Thursday, 28 December 2017

One thing that is most certain in life is this: Life is not always certain. If we’ve lived long enough, we know this to be true, for nothing ever remains the same in this world.
Things change. Life takes a turn. Plot twists happen. People move. Time goes by. Kids grow up. We may experience deep or unexpected loss.
And sometimes our footsteps falter on things we’ve depended on so very much, but really aren’t meant to fully support us.
Doubt sets in.
Maybe we can't see what God is doing. Or the difficult times cause us to wonder if He really cares or even hears us. Maybe we've been left wondering if we're hearing Him right. The future starts to look uncertain, the path gets blurred, and we're not sure if we're even heading in the right direction.
Other times life just gets hard. It seems an uphill climb; we're drained and weary. Battle after battle leaves us wondering if we've been left on our own.
His Truth reminds us that He's with us, always. Our "with us" God will never leave us or turn away. He holds us through the fiercest struggles and brings peace to uncertain times.

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DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH NATIONAL DECEMBER RETREAT 2017

DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH
NATIONAL DECEMBER RETREAT 2017
Deeper Life National December Retreat 2017 - THEME: THE DAWN OF A NEW BEGINNING

DATE: 22-25 DECEMBER 2017

MORE INFORMATION COMING.....

This is just the best way to celebrate his birth;not by drinking and eating alone but by feeding on the bread of life and drinking from the water of life through the living word of God which is Christ Jesus His son....
I'm not deeper life member but deeper in the Lord...I love Christ and whenever His word is unveiled I don't joke with it...bcz is word alone satisfy..

As usual this year will not by pass me.Preparing already!

GET READY.....

Deeper Life National December Retreat 2017 - THEME: THE DAWN OF A NEW BEGINNING + Programme Schedule

THEME;THE DAWN OF A NEW BEGINNING
DATE; 22-25TH DECEMBER 2017

VENUE: DEEPER LIFE CAMPGROUNDS ALL OVER NIGERIA,AFRICA AND BEYOND.

There shall be sound of abundance of rain.

BE THERE!

Below is the December 2017 Retreat Programme Schedule:

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

History of Christmas

In ancient pagan times, the last day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere was celebrated as the night that the Great Mother Goddess gives birth to the baby Sun God. It is also called Yule, the day a huge log is added to a bonfire, around which everyone would dance and sing to awaken the sun from its long winter sleep.
In Roman times, it became the celebrations honoring Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light), a form of sun worship that had come to Rome from Syria a century before with the cult of Sol Invictus. It announced that winter is not forever, that life continues, and an invitation to stay in good spirit.
The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs between the 20th and 22nd of December. The Roman celebrated Saturnalia between 17 and 24 December.
The early Christians
To avoid persecution during the Roman pagan festival, early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, the celebrations took on a Christian observance. But the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.

In the year 274 AD, solstice fell on 25th December. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as “Natalis Solis Invicti,” the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320 AD, Pope Julius I specified the 25th of December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
AD is short for Anno Domini, or “Year of our Lord,” as proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. Some non-Christians prefer the alternative designation “CE” for “Common Era.”
Christmas official, but not generally observed
In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.
However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognizing the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor’s good intentions. Christmas failed to gain universal recognition among Christians until quite recently.
In England, for instance, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas festivities between 1649 and 1660 through the so-called Blue Laws, believing that Christmas should be a solemn day.
When many Protestants escaped persecution by fleeing to the colonies all over the world, interest in joyous Christmas celebrations was rekindled there. Still, Christmas was not even a legal holiday until the 1800s. And, keep in mind, there was no Father Christmas (Santa Claus) figure at that time.
Christmas becomes popular
The popularity of Christmas was spurred on in 1820 by Washington Irving’s book The Keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall.
In 1834, Britain’s Queen Victoria brought her German husband, Prince Albert, into Windsor Castle, introducing the tradition of the Christmas tree and carols that were held in Europe to the British Empire.
A week before Christmas in 1834, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol (in which he wrote that Scrooge required Cratchit to work, and that the US Congress met on Christmas Day). It was so popular that neither the churches nor the governments could not ignore the importance of Christmas celebrations.
In 1836, Alabama became the first state in the US to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
In 1837, T.H. Hervey’s The Book of Christmas also became a best seller.
In 1860, American illustrator Thomas Nast borrowed from the European stories about Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, to create Father Christmas (Santa Claus).
In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday. Year by year, countries all over the world started to recognize Christmas as the day for celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Have a merry Christmas
Today, many of the pagan uses are reflected in Christmas. Jesus was born in March, yet his birth is celebrated on December 25, the time of solstice. The Christmas celebrations end the 12th day of Christmas (January 6), the same amount of days that the return of the sun was celebrated by ancient and Roman pagans. It thus is no surprise that Christian puritans – or even conservative Christians – often are upset that Christmas “is not as religious as it was meant to be,” forgetting that Christmas was not celebrated at all until fairly recently.
Quick Christmas facts

The 25th of December is celebrated as the birth date of Jesus Christ. The Bible does not mention Christmas, and early Christians did not observe the birthday of Christ. Christmas as we know it became widely popular only in the 19th Century.
Christmas starts on December 25 and ends 12 days later on January 6 with the Feast of Epiphany also called “The Adoration of the Magi” or “The Manifestation of God.”

