The most family-friendly holiday is coming: Christmas, when we get the whole family together, kids get excited about Santa Claus, grandma putting food on the table, hmmm! French toast. Foods that are only served at that time. But have you ever wondered how this date is celebrated by other religions? In Catholicism it is the birth of Jesus, in Umbanda the life of Oxalá, the greatest father, is commemorated. The word "Christmas" means "birth", so some religions celebrate this date. Shall we check?
Catholicism
The greatest representation of the date is the birth of Mary's son, Jesus Christ. Families gather for supper between December 24th and 25th. They go to church for religious celebrations and attend the Mass of the Rooster, held on Christmas Eve by the Pope at the Vatican.
Budismo
In Buddhism there is no such celebration. For them it is not a Christian date, but a spiritual one. But they admire those who fight for humanity, so they respect the celebration and figure of Jesus Christ, who, for them, is considered a bodhisattva, who is a saint or someone who sacrifices himself for humanity. For them, the month of greatest celebration is May, when the birth and death of Buddha are celebrated.
Judaism
Jews do not celebrate Christmas or New Years. Although the entire month of December is full of festivities, neither the 25th nor the turn of the year are celebrated. In this month, Hanukkah is celebrated, which in Hebrew means “feast of light”. For them, the date commemorates the victory of the Jewish people over the Greeks, a war for freedom that lasted two thousand years. The menorah is the main symbol of the Jews, which is a candelabrum with eight candles. Each candle is lit daily until the eight days of the feast are completed.
umbanda
In Umbanda, Oxalá is related to Christ. The date is a thank you to this great orixá. On the 25th, Umbanda practitioners celebrate by thanking the entity that commands the forces of the land.
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Evangelical
Evangelicals also believe in the birth of Christ, as do Catholics. That's why both are considered Christians. The difference is that evangelicals do not hold mass, they do celebrations with prayers in homes or services in churches.
Spiritualism
Christmas, in spiritism, is held discreetly. For them, it is a very important date and they celebrate it in their homes, without drink and usually without meat, in respect for the animals. For them it is a moment of peace and reflection on the words left by Jesus in the Bible.
Taoism
In China, many follow Taoism. This religion does not celebrate any Christmas, however it has several commemorative dates in which they commemorate the birth of great figures of the creed. The most important date for them is the Chinese New Year.
Islamism
Islamists do not believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, only a prophet. With this, there is no special date to commemorate the birth of the major prophet. For them, the sacred celebrations are Eid al-Firt, which is the celebration of breakfast after Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
