India is a secular nation and houses every community. Christians are a minority here and form nearly 2.3% of the population. But the fact that there are only about 25 million Christians in India, in no way lessens the observance of the festival. Moreover, the occassion is celebrated not only by Christians but by people of other religions as well.
The tradition of Christmas observance was introduced here with the colonisation of Europeans. Though the country gained its independence in 1947, many European customs and festivals stayed on. The fact that there is the presence of a Christian community in India, helped the maintaining of these traditions in no less a way. Today, Christmas is the biggest and most-loved festival of Indian Christians. The festival is also enthusiastically celebrated by people of other religions residing here.
Like in many other countries, Christmas is observed in India on 25th December. Everyone gears up for the festival from nearly a week before. Business stores are decked up for the occassion with every gift shop packed with Christmas trees, presents, ornaments and other items of decoration that are bought by millions of enthusiastic celebrants of the festival.
For Indian Christians, especially the Catholics, the Midnight mass on Christmas Eve is a very important service and holds great religious significance. Every year, on the night of 24th December, all members in Christian families visit their local churches to attend the Midnight mass. On this night, churches in India are decorated with Poinsettia flowers and candles. The mass over, everyone relishes a mouthwatering feast of various delicacies, mostly consisting of curries. Thereupon, presents are given to one another and "Merry Christmas" is wished. India being a multicultural nation, many different languages are spoken here. In Hindi and Urdu, Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Bade Din ki Mubarak'; in Sanskrit it is 'Krismasasya shubhkaamnaa'; in Bengali 'Barodiner shubhechha janai'; and in Tamil it's 'Christhu Jayanthi Nalvaalthukal'.
Nativity plays are staged in many schools(mainly the Christian ones) and churches on Christmas morning. The perfomances by young children depict the birth, life and actions of Jesus Christ and usually end with the singing of hymns and carols and the visit of a person dressed as Santa to distribute candies/toffees to kids. In the metros a smiling Santa Claus, entertaining children at departmental stores with toys and gifts, is not an uncommon sight. Caroling processions on streets and thoroughfares can also be seen on 24th night.
A sizeable population of the Christian Community reside in Mumbai of the Indian state of Maharashtra and are mainly Roman Catholics. It is a delight to watch their homes during Christmas. Every Christian home creates a nativity scene, often display a manger in the front window. Giant star-shaped paper lanterns are hung between the houses so that the stars float above you as you walk down the road. There is a provision of sweets, mainly home-made, in every household to welcome visitors during the occassion. In Southern states, Christians often light small clay oil lamps and place these on the flat roofs of their homes to show that Jesus is the light of the world. In the North-western states of India, the tribal Christians of the Bhil folk take out caroling processions during the whole Christmas week and often visit neighbouring villages to tell the Christmas story to people through songs.
In India, Father Christmas or Santa Claus is held to be the giver of presents to children from a horse and cart. As in the U.S., he is believed to deliver presents at the house of every kid who behaves well during the whole year. Santa Claus is known as 'Christmas Baba' in Hindi and 'Christmas Thaathaa' in Tamil.
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Christmas In Bethlehem - An Excerpt
Bethlehem is the town where Jesus Christ is said to have been born. Naturally, Christmas here is a major event and the festival is celebrated in a grand manner.
Here, Christmas Day is observed not on a particular day. Bethlehem consists of people of different Christian denominations - Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodoxes, Ethiopians, Armenians and more.
While Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, Greek, Syrian and other Orthodox Christians observe it on 6th January. For Armenian Christians, Christmas Day is on January 18. Hence, Bethlehem witnesses a longer Christmas celebrations than many other places.
In Bethlehem, Roman Catholic services begin on December 24 and take place in St. Catherine's Church , a Catholic church adjacent to the Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity. Protestants hold their services in a different way. While some of them may attend special Christmas services in their local churches, others may arrange excursions for special services in the Shepherd's Fields or the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Some of the popular Jerusalem chuches such as The Anglican Cathedral of St. George, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer and the YMCA organize travel to Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations. Orthodox Christians(Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox and others) celebrate the birth of Jesus by taking out numerous religious processions and holding special services mainly at the Basilica of the Nativity. Most Armenian Christmas services are also held in the Basilica, albeit a little later, on January 18. The Christmas processions usually pass through Manger Square, believed to be situated on the traditional site of Jesus' birth.
