Why is Christmas celebrated on 25th December?

Question

Fireball IS a fireball, and will get the points. It's sad how many people seem to believe that Jesus was born on 25th December (if he was ever born!) since the bible (our only reference point) clearly indicates he was born sometime in September or October!

Happy Saturnalia, everyone!

Answer 1

Cuz Christians took over the pagan holiday to convert people!!

Answer 2

December and January were long before christianity a time of pagan celebrations, Saturnalia for the romans, and various others for other people of that time, anyway, it's because those months are the darkest months of the year (with the longest nights i mean) and people needed to do something happy against the lack of light. Most pagan celebrations (like carnival) were during the winter time for that reason, except the big Spring celebration of death and rebirth of Nature wich was replaced by Easter. Anyway, the church prefered to adjust to those ancient traditions, so people would not be tempted to celebrate the pagan celebrations that had roots in their culture for thousands of years. Jesus was propably born in March.

Answer 3

Christmas is celebrated at this general time because it's around the winter solstice - that is, the shortest day of the year. There have always been pagan celebrations around the solstice. Watching the days growing shorter and shorter has always been a frightening thing. When they began to grow longer again hope sprang anew - we weren't going to die, there wasn't going to be a perpetual winter. Pagan holdovers include burning yule logs and using mistletoe. Many Christian holidays are grafted onto pagan holidays - it was easier to get people to convert that way. Jesus was born a little later in the year.Solstice isn't the same day every year - it fluctuates by a few days. And a big 'duh' back to everyone who duhed you - people celebrate the birth of Christ at this time, but it's not his actual birthday at all!

Answer 4

Because the Winter Solstice is on the 21/22 and by putting the Holy Day near it the Christians could try and up their own god's seniority over the Celtic, Gaelic, Germanic et al...pantheons of the time. Then of course there was always the convert or die theory which seemed to work well but the Solstice was the reason for Christmas being put where it was.

Answer 5

Jesus was born in spring. That's when census was taken and that's why mAry and Joseph were traveling to Bethlehem . no one knows the exact date. The reason it's celebrated on December 25th is that the Catholic church picked it to take the place of pagan holidays. So now instead of Winter Solstice we celebrate Christmas.

Answer 6

in the 10th century one of the popes declared it to be dec. 25, it just stuck, even though Jesus was born in April, but since we already have easter and lots of holidays in that season. It is celebrated on the 25th.

Answer 7

Apparently Christmas was derived from the birth of Jesus Christ
I can't find when he was born but the event is a combination of Christ being born or going to Mas. I have always thought he was born on December 25th, I learned that in school.

Answer 8

The sun god was worshiped on the 25th so to get people away from worshiping him the religious leaders proclaimed that Jesus's birthday shall be observed on the 25th.

Answer 9

Pope Julian 1 declared it in the 14th century.

Answer 10

It is because the darkest day of the year used to be December 22. However it changed. Anyway so they wanted to make it a few dats l8r. And another way to think about it is December 22 is the darkest day, jesus dies, then three days l8r on christmas he is reseructed.