Christmas is a holiday that is over 2，000 years old. When we speak of Christmas， we tend to think of decorations， shiny lights， snow， presents， and trees. But some of these are quite recent traditions. What is the real story behind Christmas？ Christmas is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus， the son of God in the Christian1 religion. Over 2，000 years ago， Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary had to leave their home and travel to Bethlehem.
When they arrived in Bethlehem， all of the inns were full and they couldn't find any place to spend the night. To make matters worse， Mary started going into labor. In the end， a kind-hearted man let them stay in his stable with the donkeys and sheep. Jesus was born that night， and he had to sleep in a manger6 because there was no bed for him.
On that same night， a bright star rose in the sky above the stable. Three wise men saw this star and realized it was a sign from God. They followed the star and found Jesus， Mary， and Joseph. To celebrate Jesus' birth， they each gave him a present. This is why we exchange gifts at Christmas.