The concept of “Peace and Joy” over the Christmas season originates from the pagan believe in the magical powers of mistletoe. Enemies meeting under a mistletoe had to call truce until the following day.
In Finland and Sweden an old tradition prevails, where the twelve days of Christmas are declared to be time of civil peace by law. It used to be that a person committing crimes during this time would be liable to more stiff sentence than normal.

During the Middle Ages, many churches were built in honor of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Wearing his red and white bishop’s robes, he would ride on a donkey to deliver gifts to children.
The first Christmas card, which went on sale in 1843, did not feature an image of Santa.
In 1860, illustrator Thomas Nast introduced Santa Claus in the fashion we now know him today, a happy, burly, white-bearded fella in a bright red suit.
The meaning of the word “Christmas”
The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” later shortened to “Christ-Mass.” The even shorter form “Xmas” – first used in Europe in the 1500s – is derived from the Greek alphabet, in which X is the first letter of Christ’s name: Xristos, therefore “X-Mass.”
Today we know that Christ was not born on the 25th of December. The date was chosen to coincide with the pagan Roman celebrations honoring Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light), a form of sun worship. These celebrations came on or just after the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, to announce that winter is not forever, that life continues, and an invitation to stay in good spirit.

Everything You Need to Know About Christmas

Christmas is known as the "most wonderful time of the year" - but what does it really mean to us? We have gathered resources to help your family dig deeper into the meaning of Christmas and what the Christmas traditions of today mean to our faith and the celebration of Jesus' birth.

We have gathered up videos, blog posts, and activities that will help your family navigate the "tricky bits" of Christmas so you're not caught off-guard when your children ask you why their friends celebrate another holiday, or about Santa and Christmas trees!

Christmas Videos

Watch videos about Christmas, including clips from the Christmas DVD Why Do We Call It Christmas? plus see Clive & Ian's 12 Questions of Christmas, in which they answer questions like "What do Christmas trees have to do with Jesus?" and "What is Hanukkah?"

Featured Video: Who Is Emmanuel?

In the DVD Why Do We Call It Christmas?, we learn who Emmanuel is. "Emmanuel" is one of the names for Jesus because it means "God with us." The world says Christmas is about lots of commercial things, but as believers, we know that the holiday is about Jesus, which is why it's called Christmas. We're encouraged to resist the temptation to think of Christmas as being about presents, or sales at the mall, and focus on Emmanuel - that God is with us! Watch this video, then as a family think of ways you can remind each other that Christmas is about Jesus! Also, think about other names for God and what they mean to you.

Christmas Blogs

Christmastime is such a wonderful time to spend with family and to reflect on the birth of Jesus and what His birth means to us today. It can also be a confusing time, as our children try to put together what Christmas trees, Santa Claus, little elves and reindeer have to do with the birth of Christ all those years ago! Our Christmas blogs give the context you need to help explain to your children what all the traditions of today mean and how they tie back to Jesus' birth!

Featured Blog: Who is Santa Claus?

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santa! Who is he? Where did he come from? It turns out our beloved Christmas icon comes from a bishop in the church in the 300s. Legend says that Saint Nicholas gave money to the poor, and later the church declared December 6th to be Saint Nicholas Day. In the early 1800s, Saint Nicholas - now known as Santa Claus, from the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" - became popular in the United States. Many of our modern traditions around Santa come from an anonymous poem published in 1823 called "A Night Before Christmas."

Christmas Activities

Check out our activity library for fun ways to engage and teach your little ones this holiday season!
Christmas Coloring Pages

Download and color scenes from the What's In The Bible? Christmas DVD Why Do We Call It Christmas? In this DVD, Buck Denver feels a little overwhelmed by questions about all the traditions of Christmas. His friends step in to help him understand what modern Christmas traditions mean and how they relate back to the birth of our savior, Jesus! Color scenes from the DVD including Pastor Paul singing Christmas Hymns, Sunday School Lady and Marcy baking Pepparkakor, a group gathered around a campfire to talk about Emmanuel, and more!

Featured Coloring Page: Buck Denver's Christmas Cabin

What are some of the questions you have about Christmas? Chances are the DVD Why Do We Call It Christmas? can help answer those questions! In this coloring page scene, Buck Denver stands outside his family cabin in Indiana and reflects on Christmas and what it means to us today.

Christmas Popsicle Stick Theater

Our friend Chester Wigget is known for his wonderful popsicle stick theater skills in the What's In The Bible? DVD series. You can always count on Chester to share the stories in a humorous and...unique way!

Featured Popsicle Stick Theater: Luke 2

Chester Wigget shares the true meaning of Christmas through popsicle stick puppets in the DVD Why Do We Call It Christmas? You can download the popsicle stick puppet images and make your own popsicle stick theater to re-tell the story of Luke 2 at home! Watch a clip of Chester Wigget acting out Luke 2, then download and make your own to finish the story!

Christmas Ornaments and Cards

Download and make Christmas ornaments and Christmas cards featuring some of the cast of What's In The Bible? and Why Do We Call It Christmas? The ornaments feature Agnes & Winnifred, Chester Wigget, Captain Pete, Monkey, Pastor Paul, Clive, Ian, Marcy, and Sunday School Lady. You can also download and print Christmas cards featuring Sunday School Lady, Clive, Chuck Waggin, and Buck Denver!

