Why did the church pick Dec. 25th to Celibrate Jesus's birth when its obvious he was not born in December?

Question

Was Dec 25th picked to compete with Hanukkah or is there another so called "pagan" celibration that the church wanted to over shadow with "the birth of Christ"?

For those who are interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar

Answer 1

Yes, as Christianity moved throughout Europe and absorbed the "Old Religions" that celebrated Yule, the awakening of the earth as we moved towards longer days and the new growing season, it had to integrate those pagan beliefs with its own to attract followers. It's easier to assimilate other cultures if you make their traditions your own in some way or another. Hence, the Christians took December 25th as Christmas so that it was related to, but not the same, as the pagan Yule celebrations on the Winter Solstice, Decemeber 21st.

Answer 2

When Christianity was spreading through Europe, the Catholic church wanted a celebration for Christianity that would be in close proximity (date wise) to the Pagan winter solstice festival that was celebrated December 21st. They wanted those converting from Paganism to be able to still have a winter holiday. Jesus was probably not born in December. Some have Him born in the fall - personally I think it was closer to Passover - it is when the Roman's had their census taken.

Now, celebrating Jesus birth on December 25th is a custom. I celebrate His birth that day, as do most Christians. The Christmas season did not really take off until the time of Charles Dickens - and it wasn't as commercialized until the 1950's.

Answer 3

Very good question! NOWHERE in the Bible is this tradition commanded! In fact,in Jeremiah Chapter 10,it is clearly referring to "christmas" in a condemning way! (Verses 1-5)...However,there was a PAGAN tradition for Saturn at that time of year! LOOK IT UP in an encyclopedia! Or at your library! Jesus is GOD and alive! He is NOT still in a manger or hanging on some cross! The Roman tradition is from the MASS of CHRIST-NOT from your Bible...Shocking? WHY? The Truth is always refreshingly liberating. It's just that so few wish to buck the crowd and be seen as "different"...Hmmmm--but what does GOD think about this? HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Answer 4

The winter SOLSTICE occurrs around this time known as the birth of the SUN a time when the days got longer and the Pagans partied so to get the Christians involved they incorpoated the birth of the SON as sort of a combined celebration or civic celebration and the rest is history SANTA and RUDOLF came in latter.

Answer 5

Nothing in Christianity is original. The pre-Christian God Mithras - called the Son of God and the Light of the World - was born on December 25, died, was buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days. By the way, December 25 is also the birthday or Osiris, Adonis, and Dionysus. The newborn Krishna was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Even Christianity's weekly holy day was stolen from the pagans."

Answer 6

Christianity has spread throughout the world by adopting the traditions of each region as it goes along. It seems that putting Jesus's birthday with the yule festival really stuck. Not all traditions work out, but we've acquired many over the centuries.

Thoughtful Christians of our day and age call Christmas the "celebration of Christ's birthday". We're not all under the allusion that Jesus was born in the dead of winter.

Answer 7

There is no day in the calander that is not associated with some other "belief" system... There is no exact date of any event in Jesus' life that is known for sure... this is to prevent any "day" from being made like those in pagan worship... Christmas is mearly a day set aside to remember the birth... Jesus' birth and Sacrifice are celibrated every Day in the hearts of those who know Him.

Answer 8

The Bible is silent as to while Jesus became into born. that's actual that maximum scholars place his start interior the spring from the bills of his start. The Church has on no account proposed or claimed that Jesus became into born on December twenty 5th yet somewhat chosen that day to have fun His start. God bless! In Christ Fr. Joseph

Answer 9

A lot of people misunderstand how the Church does things in her history including making a liturgical calander for the year. And what I am saying will not completely answer your question to your satisfaction. Yet, I just wanted to do my part to inform and forstall any unjust responses people may give you (e.g.) that the Church was in competition and forced in a bloody and violent way the Christian faith into the pagan world. In reality things went a lot smoother in the transition between paganism to Christianity. There was some violence and deaths, but these were sporatic and isolated events. I guess I am trying to explain how the Church evangelizes and interacts with other cultures.
December 25th is reflective of the winter solstice and the Sun was worshipped by pagans. However, the Church did not destroy their belief in a supreme being, but clarified what they believed in. Christ's birth is the birth of the Son of Justice, He is the brightness of God upon the earth. And so, in evangelizing to the pagans the pagans could understand the concept of Jesus truly being the one they were worshipping the whole time, but were greatly misinformed until the arrival of Christianity.
Christianity used and melded with the culture of the pagans in order to evangelize effectively. This is not a conquering of a culture, but a purifying of a culture. The pagans believed in a supreme being who is the Sun, but now with Christianity they understood the supreme being they worshipped was the Son! The Christian saints and evangelizers only got rid of what was detrimental to the meaning of the Gospel message in order to preserve its clarity. For example, pagans either sacrificed their crops, livestock, or another person to worship (depending on the culture). And how they worshipped was through fear instead of fealty. In Christianity we do not sacrifice crops, livestock, or people to worship. We worship out of love and fealty to God. Christ Himself did not need the sacrifice others to be worshipped, He sacrificed Himself.
The Christian view changed the paganistic worldview of the time. In the pagan worldview reality was fixed and fated. Man had no freedom. All was determined and inescapable. With Christianity even the pagans soon discovered they were free in Christ and not fated.
Although some things were destroyed in pagan temples and sites, the only things that were preseved by the Church was usually the temple and the altars within it (e.g.) the Pantheon in Rome is a pagan temple and the altar is pagan, but is a Christian temple now. The pagans for the most part did not mind this and were glad of it for they could still worship, but now worship in freedom and in clarity of who they worshipped.
And so, the mission of the Church (although badly executed by man at times) was to bring clarity to a culture.
I can state with certainty that such was the way of the Church and it was not always a bloody massacre. The reason why is we still have all the historical data from our missionaires and what they encountered and went through. From this we get a good idea of how things really happened.
I hope this was helpful in some way. May the Lord bless and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.

God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

Answer 10

Because the church wanted to cover up the existence of the Pagans' holiday of Winter Solsitice (Yule) which falls on or around the same day as (christmas) so that they could build their popularity within the Pagan community.