The biggest holiday celebrated is a few weeks away. Some call it “The best time of the year.” But why is Christmas important to billions of people around the world?

Many people travel to be with their loved ones during this time. It’s also important to our school system because students get this time off. Although it’s called Winter Break this vacation is giving due to Christmas.

Christmas is a sacred religious holiday; its part of culture to many and it’s also a commercial phenomenon. Those who celebrate in the religious aspect do so because it’s the birth of Jesus Christ.

In the early years of Christianity Easter was the main holiday; in fact the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. It was not until the fourth century the church officials instituted the birth of Jesus as a holiday, and Christmas become a federal holiday on June 26, 1870. Although the Bible doesn’t indicate when the day of the birth of Jesus many people feel that’s it important to celebrate this day.

For others Christmas simply means time to buy gifts and put them under a tree and open them on Christmas day.

Some people also use christmas as a means to shop for some great deals during one of the biggest shopping sales of the year, Black Friday.

Depending on the culture, Christmas is celebrated in different ways. Many people in the United States celebrate it on Dec. 25.  On the other hand, Hispanics celebrate it on Dec. 24.

A lot of people wait till mid-night to open their presents. Others wait till morning to open their presents. Many people also associate Christmas with Santa Clause. Children believe those presents are brought from Santa Clause who only brings presents if they’re well behaving children.

For whatever reason, Christmas  is in fact one of the most important holidays around the world.