We should strive ever to emphasize the fact that Christmas is the Feast of the

Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. The greeting cards we send at the holy season

should be a manifestation of our Catholic Faith, an aid to our friends to enter into

the spirit of the holy season, and a reminder to them that we are praying that they

may know Christ more intimately and love Him more ardently. Your cards to

non-Christian friends may be a means of causing them to make inquiries in regard to

the real meaning of Christmas.

Christmas derives its name, "Christ's Mass," from the Mass offered in honor of the

Birth of Christ. Its early English form was written as "Christes Maesse," and in the

course of the change of the English language it eventually became Christmas. In the

earliest days of the Church this feast did not exist. Greater stress was placed on

the Feast of the Epiphany, because it commemorates the day on which our Saviour was

made known to the Gentiles, when the Wise Men came to adore Him. The Feast of the

Nativity came gradually into existence in the fourth century. Its first mention is

made by the great Christian writer, Clement of Alexandria, about the year 200, and

shows that it was celebrated on May 20. About the year 300, the Latin Church began to

observe it on December 25, because an ancient tradition assigns that day as the

probable date of the Birth of our Savior.

Love of the Babe of Bethlehem, who was born to redeem us, caused Catholics, in

centuries long gone by, to introduce into our churches a representation of the crib,

the Divine Babe, The Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and the Shepherds. St. Francis of

Assisi deserves the credit of making this practice very popular. His zeal prompted

him to place at Graccio a representation of the cave of Bethlehem. His plan permitted

the Faithful vividly to grasp the story of Bethlehem and to realize the poverty and

suffering of our Saviour in the bleak, cold stable where He was born. The plan has

spread to churches in all parts of the world.
 From the book "Could You Explain Catholic Practices?" by Rev. Charles J. Mullaly,

S.J. - 1937)