Ancient Romans would celebrate this date with a public banquet, giving gifts, partying, and holding a sacrifice in the Temple of Saturn. This celebration honored Saturn, the God of Sowing and Husbandry, and was linked to the rise of a new year and the return of light. Originally, Saturnalia was held on December 17th, though the festival eventually was extended until December 25. The most well-known of these celebrations were Saturnalia and the birthday of the Sun God, Mithra. Yet other important events did fall at that time of year for ancient pagans. Okay, so Jesus probably wasn’t born on December 25th. These censuses were not known to have occurred in winter – also making it improbable to link Jesus’ birthday with the day now called Christmas. Luke 2:1-4 also claims that Joseph and Mary were traveling to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census when Jesus was born. Luke 2:8 states that on the night of Jesus’ birth “there were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.” Scholars tend to agree that it is highly unlikely that shepherds were out with their flocks in the cold winter month. That being said, there are several reasons supporting the idea that Jesus wasn’t born in December. As the Catholic Encyclopaedia states “there is no month in the year to which respectable authorities have not assigned Christ’s birth” ( Catholic Encyclopaedia). Why Is Christmas Celebrated on December 25?Ĭhristmas Was Probably Not the Day Christ was Bornįirst, let’s take a quick look at why Christmas probably wasn’t Jesus’ day of birth. Regardless of the possible reasons for the date, the church calendar was set in the West during Constantine’s reign while the Eastern Church held onto the date of January 6 for some time. December 25 is 9 months later and thus celebrated as the birthday of Jesus. The second theory centers around the date “accepted” by the Western Church of March 25 as the Annunciation or Immaculate Conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb. ".Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” The Christian sees the truth implicit in this pagan tradition that reflects: Christ the Light of the world, His triumph over the night of sin in Luke 1:78-79: From Jewish Chanukah to Pagan Winter Solstice to Germanic Yule to Roman Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Birth of the Unconquered Sun) the sheer number of celebration days with trees, decorations, yule logs, mistletoe and feasts seem to point to a season of celebration to which Christians added the birth of Jesus as a counter-cultural event and possibly even an escape from the pagan holidays for early believers.ĭecember 25th was the Saturnalia Festival of emancipation, gift giving and the triumph of light after the longest night.
People and religions of the day celebrated some sort of holiday around that time. But it was not an official Roman state festival at this time. The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). The early Christians certainly had many arguments as to when it should be celebrated! Also, the birth of Jesus probably didn't happen in the year 1 but slightly earlier, somewhere between 2 BCE/BC and 7 BCE/BC, possibly in 4 BCE/BC (there isn't a 0 - the years go from 1 BC/BCE to 1!). Who made the decision? Some accounts say it was the pope others say it wasn’t. By the mid-fourth century, the birthday celebration had been moved to Dec. Why? Nobody knows, but it may have been the result of “a calculation based on an assumed date of crucifixion of April 6 coupled with the ancient belief that prophets died on the same day as their conception,” according to.
The birth was first thought - in around 200 A.D.
No one knows the real birthday of Jesus! No date is given in the Bible, so why do we celebrate it on the 25th December? People, and especially children, also like Christmas as it's a time when you give and receive presents! Why Is Christmas Celebrated on December 25? The Date of Christmas
It's a time when family and friends come together and remember the good things they have. Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). Most Christians today probably can’t imagine Christmas on any other day than December 25.Ĭhristmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God.
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