Featured Christmas Card: Buck Denver Christmas Card

Everyone's favorite "man of news" - it's the Buck Denver Christmas Card! Featuring Buck Denver bundled up in a scarf in front of a lovely snow scene, the inside reads "Breaking news! It's Christmas!" Share What's In The Bible? with your friends and family by printing out this Christmas card and passing it out!

Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD

In the Why Do We Call Christmas? DVD, Buck Denver attempts to understand what Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and the other modern Christmas traditions have to do with the original Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ! In true What's In The Bible? fashion, Buck Denver and friends set out to understand complicated concepts through funny songs that point us to timeless truths.

Marci in Louisiana said, "We want to show our children the truth about Christmas and how each tradition has a strong attachment to history. This was a great way to help them see that!"

Download a free family discussion guide to begin new conversations in your family after watching Buck Denver Asks ... Why Do We Call It Christmas?. Discuss 5 big questions about Christmas and the special ways we celebrate it.

Why Do We Call It Christmas? Church Edition

The Why Do We Call It Christmas? Church Edition is the perfect Christmas Sunday School curriculum for your busy children's ministry. Featuring rich video content from VeggieTales(r) creator Phil Vischer, the curriculum brings the modern traditions and timeless truths of Christmas together in one unforgettable ministry tool. From stockings to Santa Claus, from Christmas trees to angels heard on high, this 4-week Christmas curriculum will have your children's ministry laughing, singing and learning through the whole month of December.

Everything you need to know about the Why Do We Call It Christmas? Church Edition can be found here!

Everyday Emmanuel

Christmastime can be such a busy time and it can be difficult to take time out to really appreciate the days leading up to Christmas. Transform your Advent celebration with Everyday Emmanuel, our Christmas Countdown Experience that will help your family create meaningful memories together this December. Download a free sample of Everyday Emmanuel here.

Erin of HomeWithTheBoys.net says:

Everyday Emmanuel is not just one more thing to complicate your holiday season. It is a fun AND meaningful way to bring your family together this Advent. And who wouldn't want to spend Christmas with Buck Denver?!

Read the rest of her review of Everyday Emmanuel to see how they used it with their family.

31 Facts You Didn't Know About Christmas

By John Boone 8:07 AM PST, December 7, 2017

Getty Images

Tis the season to be...well informed. We all love Christmas, but how much do any of us actually know about why Christmas is the way it is? Here are 31 facts about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Rudolph that you (probably) didn’t know. Smarten up!

1. Christmas supposedly marks the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. But there is no mention of December 25 in the Bible and most historians actually believe he was born in the spring.

2. December 25 was probably chosen because it coincided with the ancient pagan festival Saturnalia, which celebrated the agricultural god Saturn with partying, gambling, and gift-giving.

3. Many of the popular Christmas traditions today found their roots in Saturnalia: Branches from evergreen trees were used during winter solstice as a reminder of the green plants that would grow in spring when the sun gods grew strong.

4. These evergreen branches became the foundation of our Christmas tree. Germans are thought to be the first to bring “Christmas trees” into their homes at the holidays and decorate them with cookies and lights.

5. The Christmas tree made its way to America in the 1830s but wasn’t popular until 1846, after Germany’s Prince Albert brought it to England when he married Queen Victoria. The two were sketched in front of a Christmas tree and the tradition instantly became popular. Royal fever was real even back then.

6. The well-known reason we give presents at Christmas is to symbolize the gifts given to baby Jesus by the three wise men. But it may also stem from the Saturnalia tradition that required revelers to offer up rituals to the gods.

7. Because of its roots in pagan festivals, Christmas was not immediately accepted by the religious. In fact, from 1659 to 1681, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas in Boston. You were fined if you were caught celebrating.

8. Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop living in (what is now) Turkey in the fourth century AD. St. Nicholas had inherited a great deal of wealth and was known for giving it away to help the needy. When sainted, he became the protector of children.

9. After his death, the legend of St. Nicholas spread. St. Nick’s name became Sint-Nicolaas in Dutch, or Sinter Klaas for short. Which is only a hop, skip, and jump to Santa Claus.

10. Santa Claus delivering presents comes from Holland’s celebration of St. Nicholas’ feast day on December 6. Children would leave shoes out the night before and, in the morning, would find little gifts that St. Nicholas would leave them.

11. And stockings come from this story: A poor man with three daughters couldn’t afford the dowry to have them married. One night, St. Nicholas dropped a bag of gold down the man’s chimney so that his oldest daughter would be able to get married, and the bag fell into a stocking that was drying by the fire.

12. One of the reasons we leave milk and cookies for Santa is because Dutch kids would leave food and drink for St. Nicholas on his feast day.

13. And we leave carrots for Santa Claus’ reindeer because, in Norse mythology, people left hay and treats for Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir “in hopes the god would stop by their home during his Yule hunting adventures.” Dutch children adopted this tradition too, and would treats for St. Nick’s horse.

14. The look of Santa Claus we have today was created at an 1804 meeting of the New York Historical Society, where member John Pintard handed out wooden cutouts of jolly old St. Nick in front of stockings filled with toys.

15. Though Santa Claus has worn blue and white and green in the past, his traditional red suit came from a 1930s ad by Coca Cola.

16. And the image of him Santa Claus flying in a sleigh started in 1819...and was dreamt up by the same author who created the Headless Horseman, Washington Irving.

