Shafaq News / Iraqis used to celebrate New Year's Eve in their own unique way, by decorating the Christmas tree with bright accessories and balloons, dressing up as Santa Claus, and exchanging gifts that symbolize the Christmas spirit.
Shafaq News agency's correspondent toured the streets and surveyed some citizens about the occasion.
A gift shop owner said that citizens' demand for Santa Claus's uniforms and the Christmas tree is scant this year due to economic conditions.
Ahmed, the owner of the shop, said that the prices of the Christmas tree and decorations range from 35,000 dinars to 500,000 dinars, depending on the size of the tree, while the prices of Santa's uniform range from 55,000 for the average size to 200,000 dinars for the large size.
He added that the prices of children's costumes also range from 25,000 dinars to 100,000 dinars, while the price of a single Christmas tree decoration kit range from 20,000 to 40,000 dinars.
Santa Claus and the Christmas rituals
Santa Claus's character embodies a priest of Asia Minor (Turkey) named St. Nicholas, who lived in the fourth century A.D. and was known for treating children nicely and giving gifts to the poor.
He was later known as St. Nicholas, portrayed in medieval and renaissance paintings as a tall man with a serious and noble face.
According to theologian Dilshad Omar, in the 19th century, Christian families decided to combine the myth of Santa Claus with Christmas and use it to pacify and discipline their children. So the bishop's hat and St. Nicholas's cross became a red uniform and a hat.
"Santa Claus carries a bag on his shoulders with gifts for good and polite children. He no longer lives in paradise, but in the Arctic, and owns a toy and gift factory. In 1931, Coca-Cola chose him as its advertising symbol and introduced the new Santa Claus to the world," he continued.
"In many countries, children leave their shoes or socks somewhere for Santa Claus to fill them with gifts," Dilshad said.
The Christmas tree
Most people think there is a relationship between the Christmas tree and idolatry. However, that is a mistake, according to Howry Shukur, who told Shafaq News agency three stories illustrating why the Christmas tree exists.
"The first narrative is about St. Boniface, a Christian saint who visited a tiny village and discovered that its inhabitants worshiped an oak tree as their God and believed that God was in the tree. The saint reasoned that if he told the people of the area that their God was nonexistent, he would have to fight the entire town. As a result, he decided to cut the tree for them to know that there was no God inside it. People first opposed it, but it was cut off after multiple events, and the people saw that the oak tree had been cut and nothing evil had happened, so the saint made the tree a symbol of Christianity to preserve this symbolism."
"The second story is based on a German play called Paradise in Germany, in which Adam was filmed eating an apple and then exiled from paradise. The trees in that performance were decked with apples. Because the tale of Adam eating apples is particularly important in Christianity, Christians decorated trees with apples and considered them a Christmas symbol."
"The third narrative is that one night while wandering in the forest, Martin Luther, one of the most significant individuals in Christianity and the primary figure in the Protestant movement, was struck by the beauty of the stars visible through the evergreen pine trees. So he took one of the pine branches home and adorned it with candles to recreate the image for his family. So the concept spread, and the tree became a Christmas tradition, especially because the pine tree is evergreen, encourages optimism, represents the passion for life, and from another perspective, this beautiful tree points to heaven to remind us that God is watching over his worshippers."
Christmas bells
Bells have long been closely associated with churches in Christianity. They ring every Sunday in most churches around the world.
In Christian mythology, bells ring to guide stray sheep to the herd, and so the bell became a Christmas symbol that awakens people and helps them reach the path of guidance.
Ornamental lights
Christmas is celebrated at night in most areas of the world, so it makes sense to decorate the Christmas tree with lights. These lights do not necessarily symbolize anything, but for Christians, they represent "Jesus" as the light of the world who came to free people from darkness.
Christmas socks
Socks became a symbol of Christmas in the nineteenth century when people carefully hung their socks on their chimneys, and no one knows for certain when this ritual began.
The most famous story about the socks is about a poor old man who was concerned about his three daughters' future because he did not have enough money to pay for their dowries and weddings.
A man like St. Nicholas seemed to know their situation and wanted to help them, but he knew that this man would not accept charity, so he put gold in the girls' socks that were hung on the chimney to dry.