Christmas is a holiday by which Christians around the world celebrate the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. His birth was foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament, those whom God chose to be messengers and interpreters of His words.
Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit so that the Son of God would be born of a woman and become a man for the salvation of the whole world. By divine nature he is the Son of God, and by human nature the Son of Mary. He grew up in a family surrounded by the love of his mother Mary and his earthly father Joseph.
Christmas is preceded by Advent during which Christians prepare for the feast through spiritual renewal and early morning masses. The birth of the child Jesus is celebrated. The whole family gathers around Christmas, dating back to the 4th century when it was first celebrated in Rome.
On New Year's Eve, the night before the New Year, the departure of the old calendar year is celebrated and everyone wants a new beginning, a better and happier new year. Unlike Christmas, which is a family holiday, New Year is celebrated in larger company. In addition to the usual entertainment, song and dance, fireworks at midnight are also unavoidable. Even today, as in ancient days and ancient cultures, this celebration is cheerful and loud. (Željka Šaravanja)
Croatian Post Ltd. Mostar has issued 2 commemorative postage stamps in a sheet of 16 stamp, 2 self-adhesive stamps, a post mark and First Day Cover (FDC).