17. Rudolph was actually conceived by a department store, Montgomery Ward, as a marketing gimmick to get kids to buy holiday coloring books.

18. Rudolph almost didn’t have a red nose either: At the time, a red nose was a sign of chronic alcoholism and Montgomery Ward thought he would look like a drunkard.

19. Rudolph was almost named Rollo or Reginald. Reginald the Red-Nosed Reindeer doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

20. The poem that introduced us to the other eight reindeer, “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” actually named dropped Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Duner and Blixem. (Which, like Donner and Blitzen, come from the German words for thunder and lightning.)

21. Over the years, other reindeer have been name checked on Santa’s sleigh team, such as: Flossie, Glossie, Racer, Pacer, Scratcher, Feckless, Ready, Steady, and Fireball (no relation to the whiskey).

22. The first batch of eggnog in America was crafted at Captain John Smith’s Jameston settlement in 1607, and the name eggnog comes from the word “grog,” which refers to any drink made with rum.

23. “Silent Night” is the most recorded Christmas song in history, with over 733 different versions copyrighted since 1978.

24. Legend has it that “Silent Night” was written by a Father Joseph Mohr in Austria, who was determined to have music at his Christmas service after his organ broke. In reality, a priest wrote it while stationed at a pilgrim church in Austria.

25. Meanwhile, “White Christmas” is the best-selling song of all time.

26. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” actually has a truly depressing back-story: songwriter James "Haven" Gillespie was broke, jobless, and his brother had just died when he was asked to write a Christmas song. He was originally too overcome with grief, but eventually found inspiration in his brother’s death and the Christmas memories they had together.

27. The original lyrics to “Hark! The Herald Angel Sings” were “Hark! How the Welkin rings!” Welkin is an old, English term for Heaven. A preacher later tweaked the lyric.

28. “Jingle Bells” was originally supposed to be a Thanksgiving song.

29. Boston church leaders tried to have the song “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” banned in the 1950s because they thought it “promoted physical intimacy.” Singer Jimmy Boyd had to fly to Boston and explain to them why it wasn’t obscene.

30. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is considered to be the most popular Christmas song now. In the music video, Santa is played by Mariah’s then-husband, Tommy Mottola.

31. And the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Jim Carrey version. Who knew?

Now you know. Or at least have a bunch of random facts to rattle off to your family when you run out of things to talk about. Merry (almost) Christmas!

History of the Christmas tree

It is told that Saint Boniface, a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, England who established Christian churches in France and Germany in the 7th Century, one day came upon a group of pagans gathered around a big oak tree about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor. To stop the sacrifice and save the child’s life Boniface felled the tree with one mighty blow of his fist. In its place grew a small fir tree. The saint told the pagan worshipers that the tiny fir was the Tree of Life and stood for the eternal life of Christ.
Xmas tree

It is also told that Saint Boniface used the triangular shape of the fir tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. By the 12th Century, Christmas trees were hung from ceilings as a symbol of Christianity. However, in that time, for a reason no one could yet explain, the trees were hung upside down.
Trees as symbols
Trees were a symbol of life long before Christianity –
Ancient Egyptians brought green palm branches into their homes on the shortest day of the year in December as a symbol of life’s triumph over death.

Ancient Finns used sacred groves instead of temples.
Romans adorned their homes with evergreens during Saturnalia, a winter festival in honour of Saturnus, their god of agriculture.
Druid priests decorated oak trees with golden apples for their winter solstice festivities.
During December in the Middle Ages, trees were hung with red apples as a symbol of the feast of Adam and Eve, and called the Paradise Tree.
The first Christmas trees
The first reference of a fir tree decorated for Christmas is at Riga in Latvia in 1510. In 1521, the Princess Hlne de Mecklembourg introduced the Christmas tree to Paris after marrying the Duke of Orleans. There also is a printed reference to Christmas trees in Germany, dated 1531.
Another famous reference, to 1601, is about a visitor to Strasbourg, Germany (now part of France) who noticed a family decorating a tree with “wafers and golden sugar-twists (barley sugar) and paper flowers of all colors.”
The Christmas tree was introduced to the United States by German settlers and by Hessian mercenaries paid to fight in the Revolutionary War. In 1804, US soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn (Chicago) hauled trees from surrounding woods to their barracks.
Britain was introduced to the Christmas tree in 1841, when Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert brought a Christmas tree to Windsor Castle for the Royal family. The custom of of the Christmas tree spread quickly to the middle class, to working people, and throughout the colonies (where the Empire’s flag would sometimes top the tree).
Christmas tree decorations
Trees were decorated with apples, cakes and candies for many centuries. Martin Luther was the first to use candles on trees in the late 16th Century. In 1842, Charles Minnegrode introduced the custom of decorating trees to the US in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Christmas candle

