Just the fact that the whole planet is officially governed by the Christian calendar, which divides history into before and after the birth of Jesus Christ, indicates the significance of this date for humanity in general.
A whole culture has emerged around Christmas, expressed in two different celebration styles: the sacred and the profane. The first focuses on faith in the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word and on the values derived from it; that is why it is above all a family festivity (the human family must be imbued with the spirit of the Holy Family, which is, in turn, a mirror of the Trinitarian Family).
Traditions and customs are a way of making present what happened or what used to be done in past times. They are the facts, beliefs or works that are transmitted from one generation to another, orally or in writing. The word tradition comes from the Latin word “traditio” that in turn derives from the verb “tradere” which means to deliver, to hand over. You could say that tradition is what our ancestors have handed over or rather, handed down to us.
In the case of Christmas, the most important aspect of traditions and customs is not only the exterior features, but its inner meaning. We must know why and what traditions and customs are carried out for, in order to live them intensely.