The general Christmas traditions in Bethlehem are similar to the Europeans and North American customs observed during the festival. From a few days before 25th December, the town is decorated with flags and other items of adornment. Streets are strung with Christmas lights. A Christmas market comes up and Christmas plays are performed. A cross is painted on the doors of every Christian home and Nativity scenes are displayed in every household.
On Christmas Eve, annual Christmas processions are taken out. Residents of the town as well as tourists crowd the doorways and the roof of the Basilica to get a view of the parade. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses lead the procession. The procession is led by galloping horsemen and police mounted over Arabian horses; followed by a man riding over a black steed and carrying a cross. After him comes the churchmen and government officials. The procession quitely enters the doors and puts an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the Church. The visitors
are then taken through deep winding stairs leading to a grotto where a silver star marks the site of the birth of Jesus.
Here, Christmas Day is observed not on a particular day. Bethlehem consists of people of different Christian denominations - Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodoxes, Ethiopians, Armenians and more.
While Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, Greek, Syrian and other Orthodox Christians observe it on 6th January. For Armenian Christians, Christmas Day is on January 18. Hence, Bethlehem witnesses a longer Christmas celebrations than many other places.
In Bethlehem, Roman Catholic services begin on December 24 and take place in St. Catherine's Church , a Catholic church adjacent to the Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity. Protestants hold their services in a different way. While some of them may attend special Christmas services in their local churches, others may arrange excursions for special services in the Shepherd's Fields or the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Some of the popular Jerusalem chuches such as The Anglican Cathedral of St. George, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer and the YMCA organize travel to Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations. Orthodox Christians(Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox and others) celebrate the birth of Jesus by taking out numerous religious processions and holding special services mainly at the Basilica of the Nativity. Most Armenian Christmas services are also held in the Basilica, albeit a little later, on January 18. The Christmas processions usually pass through Manger Square, believed to be situated on the traditional site of Jesus' birth.
The general Christmas traditions in Bethlehem are similar to the Europeans and North American customs observed during the festival. From a few days before 25th December, the town is decorated with flags and other items of adornment. Streets are strung with Christmas lights. A Christmas market comes up and Christmas plays are performed. A cross is painted on the doors of every Christian home and Nativity scenes are displayed in every household.
On Christmas Eve, annual Christmas processions are taken out. Residents of the town as well as tourists crowd the doorways and the roof of the Basilica to get a view of the parade. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses lead the procession. The procession is led by galloping horsemen and police mounted over Arabian horses; followed by a man riding over a black steed and carrying a cross. After him comes the churchmen and government officials. The procession quitely enters the doors and puts an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the Church. The visitors
are then taken through deep winding stairs leading to a grotto where a silver star marks the site of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas In Japan - An Excerpt
In Japan, Christmas is observed on the 25th of December.
Here the festival is less a religious occassion and more a commercial event owing to the fact that only about 1% of the Japanese population is estimated to be Christian. Buddhism and Shintoism is the major religion in Japan. Christmas was initially introduced to Japan with the arrival of the first Europeans in the 16th century. But the festival gained popularity only in recent decades due to increasing migration of people from all over the world to Japan.
In Japan, Christmas celebrations take place on Christmas Eve and not on December 25, the actual Christmas Day. Preparations for Christmas begin here several weeks before December 24. Shopping for the season begin in earnest right from the beginning of December. Retail stores and shopping malls are seen to be thronged by a great number of people who spend quite a sum on Christmas trees, Santa clauses, Christmas gifts and other seasonal decorations. Most Japanese people love to decorate their homes with evergreens and adorn the exteriors with electric lights during Christmas. Even business establishments house a Christmas tree to observe the season of Jesus. Handing over presents to friends and family members is also quite a popular tradition here. The festival culminates with everyone in the family partaking in a sumptuous meal specially prepared to mark the occassion. The traditional Japanese christmas food is the Christmas cake, generally made of sponge cake, strawberries and whipped cream. Fried chicken is often eaten on Christmas Day.
And yet, Christmas is not a family occassion in Japan. The occassion holds a special meaning mainly for young people, especially women and teenagers. For young children, it is the time to recieve presents from "Hotei-osho", a Buddhist monk who is seen as the Japanese equivalent of Santa Claus.