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) is said to be the first to have decorated a Christmas tree with candles to show children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.
In 1850s, German company Lauscha, based in Thuringia, began to produce shaped glass bead garlands for Christmas trees. They also introduced the Rauschgoldengel, the Tingled-angel’, dressed in pure gilded tin. The glass ornaments reached Britain in the 1870s, and North America around 1880.
In 1882, ornaments were complimented by electric Christmas lights. Edward Johnson, a colleague of Thomas Edison, lit a Christmas tree with a string of 80 small electric light bulbs which he had made himself. By 1890, the Christmas light strings were mass-produced. By 1900, stores put up large illuminated trees to lure the customers.
When to put up the Christmas tree
Traditionally, Christmas trees are put up 12 days before Christmas day, thus on the December 13th, and taken down 12 days after Christmas. But some put up the Christmas tree on December 6th in honor of the day Saint Nicholas died and take it down on Epiphany, January 6th. In Catholic tradition, Christmas trees are put up after noon on Christmas eve.
Modern tradition is to put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving (which is the fourth Thursday in November), thus on Black Friday, one of the world’s busiest shopping days.
Christmas factoids
Angel

Christmas tree angels were introduced in the 1850s.
In 1851, Mark Carr hauled two sleds loaded with trees from the Catskills to the streets of New York and opened the first retail tree lot in the US.
The popular Goose Feather Tree was invented in the 1880s in Germany to combat the damage being done to fir trees at Christmas time. The first brush trees were created in the US by the Addis Brush Company. The Tom Smith Cracker Company – named after the inventor of Christmas crackers – also produced artificial Christmas trees for a while.
Every year since 1947 the people in Oslo have given a Christmas tree to the city of Westminster. The gift is an expression of goodwill and gratitude for Britain’s help to Norway during WWII.
The US tradition of National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn was started in 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge.
Legend of Christmas tree tinsel
The legend of the tinsel on the Christmas tree tells about a woman who had to care for a large family of children after her husband died. One Christmas, she prepared a tree to surprise the children. But because she worked alone to bring food to the table, she often had to work late into the night. When she wanted to bring the Christmas tree out, she saw that spiders had made webs all over it, from branch to branch. The Christ Child saw it and to spare her from sorrow, He changed the spiders’ webs into shining silver.

All about Christmas

The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” later shortened to “Christ-Mass.” The even shorter form “Xmas” – first used in Europe in the 1500s – is derived from the Greek alphabet, in which X is the first letter of Christ’s name: Xristos, therefore “X-Mass.”
Today we know that Christ was not born on the 25th of December. The date was chosen to coincide with the pagan Roman celebrations honoring Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light), a form of sun worship. These celebrations came on or just after the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, to announce that winter is not forever, that life continues, and an invitation to stay in good spirit.
But there’s much more to the fascinating history of Christmas! Where did the Christmas tree originate, why are Christmas candles important, etc.? The answers are all here.
Ho-Ho-Ho – just click and go.

The history of Christmas Christmas became popular only fairly recently.	Father Christmas Who is the real Santa Claus?	Jesus Christ When was He really born?
Magi, the gift givers All kinds of gifts, all kinds of givers. But how many magi were there?	Christmas trees They were hung upside down in the Middle Ages! And when to put up a Christmas tree.	Christmas carols How many versions of Silent Night did you say there are?
Christmas cards They’re quite nice: whose idea was it?	Christmas stamps Look a lot like little Christmas cards.	Christmas crackers You just have to have some.
Christmas pudding It won’t be Christmas without the pudding.	The Reindeer How do they fly and what speed do they reach?	The elves They invented the magic toymaking machine.
Christmas gifts It ain’t just for kids, is it?	The mistletoe What really happens when you kiss under the mistletoe?	“Boxing Day?” Why is it called that?
“Merry Christmas” in different languages	Other festivals over the Christmas season	Solstice: origin of Christmas celebrations.

The Christmas candy cane, shaped as a shepherds’ crook, represents the humble shepherds who were first to worship the new-born Christ.
Legend has it that the candy cane was invented in 1670 by a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral who handed out the bent sugar sticks among children to keep them quiet during the long Living Crèche ceremony.

Christmas Costumes

1 - 60 of 416

Christmas is probably just about everyone's favorite holiday. Really, what's not to like? Parties, gifts, special food treats. Lots of great music. (And some not-so-great music--but we won't talk about "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.")

Are you having a religious celebration or church pageant? We have child and adult costumes for Joseph & Mary, shepherds, wise men, angels.

For secular celebrations we have costumes for Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa. For elves and reindeer. For candy canes and gingerbread cookies. They're great for distributing gifts or hosting parties.

If you're into classic TV and movies, we have themed costumes from A Christmas Story and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

So, plan your celebration, and make it even more festive with one of our Christmas costumes!

Christmas Costume Ideas

It's that time of year where we all want to get together and make memories that will last. The weather turns colder, in some places the snow starts to fall, and the city brownstones and the country hillsides both become illuminated in the night's darkness. It's the kind of thing that plucks at the nostalgic tethers of your heart strings, makes you want a nice cup of hot cider, and to sit back and enjoy a roaring fire beside a beautiful tree with all the trimmings.
It also makes you want to... party! The Holiday party is always one of the best. Ugly Christmas sweaters. Santa suits. Elves with pointy elf ears. Mysterious, wrapped presents. Egg nog (okay, maybe not the egg nog) and everything else that makes Christmas the best time of year! Don't let another season go by without a celebration for the ages (and the best of social media posts). Get a Christmas costume! We have so many that you must check it out because after that you'll be on your way to making your season as merry and bright as can be. Ho ho ho, and away we go!

Elf Costumes

Girls Holiday Elf Costume

This little elf is working hard to get Santa's presents in his bag. She's wearing an exclusive Elf Costume, which has the classic red and green colors with gold trim and a very cool curly-cue pointy hat on top.

