This powerpoint provides a comparative and speculative look at Christmas from the past, present, and future.

1. Christmas
Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ

2. The History of Christmas
• 1st celebrated in the 300s by Christians in
Rome and spread to England around 600
• It is when the shortest daytime of the year is
over and the days begin to get longer again
• (about 6 hours or daylight in North Europe)
• Many farmers would kill their cow, pig, goat in
December because the animal food runs out

3. Christmas Traditions
• Going to Church (often at Midnight)
• Feasting, celebrating and drinking
• The rich were expected to feed the poor

4. Christmas in North America
• The Christians in the USA did not believe in
Christmas (it was not in their holy book)
• They didn’t celebrate Christmas until 1800s
• It changed to be about family rather than
about feasting and drinking

5. A Christmas Carol
• This famous story changed the meaning of
Christmas during the urban, industrialized
England and USA to a time of charity and
being with family

6. Christmas Tree
• Christmas tree was a way to bring the country
back into the home for a short time
• It smells good in a time when window cannot
open up (now it is plastic because not needed)
• It brings prettiness to the house in the sad and
dark time of winter

7. How Christmas has changed
• Christmas was about eating and drinking
during the farming times, celebrating the
return of longer days and spring
• Christmas is now about giving gifts, buying
decorations and advertising (Santa Claus)
during the industrial and service times

8. Christmas in the Future
• It will no longer be called Christmas but
“Winter Holiday” because North America is
more multi-cultural and less religious
• Christmas trees will just be small decorations
not the whole tree (too large and messy)

9. Citation
• “Christmas.” (1996-2013). History.com. A&E
Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved on Sept.
24, 2013 at
http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/pag
e2

10. Marking
• Knowledge –
Includes history, present, future with examples
• Thinking –
Includes visuals and slides are easy to read
• Application –
Includes a citation from a “good” source
• Communication –
Explains, using examples, how the cultural elements
of the festival have changed and why