Hotei-osho is believed to leave presents in each house for the children. It is said that this benevolent monk has eyes in the back of his head, so children try to behave like he is nearby. Christmas for those in Sunday schools is the happiest day of the year. On Christmas Eve or Christmas night, the children carry out special programs that go on for hours and consist of song, recitation and drama performances.
For single women in Japan, the Christmas Eve evening is the time to spend quality hours with their special someone. Excessive media hype has led to the occassion being seen as a time to be spent with one's boyfriend or girlfriend in a romantic setting. Like Valentine's Day in the U.S., it is an occassion when men express their love to the women they want in their lives. Christmas presents given to girls are mainly consist Teddy Bears, flowers, scarves, rings and other jewelry items. Greeting cards are also given to friends during this time.
In Japan, everyone wishes another 'Meri Kurisumasu', meaning "Merry Christmas", during Christmastime.
Here the festival is less a religious occassion and more a commercial event owing to the fact that only about 1% of the Japanese population is estimated to be Christian. Buddhism and Shintoism is the major religion in Japan. Christmas was initially introduced to Japan with the arrival of the first Europeans in the 16th century. But the festival gained popularity only in recent decades due to increasing migration of people from all over the world to Japan.
In Japan, Christmas celebrations take place on Christmas Eve and not on December 25, the actual Christmas Day. Preparations for Christmas begin here several weeks before December 24. Shopping for the season begin in earnest right from the beginning of December. Retail stores and shopping malls are seen to be thronged by a great number of people who spend quite a sum on Christmas trees, Santa clauses, Christmas gifts and other seasonal decorations. Most Japanese people love to decorate their homes with evergreens and adorn the exteriors with electric lights during Christmas. Even business establishments house a Christmas tree to observe the season of Jesus. Handing over presents to friends and family members is also quite a popular tradition here. The festival culminates with everyone in the family partaking in a sumptuous meal specially prepared to mark the occassion. The traditional Japanese christmas food is the Christmas cake, generally made of sponge cake, strawberries and whipped cream. Fried chicken is often eaten on Christmas Day.
And yet, Christmas is not a family occassion in Japan. The occassion holds a special meaning mainly for young people, especially women and teenagers. For young children, it is the time to recieve presents from "Hotei-osho", a Buddhist monk who is seen as the Japanese equivalent of Santa Claus.
Hotei-osho is believed to leave presents in each house for the children. It is said that this benevolent monk has eyes in the back of his head, so children try to behave like he is nearby. Christmas for those in Sunday schools is the happiest day of the year. On Christmas Eve or Christmas night, the children carry out special programs that go on for hours and consist of song, recitation and drama performances.
For single women in Japan, the Christmas Eve evening is the time to spend quality hours with their special someone. Excessive media hype has led to the occassion being seen as a time to be spent with one's boyfriend or girlfriend in a romantic setting. Like Valentine's Day in the U.S., it is an occassion when men express their love to the women they want in their lives. Christmas presents given to girls are mainly consist Teddy Bears, flowers, scarves, rings and other jewelry items. Greeting cards are also given to friends during this time.
In Japan, everyone wishes another 'Meri Kurisumasu', meaning "Merry Christmas", during Christmastime.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
American White Christmas - An Excerpt
Conditions Ripe for a White Christmas
Paul Yeager Special to Sphere
(Dec. 11) -- The weather might seem complex, but the recipe for snow isn't as complicated as the recipe for Grandma's fruitcake. All that's needed is cold air and precipitation, and both look potentially abundant throughout the rest of the month, leading to the possibility of a more widespread white Christmas in 2009 than in recent years.
The likelihood of a white Christmas is always high -- greater than 75 percent -- in the northern tier of the country and in the mountains of the West. However, the presence of an El Niño and the threat of colder-than-normal weather will increase the chances of a white Christmas in the Deep South and along the Eastern Seaboard.
The cold air part of the snow recipe has been predicted by computer models that we meteorologists use to help with long-range forecasts. The coupled forecast system, a U.S. government forecasting model, has consistently predicted (since November) that temperatures in the entire eastern half of the country, including the Deep South, will be 1 to 3 degrees colder than normal in December, and it's currently forecasting cold weather for most of the nation for the remainder of the month.