Child Holiday Elf Costume

Junior may like opening presents a whole lot more than wrapping them, but he's great at both! He's also looking quite festive in this kids' elf costume. It has green and red details along with peppermint buttons and striped sleeves. Now if you could just keep him from eating too many cookies!

Adult Holiday Elf Costume

The elf dad has been through so many seasons it would take a lot to get him off his game. He can wrap, woodwork, and bake with the best of them, and he does it all with the kind of knowledge the other elves take for granted. And even though he's constantly working overtime his uniform is always on point. Check out this Christmas Elf costume for adults! It's got everything you'll need to show off you mean serious elf business: peppermint buttons, sleepy green hat, pom-pommed shoes. Okay, that sounds like it's NOT serious business but that's just what elves wear, okay? Add a little rouge to those cheeks and you'll be set to impress.

Women's Holiday Elf Costume

What a beautiful dress! This elf dress might be standard issue for elves, but that doesn't mean it's not a knock-out. We love the green and red together, and the scalloped trim along the top of the hat. Peppermint buttons down the front and a gold buckled belt just like Santa himself make this sexy elf costume a knockout. Wow! This is the kind of elf costume that makes Christmas the most wonderful time of year.

Santa Costumes for Adults

He's been around for ages and he's known in almost every country in the world. Whether you want to call him Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or Pelznickel—there's only ONE Santa Claus, and he brings joy and merry cheer to millions every Christmas season.
It's no small feat becoming Santa. First, you have to get exceedingly jolly, you have to refine that palate and get it prepped for sugar overload but, most of all, you have to have the right costume! Like his names, Santa has had many looks over the years, but 20th century advertising has solidified the ideal Santa look to consist of a red suit with white trim, rosy cheeks, and a big white Santa beard. It's a good thing you found us here at HalloweenCostumes.com! We have so much we think Kris Kringle himself would be quite impressed.
After you've got the look down, personality is key! Being Santa Claus is one of the most magical roles you could ever play. Children everywhere look forward to seeing you in your bright red suit, so that they can tell you about what they've been wishing and waiting for the whole year. Being Santa Claus doesn't have to be expensive, either. You can play a perfectly convincing Santa with our simplest suit, or wear some of our more detailed replicas and have even the adults questioning whether you might actually exist. Use this guide, and no matter what name you go by, we'll believe in you just like little Virginia did. "There really IS a Santa Claus!"

Flannel Santa Suit

This flannel Santa suit is a basic option but not a boring one! It includes all of the pieces you need to be Santa and could be a good option for participating in a fun Christmas time run or just for delivering presents for the neighbors! It's also perfect for kicking back, eating cookies, and watching Rudolph on repeat. We won't judge.

Regal Santa Suit

For a little more money, you can treat yourself to the plush looking Regal Santa suit. It includes a pair of black boot covers, but we paired it with our Santa boots for a more polished look. When the suit is this affordable, you can easily splurge on the extras, like tons more presents for the kids (or that new XBOX you’ve had your eye on... hey, we get it, off season can get dull!).

Premiere Santa Suit

Our exclusive Premiere Santa suit is ready for a mall or parade appearance. It is that convincing! Made from a heavier, higher quality fabric, this suit will last through the years and allow you to bring the magic of Santa to boys and girls as long as you are willing to suit up! It doesn't include the cookies, but we guarantee you'll get plenty of them wearing this gorgeous suit.

Jolly Ole St. Nick Santa Suit

If you think just being Santa isn't enough to make an impression, perhaps this Jolly Ole St. Nick suit is what you are looking for. This unique, old-fashioned design will set you apart from the rest and make you a popular guy during the holidays. After all, who wouldn't want their party to be visited by the best dressed Santa around? It's a bit of a throwback, but classic Santa always stays in style.

Mrs. Claus Costumes

There are several options for playing Mrs. Claus — do you want to go classic baking cookies in the kitchen style, or would you rather go modern with a little bit of sassy seasonal fashion? The only question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to look very nice or a little bit naughty? Which of Santa's lists would you like to be on, exactly? Children love visits from Mrs. Claus almost as much as they love visits from Santa (assuming you're the classic Mrs. Claus!), mostly because she always has sweets to dole out. And, after all, who better to put in a good word with the big guy than her? But if you'd rather focus on being ready to party on Christmas Eve and leave the kids to Santa, we have some fun options for that, too! Check them out below and find some holiday inspiration.

Traditional Mrs. Claus Costume

This traditional Mrs. Claus costume is charming, affordable and perfect for visiting with children during the holidays. With the sweet apron and bright red dress, you'll have the little ones begging for your attention, so they can ask you about the North Pole! So, you better brush up on your North Pole facts. It's really cold. That's all we know.

Sexy Mrs. Claus Costume

The presents have all been wrapped, and Santa will soon be home from making his special deliveries across the entire world. You're done taking requests from little elves for at least a few months until they start planning next year's Christmas Eve. That can only mean one thing... it's time to celebrate! In this sexy seasonal Christmas costume, you can look extra festive while having some festive fun. Santa will surely appreciate this more than anything that might be under the Christmas tree, but if you really want to holiday spice things up get him under the mistletoe.

