The festival of Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the son of Joseph, a carpenter, and Mary. They lived in the town of Nazareth in Palestine. Joseph and Mary travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to record their names in a Census. Mary was expecting a child, but all the rooms at the inns were taken, so the couple spent the night in a stable. It was here that Jesus was born at midnight. Some shepherds tending sheep nearby noticed an unusually brilliant star. They followed it curiously. The star stopped over the stable occupied by Joseph and Mary. So shepherds were the first to recognise Jesus as divine. Palestine was ruled by King Herod at that time. Just after the birth of Jesus, three wise men or Magi from the Orient or the East visited his court. They bore gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (scented oil and herbs).
They had heard that the King of the Jews had been born in Palestine. Herod was furious because he was the King of the Jews. He ordered his soldiers to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem below the age of two. An angel warned Joseph to flee. He took shelter in Egypt along with Mary and the infant Jesus and returned to Nazareth only after Herod’s death.