Re: Country Related: Christmas

Kristian Jensen wrote:

> In the Philippines, Christmas is called: Pasko [pas'koh]. The word
> is borrowed from Spanish "Pascua". Even though "Pascua" in Spanish
> refers to "Easter", colonial Filipinos interpreted the word as any
> Christian holiday and therefore applied it to Christmas as well.
> Somehow, Christmas seemed more of a "pasko" than Easter to the
> Filipinos that "pasko" today solely means "Christmas". Easter is now
> refered to either as "holy week" or "pasko ng pagkabuhay" ("pasko"
> of resurection).
Actually in Spanish the word Pascua IS used for both Christmas and Easter=
, but,
at least in Colombia, is much more comon to use Pascua for Easter and muc=
h
people dosn't realize that "Pascua" Week is the week following Holly Week=
=2E  But
you can still hear "=A1Felices Pascuas!" on this season.

> I've always been told that Scandinavian "Jul" is the same word as
> "hjul" meaning wheel. This was suppose to be a viking age winter
> celebration which vikings celebrated even before they converted to
> Christianity. The reason for the name was that it was celebrated
> during the winter solstice, the time of year when the days are
> shortest and one can only look forward to longer days come. The
> "annual wheel" starting its rotation again - hence "Jul" or "wheel".
> This is supposedly the same word as old english "Yule".
>
> I have often noted that Scandinavian Christmas songs have very
> little to do with the Christian religion and the birth of Christ.
> Themes are more about those little house spirits known as "nisses".
> This must be a remnant of Scandinavia's heathen past. Most people
> here (at least in Denmark) don't celebrate Christmas to comemorate
> the birth of Christ, but to bring joy and coziness to the dark
> winters, to mark that longer days are coming, and to remind children
> to be good to the "nisses". I'm sure this is exactly what "Jul" was
> to the Vikings a thousand years ago.
Some how I suposed "Jul" as "Luciadagen" were pagan festivities.  As hist=
orians
say, Jesus was unlikely to have born on December 25 but Pagan Romans have=
 some
holliday those days.  A celebration for the sun in the shortest days of t=
he
year.  When Christianity begun to rule over the Empire, they just give Ch=
ristian
names to the Hollidays.

Related fact.  The 1st January is officially known in Colombia by the Chr=
istian
(Catholic?) name: "The Circuncition of The Lord"... Well, I think most of=
 the
secular society just call it "A=F1onuevo" (New Year).  The same way the 1=
st May,
where most of the World, but USA, celebrate something that happend in USA=
 that
date... Well: Labour Day is officially known by Catholic Church as the da=
y of
Saint Joseph, Worker.



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