Sexy Santa Costume for Women

Prove that you are just as qualified to play the part of Santa with this All Wrapped Up costume. You are friendly and full of holiday cheer, and thanks to our selection of cute Santa dresses like this one, you have the perfect outfit for the job, too! Time for Santa to take a break… maybe you'll be the one delivering presents this time around!

Mrs. St. Nick Costume

If you've been a good girl this year, you deserve to be treated like a queen, and in this Mrs. St. Nick costume, you will look like Christmas royalty. Host a party, participate in a holiday parade or just take in the season in style! It goes great with our premiere Jolly Ole St. Nick costume for a fun couple's idea. Mrs. Claus is a must for the season, and if you want to look your best while greeting all the children and gusts, you can't go wrong with this one.

Classic Christmas Costumes

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!"
Not interested in being Santa but you still want to celebrate the holidays in fun and festive Christmas costumes? Whether you go with our How the Grinch Stole Christmas costumes or our Christmas Story costumes nothing will get you into the spirit of the season more than these, and in a unique way, too! Memorize the lines, recreate the scenes, and otherwise make some joy happen this season when you bring all your favorite characters to life. We'll help you do it with these fun Christmas costume ideas!

How the Grinch
Stole Christmas Costumes

Rather than deliver the presents, take them for yourself while wearing this Grinch costume! But whatever you do, don't try and stuff a Christmas tree, or worse, a person in a Christmas tree costume up a chimney! As long as you play relatively nice, you'll have a blast playing this Dr. Seuss character (or another favorite from our selection of Grinch costumes) and showing that at the end of the day you love being included in parties, presents, and holiday fun. Don't forget to share some of that delicious roast beast!

A Christmas Story
Costumes for Kids and Adults

Have you ever watched A Christmas Story and thanked your lucky stars that it wasn't your Aunt Clara who gave you the pink bunny costume? Although, it is a perfect costume if you are looking for funny Christmas costumes. It's right up there next to Mr. Parker's leg lamp. "FRAG-E-LAY." Bring this Christmas Story bunny costume out during the now traditional TBS marathon, because nothing is more comfortable than pink bunny PJs, we swear.

Elf Costumes for Kids and Adults

Buddy and Josie were such a sweet pair in the Elf that it only makes sense to want to dress up just like them. Maybe the way that you'll spread more Christmas cheer is to be a little more like Buddy this Christmas. Baking is a must. Smiling is a must. Maple syrup… do we even have to say it? This Elf outfit is a must! There's lots of ways to bring the magic of Elf to your own holiday celebrations, and this Christmas Elf costume is a great start.

Old-Fashioned Carolers

Do you long for an old fashioned holiday, where you'd roast chestnuts over a fire and go door to door singing traditional Christmas carols? These caroler Christmas costumes for adults let you recreate that festive spirit and allow you to celebrate the way you've always dreamed about. Just work on the "Fa-la-la-la" harmony and you'll be set to spread Christmas cheer to all your friends and neighbors.

Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Ugly Christmas Sweater parties are becoming more and more popular, but not everyone has the time to scour the local thrift shops in search of the perfect (and by perfect we mean ugly) look. It's unusual to have funny Christmas costumes, but here we are! Our collection of ugly sweaters will look festive, even if they aren't considered particularly stylish and have you in the running as an ugly sweater champion. Check out all of them, some of them get pretty crazy, but it's all in the name of festive fun. Hey, "laughing all the way" is recommended this time of year, right?

Snowman Costumes for Men and Women

If you love the holidays and aren't afraid to show it in over-the-top costumes, this pair of snowman costumes could be your next big thing. Perfectly coordinated and totally festive, these looks are going to be a hit at any party, parade or festival. They're great for those chilly times of year when the snow is covering everything. Nice part about these is you don't really need to be around snow! They're actually just made of comfortable fabrics and not ACTUAL snow. That would be too cold for us humans.

Santa Costume Accessories

Trying to decide what to add to your Santa Claus suit to make it more authentic? Here is a handy checklist of some classic Santa accessories that will have everyone believing, no matter how old they are! A sack is a must, a hat is a must, and there are lots more to really make your Santa costume stand out from the rest. There can only be ONE real Santa, after all, and it can totally be you when you add some or all of these accessories to your festive arsenal this season.

Present Bag

The easiest way to convince a crowd that you're the real deal? Carrying a large bag of presents of course! This gift bag will carry lots of toys and look special when you arrive to make a special delivery to the ones you love.

Santa Glasses

Santa needs to make sure no name has been overlooked on his "nice" list, so he wears a pair of nice glasses to double check before he leaves on Christmas Eve. Wear your own pair, and you'll be an extra convincing Santa!

Santa Hat

It's cold at the North Pole, and Santa has to keep warm so that he can meet all of his important responsibilities during the holidays. Plus, when you picture Santa, does he ever have a bare head? We didn't think so. That makes this classic hat a MUST! Santa hats are also good for festive family photos!

Santa Beard

Santa is not known for being a clean shaven guy. And thanks to this Santa beard, you can portray him without having to grow your own luxurious facial locks. This one even includes a wig, so that your makeover can be especially convincing.

Nightmare Before Christmas Costumes

If your family is anything like ours you probably have some Christmas movies you just have to watch, and if you're really like our family, you just HAVE to watch Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas at least once, but probably more like twice or three times even. It's a classic! Such memorable songs, scenes, and characters. Who could ever forget Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Jack first discovering Christmastown, or that mean Oogie Boogie and his weird, bug-ridden gambling den. We think the best way to create a whole new family tradition is to dress up in costumes as the characters and sing along with the film. "'Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems..."

