A banner is a long strip of cloth, paper, or other flexible material displaying a slogan, advertisement, motto, or message, often suspended between two points or carried in processions.
The history of banners stretches across civilizations as an evolving language of identity, belief, authority, and collective expression, beginning with the ancient vexillum of Rome, which was more a suspended cloth flag hung from a horizontal crossbar than a modern flag, giving it a rigid, almost sculptural presence on the battlefield.
Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, played a pivotal role in shaping the modern celebration of Christmas.
The word “Christmas” originates from the Old English Crīstesmæsse, meaning “Christ’s Mass.” First recorded in 1038, it refers to the liturgical1 celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Other names include Nativity, derived from Latin nativitas (“birth”), and Noël, from Old French noël (“Christmas season”).
