast day celebration, and form a non-vegetarian significant part of gatherings held to foods, including celebrate the arrival of Christmas.
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