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Christmasnis so many things: a religious holiday and a secular holiday…
Christmasnis so many things: a religious holiday and a secular holiday…n
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na timento meditate on the highest goals and aspirations, such as peace andncharity, and a time to wallow in consumerism and ostentatiousndisplay…
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na time of giving and a time of getting…
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na special treat fornkids and a great excuse for adults to party.
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nIts origins are not justnfrom the early Christian religion, but also from the Roman holidaynSaturnalia and other pagan traditions.
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nSantanClaus may appear in a cozy, furry outfit with a sleigh and arcticnreindeer, in some places, but he may appear in a red-and-whitenstriped swimsuit, astride a surfboard, in others because Christmasnoccurs in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere!
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nFornmore about Christmas, check out earlier posts here, here and alsonhere.
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nAnniversarynof important coronations
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nCharlemagnenwas King of France in the 700s, and for decades he went about Europenconquering countries and tribes and “converting” people by forcento Catholicism. He also helped Pope Leo II regain power in Rome. Tonshow his gratitude, the pope crowned Charlemagne Emperor of thenRomans during Christmas Day mass in 800 C.E. This coronation wasnsymbolic and did not add to new powers, but it did give a sort ofnlegitimacy to Charlemagne’s rule over the lands he had conquered innnorthern Italy.
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nFlashnforward 266 years and blip over to England, where William thenConquerer was crowned king at Westminster Abbey, also on ChristmasnDay. William had been the Duke of Normandy, in what is now northernnFrance, and he had invaded England and challenged its King Harold.nWhen William and his army defeated Harold’s army at the Battle ofnHastings (and Harold was killed by an arrow), William became king andnNorman French became the language of nobility in England…for anwhile.
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nAlso on this date:
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nNo “L” Day
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nChristmas birthdays
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