“The real reason for the selection of Dec. 25 seems to have been that it is exactly nine months after March 25, the traditional date of Jesus' crucifixion. … As Christians developed the theological idea that Jesus was conceived and crucified on the same date, they set the date of his birth nine months later.”
The church in Rome began formally celebrating Christmas on December 25 in 336, during the reign of the emperor Constantine. As Constantine had made Christianity the effective religion of the empire, some have speculated that choosing this date had the political motive of weakening the established pagan celebrations.
The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, the year in which King Herod died.
The precise date of Christ's birth was decided as 25th December by Pope Julius I in the fourth century, long before the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England. The original Germanic invaders – Angles, Saxons, and Jutes – were not Christian, but were still engaged in celebrations on the 25th December.
Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th and 24th?
As a result, Jesus is said to have been born at 5 p.m. on December 24, and his birthday finishes at the same time on December 25. This is why, according to custom, Christmas supper is served on December 24 and Christmas brunch is served on December 25. So, in essence, Christmas is split into two days.
[Shocking Truth] Christmas is a Pagan Holiday and not biblical! - Origins, Traditions & Facts
Who started Christmas?
The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Early celebrations of Christmas are thought to have derived from Roman and other European festivals that marked the end of the harvest, and the winter solstice.
All this is still within the time frame of how the Jewish calendar would have served to place the conception of Jesus as being in the sixth month on the Jewish calendar—our March—and Jesus' birth coming nine months later, in December. Christians therefore need not be doubtful about Christmas and its dating.
Under Emperor Constantine, the Church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 in 336. Some say the date was chosen to outshine the Sol Invictus and pagan celebrations.
What country doesn't celebrate Christmas on the 25th?
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday.
However, Bond makes the case Jesus died around Passover, between A.D. 29 and 34. Considering Jesus' varying chronology, he was 33 to 40 years old at his time of death.
Jesus' name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua. So how did we get the name “Jesus”? And is “Christ” a last name? Watch the episode to find out!
Christmas is celebrated by many Christians on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. For Eastern Orthodox churches that continue to use the Julian calendar for liturgical observances, this date corresponds to January 7 on the Gregorian calendar.
The Gospels all agree that Jesus died on a Friday, a few hours before the Jewish Sabbath was to begin (Matthew 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:42), that he shared a Last Supper with his disciples the evening before, and was crucified the next day—and that these events occurred in the reign of Tiberius (AD 14–37) ...
These celebrations commemorated Christ's birth and the name Christmas (Christ's Mass) is first recorded in England in 1038. Medieval celebrations also combined the servants-as-masters antics and gift-giving of Roman Saturnalia with customs belonging to the midwinter feast of Yule.
It's a shortened form of Christ's Mass. Christmas is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the Christian faith. It's also a celebration. It's when Christians celebrate God's love for the world through the birth of the Christ child: Jesus.
In short, Herod knew as much as anyone could have known about the very first Christmas - and yet he missed it. He was a real-life Grinch with blood dripping from his hands, and the truth of Christmas slipped away from him as surely as Mary and Joseph hurried toward Egypt, slipping away from his reign of terror.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.
The Christian/Catholic Church decided to proclaim Dec. 25th as a day to honor the birth of Jesus Christ although the actual date is unknown. This date was picked to counter a popular pagan holiday. No, it is not.
4) Another argument comes from the idea that Jesus is the Lamb of God. In keeping with that idea, it would make sense that He was born at the season when other passover lambs were born (John 1:29). The passover lamb was to be “a male of the first year” (Exodus 12:5), which means that it was born the previous April.
Some believe Jesus was born in April based on Jewish traditions and the season and the mention of shepherds in the field during spring in Luke 2:8. The prophecy of Jesus' death in Daniel suggests he was born between summer and fall, placing his birth outside the winter months.
Elder Talmage had stated his position in words perhaps implying that this view or belief was obligatory on the entire membership of the Church: “We believe that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, April 6, B.C. 1.”13 This statement notwithstanding, the two highest-ranking General Authorities who subsequently ...
The first known use of Christmas, according to Merriam-Webster, was before the 12th century and originates from Middle English's Christemass meaning "Christ's mass." Mass in Old English, according to Dictionary.com, references a church service.
