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With the average family in Australia spending about $674 on the whole family and about $65 per person on Christmas gifts, the shops will be busy.
Of course many people spend far more when you take into consideration the food, drinks, decorations, holiday spending and so on.
“It’s hard to imagine now, but at the beginning of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated,” a spokesperson from the BBC said.
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“Many businesses did not even consider it a holiday. However by the end of the century it had become the biggest annual celebration and took on the form that we recognise today.
“Many attribute the change to Queen Victoria, and it was her marriage to the German-born Prince Albert that introduced some of the most prominent aspects of Christmas. Gift giving had traditionally been at New Year but moved as Christmas became more important to the Victorians. Initially gifts were rather modest – fruit, nuts, sweets and small handmade trinkets.
“These were usually hung on the Christmas tree. However, as gift giving became more central to the festival, and the gifts became bigger and shop-bought, they moved under the tree.”
Some say that Christmas has become far too commercial but that doesn’t stop most people from buying presents for their families and friends.
One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas is to remind us of the presents – frankincense, gold and myrrh – that were given to Jesus by the Wise Men.
Frankincense was a perfume used in Jewish worship and, as a gift, it showed that people would worship Jesus.
Gold was associated with kings and myrrh was a burial perfume and, as a gift, showed that Jesus would suffer and die.
The Bible does not say when Jesus was born, although the shepherds were tending their flocks at night this could be in northern winter.
Christmas became on December 25 because the Roman church leaders wanted people to turn away from pagan festivals that celebrated the lengthening of the days via the return of the sun near the winter solstice.
Ultimately, December 25 was chosen, perhaps as early as AD 273 and by 336 AD the Roman church calendar records a nativity celebration by Christians on this date.
Presents are opened on different days over the world where Christmas is celebrated. The earliest presents are opened is on St Nicholas’ Eve on December 5 when children in Holland often receive their presents.
On St Nicholas’ Day (December 6) children in Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and some other European countries open some of their presents.
Most countries like the UK, US and Australia open their presents on December 25.
The latest presents are opened on January 6 is known as Epiphany and is mainly celebrated in Catholic countries such Spain and Mexico.
Whether you choose to give gifts or not, Christmas has become a time synonymous with family, shared meals holidays and friends.
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