Christmas trees, mistletoe, tinsel and Santa Claus are all wonderful signs that the holiday season is upon us. However, they are not actually the true symbols of Christmas. The celebration of Christmas has adopted these secular icons for those who want something generic and neutral to celebrate, but Christians worldwide know that Christmas is truly a very special birthday.

Christmas is a very holy day for Christians, as it marks the birth of the son of God, Jesus. Celebrated every December 25 (with Orthodox Christians celebrating a bit later on January 7), the nativity story has been pieced together from various accounts in both the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Although the birth of Jesus was never specifically stated to have taken place on December 25 in any of the Gospels, Pope Julius I set that date as Christmas in the 4th Century AD. Accounts state that this step was taken to Christianise the celebrations that often took place at this time of the year.

Today, this story is re-enacted by children all over the world, who tell the nativity story to all members of their congregations. Although the costumes differ, the stage, set and props may be simple or extravagant, and new children take the stage, the story of the birth of Jesus remains the same. Having such a long history of celebration, Christians will certainly continue to celebrate Christmas each and every year, without fail.