('Big Day') is what
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
is called in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
and the neighbouring eastern Indian state of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...
.
History
Christianity was brought to Bangladesh in the 16th century by Portuguese traders and missionaries.
Christians in Bangladesh make up 0.03 percent of the population.
Celebrations
Christians in Bangladesh give gifts to each other and visit others on Christmas. Christmas is national holiday in Bangladesh. Kids receive money or toys from adults. People greet each other with ('Greetings of the Great Day'). In rural areas, banana trees and leaves are used for decoration. In cities, common Christmas decorations include Christmas trees, banners and balloons. Special events are held in hotels and Christmas specials are shown on TV. Traditional foods include
Christmas cake
Christmas cake is a type of cake, often fruitcake, served at Christmas time in many countries.
British variations
Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge. A traditional English Christmas cake is made with moist Zant ...
,
pitha, and
cookies
A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chi ...
.
Christians visit churches and make Christmas cakes. Churches are decorated with Christmas lights and a Christmas tree. Church choirs perform Bengali Christmas songs. Church-held Christmas Eve feasts are called and hymns are called .
Christmas is also increasingly celebrated by other religions in Bangladesh, especially in urban areas of the country.
See also
*
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
*
Christianity in Bangladesh
Christians in Bangladesh account for 0.30% (roughly 500,000 believers) of the nation's population as of 2022 census. Together with Judaism and Buddhism (plus other minority religious groups such as Atheism, Sikhism, the Bahá’í Faith and ...
*
Christmas worldwide
The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianit ...
References
{{reflist
Annual events in Bangladesh
Public holidays in Bangladesh
Christmas