All religions have their special times of the year that are meant to celebrate a special moment in history that they want to remember. One of the most popular and most recognized holidays throughout the world is Christmas. For most, Christmas is a time of giving and togetherness. It is a time to spend with family and friends. And for some, it is a time of great stress and deep pockets. Although merchants have taken the theme of Christmas and commercialized it, many people will first and foremost remember it as the day Jesus Christ, our lord and savior was born.
             Since about 400 AD, Christians have celebrated Christmas, 'Christ' meaning 'Messiah' the name given to Jesus, and 'Mass' is a religious festival. The real meaning behind Christmas is based on the stories told in Matthew and Luke, chapters 1 and 2, of the Christian bible. Both tell of a virgin woman named Mary who was visited by an angel and told that she was chosen by God to bear a "special" baby. Because this was such an unusual event that most people would not believe, Mary and her husband to be, Joseph, fled from Nazareth to a town called Bethlehem to register their names with the Roman government. When they arrived they found that there was room for them to stay. The only space available was in a stable where travelers would keep their donkeys and horses. That very night, Jesus was born and as they had no bed for him, they used a feeding box filled with dry grass that the animals ate. What poor conditions for a great king, but it was God's plan for Jesus to evolve from su!
             The birth of Jesus was spread across the land by an angel. The shepherds, who were seen at the time as low and of no value, were the first to hear of the great announcement:
             "That night there were some men looking after sheep in the fields nearby. Suddenly they saw a great light. It was
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