Christmas Day 2024

December 25 was chosen as the feast day of Christmas or the birth of Jesus Christ celebrated by Christians. Some believe Christmas was adopted from pagan festivals such as the Roman worship of the sun god (Invictus) and Saturn (Saturnalia). The celebrations of these gods took place on a week in December. The celebrations were also carried out through orgies with abundant food and drink. Later this celebration became an important part of the introduction of Christianity in the Roman Empire. 

At first, celebrating Christmas did not get a warm welcome from some parties. Even in some areas there was resistance from a group regarding the establishment of December 25 as Christmas. But finally Christmas began to be universally accepted, one of which entered Egypt in the 432nd century and into England in the sixth century. 

The main meaning of Christmas is the coming of Jesus Christ to mankind which is believed to be a form of love for His people. He wants his people to be saved from sins. Another meaning of Christmas is to teach us to share, love, and care for each other.

Christmas Eve is a sacred moment of celebration. For example, the Christmas midnight mass is the most cherished liturgical tradition and aims to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also a spiritual preparation to welcome the arrival of the savior. In addition, Christmas celebrations are also synonymous with exchanging gifts, giving Christmas greeting cards, Santa Claus figures, and decorating Christmas trees together. As a big day, all churches welcome with various decorations and worship schedules. Here are some popular churches for Christmas mass and worship:

• Cathedral Church, Jakarta: Mass at the Cathedral Church is usually held on December 24 & 25. Christmas Eve mass is held on December 24 with two sessions, online and offline. While the Christmas mass was held on December 25 and was divided into 3 events. Pontifical Mass, Second Mass (online & offline), and Evening Mass (offline & online).

• Blenduk Church, Semarang: Blenduk Church is the oldest church in Semarang, located in the Old City. Mass at Blenduk Church is usually divided into two. The first is the Christmas Eve Mass and the second is the offline Christmas Mass.

• Kepajen Church: This church also holds a Christmas celebration with two sessions. Namely Christmas Eve mass and mass on Christmas Day.

Aside from doing church services and singing hymns, there are a few ideas of things to do during Christmas. The first is gathering with family and visiting relatives. This family gathering is usually filled with decorating the house, family night, exchanging gifts, and singing together. Some people also take advantage of the Christmas holiday and Christmas joint leave by gathering with family in a hotel or villa rental. 

Meanwhile, you can also visit several cities that hold festive Christmas traditions. For example, the Rabo-rabo tradition in Jakarta, Wayang Wahyu in Yogyakarta, Ngejot and Penjor in Bali, Marbinda and Marhobas in North Sumatra, Bamboo Cannon in Flores, and Kunci Taon in North Sulawesi. Abroad, there are several countries that have festive Christmas celebrations. For example, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and South Korea. While visiting the cities & countries above, you can also try various kinds of tours in the city with your family.