Why was the 25th of December chosen as Christmas Day, when no-one knows the date of Jesus's birth?

Question

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Answer 1

To Replace Pagan Festivals.

Answer 2

Usual load of bunk about supposed pagan origins.

25th December was chosen by Roman Christians some time in the 3rd century AD. It was suggested by some in the early 3rd century. As it was chosen in Rome it has nothing at all to do with anything Celtic or Northern European.

Although the Julian calendar when it was started by Julius Caesar in c40BC had 25th December as the solstice, by the 3rd century, due to its inaccuracies, the solstice had drifted to 2 or 3 days earlier. Hence the 25th was NOT chosen because it was the solstice. Saturnalia was also usually over by the 25th, In other words they avoided Saturnalia and the Solstice.

Emperor Aurelian in the late 3rd century inaugurated a sun festival on 25th Dec in about 275 AD but, as I have said, Christians had already considered that date.so it is likely that Aurelian was trying to subvert Christianity - which he opposed vigorously - rather than the other way round.

The reason for choosing the date is likely to be a genuine attempt to work out when Christ was born based on astrological and other considerations.

Answer 3

very likely the holiest event ever to take place anywhere on the Earth, and an entirely worthy occasion to celebrate. But don't you ever wonder if we've got anything about it right? Is it even on the right date?
Well jesus was born between spring, or Sep. December was aleady known for religious holidays, There have been festivals of every sort around the winter solstice going back to the Babylonians. But it was the Roman Emperor Aurelian who fixed the actual date. He called December 25th "The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun",so I guess that's why...

Answer 4

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday.Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century."

Answer 5

To replace Yule in North/West Europe. A much older midwinter festival, with all the same customs Christmas had (obviously you still have yule logs, etc, but presents and decorations and feasting are all pre-Christian traditions too). The Christians who converted Europe knew that people were unlikely to stop celebrating their old holiday, so they gave it a Christian meaning because they didn't want people celebrating Pagan festivals but, apart from that, nothing much changed really.

Interesting that on the Julian Calendar midwinter (shortest day) was on the 25th of December.

Answer 6

biblical scholars assumed that because he was born in a manger and the animals etc. that it must be winter time..
decm 25th was the winter solitice so it was chosen to host the Lords birthday.

Answer 7

.."tradition" being the pagan "festival of the lights" as a counteraction to the winter solstice. (ref "I am the light of the world" JOHN 8:12)...note also Chanukah, Diwali etc.

Answer 8

It was the date of Saturnalia.

Answer 9

in USA probably to give the government a reason to take a 2 week vacation... seeings who til WWII there were no national days /holidays in december.

Answer 10

well i think that interpol should open an investigation,cos religion has a lot to answer for.