Cold air without storms won't result in snow, of course, but storms combined with cold air might. And storms are more likely than normal where the cold weather is forecast because of a strengthening El Niño. An El Niño is when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are warmer than normal, and the moisture and energy from this warm ocean water promotes a storm track across the southern part of the United States. These storms often turn northward along the East Coast.
This weather pattern has already borne fruit (snow, actually) in Southern and Eastern climes. December snow has fallen in El Paso, Dallas and Houston in Texas, as well as in parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Snow has also fallen in much of the Northeast. The southern storm track remained active this week, producing the recent coast-to-coast powerhouse of a storm; it originated in California.
So when you mix these ingredients, the current weather pattern might mean fewer people will only "dream" of a white Christmas this year. They'll actually be able to shiver in the cold, spend more time stuck at the airport and drag slush onto Grandma's carpet.
___________________________________________________________________________________
An Excerpt :
Philippine Volcano Forces 20,000 to Evacuate
Jim Gomez - AP
MANILA, Philippines (Dec. 15) -- Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the Philippines' most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash, and said they probably would spend a bleak Christmas in an evacuation center.
State volcanologists raised the alert level on the cone-shaped, 8,070-foot Mayon volcano overnight to two steps below a major eruption after ash explosions and dark orange lava fragments glowing in the dark trickled down the mountain slope.
Nearly 50,000 people live in a five-mile radius around the mountain, and authorities began moving thousands of them in case it erupts, Albay provincial Gov. Joey Salceda said.
More than 20,000 people were evacuated to safety by nightfall Tuesday, Salceda said, adding he has placed central Albay province, where Mayon is located, under a "state of imminent disaster," which will make it easier for him to draw and use emergency funds.
The Philippines ordered the evacuation of 20,000 people after the Mayon volcano increased activity on Tuesday, shooting plumes of ash into the air.
"Whatever the volcano does, our target is zero casualty," Salceda told The Associated Press.
Albay province lies about 210 miles southeast of Manila.
Salceda said he had decided to cancel a trip to Copenhagen, where he was to attend the U.N. climate conference to discuss his province's experience with typhoons and other natural disasters.
He said he would appeal for foreign aid to deal with the expected influx of displaced villagers to emergency shelters.
The first of 20 vehicles, including army trucks, were sent to villages to take residents to schools and other temporary housing, provincial emergency management official Jukes Nunez said.
"It's 10 days before Christmas. Most likely people will be in evacuation centers, and if Mayon's activity won't ease down we will not allow them to return to their homes," Nunez said. "It's difficult and sad, especially for children."
Although the alarm has been sounded, life throbbed normally in many laid-back farming villages near the restive volcano. Throngs of farmers flocked to the town hall in Guinobatan, which lies near the danger zone, for a Christmas party, then headed home bearing gifts.
Village leader Romeo Opiana said the 249 residents in his farming community of Maninila, near the volcano, readied packs of clothes but no one had left. An army truck was parked nearby, ready to haul people if the threat grows.
"We're ready, but we're not really alarmed," said Opiana, 66. He could not remember how many times he had seen Mayon's eruptions since childhood.
Magma had been rising at the volcano over the past two weeks and began to ooze out of its crater Monday night, but it could get worse in coming days, said Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
"It's already erupting," Solidum told the AP. He said the volcano had so far only gently coughed out red-hot lava, which had flowed half a mile (half a kilometer) down from the crater.
Some classes were suspended indefinitely near the danger zone. Officials will find a way to squeeze in classes in school buildings to be used as shelters, Salceda said.
Residents in Albay are used to moving away from Mayon, which spewed ash last month and prompted the evacuation of some villages.
About 30,000 people were moved when it last erupted in 2006. Typhoon-triggered mudslides near the mountain later that year buried entire villages, killing more than 1,000 people.
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. About 22 out of 37 volcanos in the archipelago are active.
Associated Press writer Hrvoje Hranjski contributed to this report.
Paul Yeager Special to Sphere
(Dec. 11) -- The weather might seem complex, but the recipe for snow isn't as complicated as the recipe for Grandma's fruitcake. All that's needed is cold air and precipitation, and both look potentially abundant throughout the rest of the month, leading to the possibility of a more widespread white Christmas in 2009 than in recent years.
The likelihood of a white Christmas is always high -- greater than 75 percent -- in the northern tier of the country and in the mountains of the West. However, the presence of an El Niño and the threat of colder-than-normal weather will increase the chances of a white Christmas in the Deep South and along the Eastern Seaboard.