Jack Nightmare Before Christmas Costume

The hero of the story is Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King who draws all the attention during Halloweentown celebrations every year. Once he discovers Christmastown, he decides to become "Sandy Claws" himself! If you're ready to lead the festivities you'll want our Jack Skellington costume. It looks just like the Tim Burton character and will certainly have the whole family saying, "What's this... what's this?"

Sally Nightmare Christmas Costume

Sally is Jack's wistful girlfriend who isn't quite sure about this whole Christmas thing. She is kind and caring, and looks out for Jack. They're a classic couple that sing one of the best songs in the movie in their snowy graveyard as Jack's dog Zero lights the way. If you're ready for your solo, you'll need this lovely Sally costume.

Love Your Look in an Elf Costume

So, we start with the workshop workers. Of course we start with them! Everyone knows Santa runs the show, but it's really the elves who do all the rough and tumble, sweat-inducing handiwork to finish all the toys on time, not to mention polishing the sleigh, wrangling the reindeer, stitching Santa's infamous sack of gifts, and who do you think optimizes the route around the world? That's why wearing an elf outfit is one of the best ways to show you're Christmas cheer. Stand in solidarity with the elves and all that they do to make the holiday season bright, merry, and memorable. The photos below capture a rare look of the often mysterious elves at work in their natural surroundings, prepping and working. Whether you're looking for an adult or kids elf costume, we have everything you could want. No need to book that expensive flight to the North Pole… we got it. Once you're looking your cheerful, elfish self, you too can stage some photos using the looks below to inspire Christmas memories for years and years to come.

Don't Forget the Mistletoe

It's important to keep the holiday season as smooch-filled as possible. Mistletoe is the best way to do that. It's a classic decoration! Hang it above the doorways, above the work stations, above the tree, and if none of that works out then you can just hang it over your sweetheart anyway.

Keep an Eye on the Cookies

While working hard it's easy to forget the details. That just won't do when you're working for Santa. He's got the highest standards of all! Just take a look at this spectacular scene. Lots of presents getting wrapped, trees being decorated, and… cookies getting eaten? Yep, you've got to keep an eye on junior for sneaking the sweet stuff during all the commotion. And if you're the one who is doing the taste test, just tell your supervisor that you're just making sure Santa will enjoy them. Everyone knows Santa hates that fake coconut flavoring. Luckily, these were just delicious sugar cookies with marshmallow fluff. Phew!

That's a Wrap

Isn't it great to get the whole family together for a fun activity like wrapping presents? Okay, maybe that isn't the most fun thing ever, but we promise, once it's all done you'll look back and be so proud at what you accomplished together. If you've got some time left over, try making some paper snowflakes and garland decorations for your pictures. As you can see in our photos, these simple decorations really make any room look festive and picture ready. Hey, you've got the tape, ribbon, and scissors out already, why not let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (with paper)!

Look Good for Santa

It's important to remember the big guy whenever you're working. He's the velvet leader, the bearded boss, the snowcapped commander! His standards have to be your standards, and we're here to tell you that his standards are mile high. Good thing you know what you're doing when it comes to decorating, baking, and wrapping presents. That's sort of elves 101 stuff. As you can see, our elf family here is totally on point and scored excellent marks when Santa stopped by to supervise. If you have a few extra people, grab some reindeer costumes - and get the sleigh ready to go!

Time for Cookies!

Now that all the hard work is done everyone can eat some cookies! Wait, that's not right... we meant BAKE some cookies. Make a little assembly line for frosting, sprinkles, and taste tests. Well, that's what junior wants to do anyway, but he has an insatiable cookie hunger problem!

Elf on the Shelf

Who doesn't like a bonus elf? A new Holiday classic can come to life to surprise just about anyone, even other elves! You've seen him in stores, on social media (and on countless shelves) and now you can experience what it's truly like to be the world-renowned Elf on the Shelf.

Quotes by Abraham John

I wake up early in the morning today with the mind-set of creating leader of tomorrow
Making a positive change is my everyday alarm
You can be a leader when you inspire people and create a remarkable being in them
Always wake up in the morning with the ambition of making a positive change in your life and others around you
Some people dream of success, while other people get up everyday and make it happen. Don.t just be a dreamer but be real
A Leader is a Rider
A life without God is like a football without a goal post. by Chineke Nnachetam
Go Up and storm your world
I am whom I am by the grace of God
Serving God pays

Thursday, 28 December 2017

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

10 Promises of God to Cling to When Life Takes a Turn

Fulani Militants Kill 20 Christians in Unprovoked Attack

Decade after Church Burnings in Nigeria, Officials Forbid Rebuilding

Muslim Fulani Herdsmen Ambush, Kill Nine Christians in Plateau State, Nigeria

Friday, 22 December 2017

Deeper Life National December Retreat 2017 - THEME: THE DAWN OF A NEW BEGINNING + Programme Schedule

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

History of Christmas

Everything You Need to Know About Christmas

Featured Video: Who Is Emmanuel?

Featured Blog: Who is Santa Claus?

Featured Coloring Page: Buck Denver's Christmas Cabin

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Featured Christmas Card: Buck Denver Christmas Card

Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD

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