The cold air part of the snow recipe has been predicted by computer models that we meteorologists use to help with long-range forecasts. The coupled forecast system, a U.S. government forecasting model, has consistently predicted (since November) that temperatures in the entire eastern half of the country, including the Deep South, will be 1 to 3 degrees colder than normal in December, and it's currently forecasting cold weather for most of the nation for the remainder of the month.
Cold air without storms won't result in snow, of course, but storms combined with cold air might. And storms are more likely than normal where the cold weather is forecast because of a strengthening El Niño. An El Niño is when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are warmer than normal, and the moisture and energy from this warm ocean water promotes a storm track across the southern part of the United States. These storms often turn northward along the East Coast.
This weather pattern has already borne fruit (snow, actually) in Southern and Eastern climes. December snow has fallen in El Paso, Dallas and Houston in Texas, as well as in parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Snow has also fallen in much of the Northeast. The southern storm track remained active this week, producing the recent coast-to-coast powerhouse of a storm; it originated in California.
So when you mix these ingredients, the current weather pattern might mean fewer people will only "dream" of a white Christmas this year. They'll actually be able to shiver in the cold, spend more time stuck at the airport and drag slush onto Grandma's carpet.
___________________________________________________________________________________
An Excerpt :
Philippine Volcano Forces 20,000 to Evacuate
Jim Gomez - AP
MANILA, Philippines (Dec. 15) -- Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the Philippines' most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash, and said they probably would spend a bleak Christmas in an evacuation center.
State volcanologists raised the alert level on the cone-shaped, 8,070-foot Mayon volcano overnight to two steps below a major eruption after ash explosions and dark orange lava fragments glowing in the dark trickled down the mountain slope.
Nearly 50,000 people live in a five-mile radius around the mountain, and authorities began moving thousands of them in case it erupts, Albay provincial Gov. Joey Salceda said.
More than 20,000 people were evacuated to safety by nightfall Tuesday, Salceda said, adding he has placed central Albay province, where Mayon is located, under a "state of imminent disaster," which will make it easier for him to draw and use emergency funds.
The Philippines ordered the evacuation of 20,000 people after the Mayon volcano increased activity on Tuesday, shooting plumes of ash into the air.
"Whatever the volcano does, our target is zero casualty," Salceda told The Associated Press.
Albay province lies about 210 miles southeast of Manila.
Salceda said he had decided to cancel a trip to Copenhagen, where he was to attend the U.N. climate conference to discuss his province's experience with typhoons and other natural disasters.
He said he would appeal for foreign aid to deal with the expected influx of displaced villagers to emergency shelters.
The first of 20 vehicles, including army trucks, were sent to villages to take residents to schools and other temporary housing, provincial emergency management official Jukes Nunez said.
"It's 10 days before Christmas. Most likely people will be in evacuation centers, and if Mayon's activity won't ease down we will not allow them to return to their homes," Nunez said. "It's difficult and sad, especially for children."
Although the alarm has been sounded, life throbbed normally in many laid-back farming villages near the restive volcano. Throngs of farmers flocked to the town hall in Guinobatan, which lies near the danger zone, for a Christmas party, then headed home bearing gifts.
Village leader Romeo Opiana said the 249 residents in his farming community of Maninila, near the volcano, readied packs of clothes but no one had left. An army truck was parked nearby, ready to haul people if the threat grows.
"We're ready, but we're not really alarmed," said Opiana, 66. He could not remember how many times he had seen Mayon's eruptions since childhood.
Magma had been rising at the volcano over the past two weeks and began to ooze out of its crater Monday night, but it could get worse in coming days, said Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
"It's already erupting," Solidum told the AP. He said the volcano had so far only gently coughed out red-hot lava, which had flowed half a mile (half a kilometer) down from the crater.
Some classes were suspended indefinitely near the danger zone. Officials will find a way to squeeze in classes in school buildings to be used as shelters, Salceda said.
Residents in Albay are used to moving away from Mayon, which spewed ash last month and prompted the evacuation of some villages.
About 30,000 people were moved when it last erupted in 2006. Typhoon-triggered mudslides near the mountain later that year buried entire villages, killing more than 1,000 people.
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. About 22 out of 37 volcanos in the archipelago are active.
Associated Press writer Hrvoje Hranjski contributed to this report.
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