There is a lot more to Christmas than eating large holiday meals and getting presents. The holiday is centered on the birth of Jesus Christ, who would go on to change the world forever. While Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth, it also includes some aspects of holidays celebrated by people long before the event.
Why December 25th?
In the early days of Christianity, the main holiday of the religion was Easter. On this day, followers of Jesus would celebrate his resurrection after his crucifixion. By the 4th century, though, people decided to start celebrating the birth of their Lord. The only problem was that there was no clear indication of when the actual date was.
Though different scholars had varying ideas about when Jesus was born, Roman Emperor Constantine eventually declared that the holiday would be celebrated on December 25th.
While there was no proof that this date was right or wrong, Constantine had good reason for selecting it: many cultures within the Roman Empire had their own holidays around that date. By selecting a date important to so many people, the population was more willing to accept the date of December 25th.
While there is some confusion about the actual date of the birth of Jesus, the important thing is that he was born. And Christmas is all about celebrating that special birth.
The Nativity
Where the Bible is lacking in details about the date of Jesus' birth, the circumstances surrounding the birth are well documented. The story goes as follows:
First, Mary is told by the angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child. Since she had not yet consummated her marriage to Joseph, she didn't understand how she could be pregnant. Instead, she became pregnant by God through an immaculate conception.
During her pregnancy, Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for the census. Since there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph, they settled in for the night in the stable. In this location, Mary gave birth to God's son, who was named Jesus.
An angel then announced the birth to the Three Wise Men, who followed the star of Bethlehem to arrive at the manger where Jesus was born. They then greeted Jesus and lavished him with three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Other Traditions
The most important aspect of Christmas is to honor the birth of Jesus. Still, there are several customs and traditions that came from older cultures' celebrations. Since December 25th was already a time for celebration to many cultures, it is clear why so many people took to celebrating the birth of Jesus on that date. Here are the origins of some ancient holidays celebrated before Christmas:
- Throughout Europe, people had long celebrated the winter solstice, which would occur around December 25th. As the day of the winter solstice received the shortest amount of sunlight, people celebrated its passing as a way to look forward to more sunlight.
- In Scandinavia, people would celebrate the winter solstice well into January. During the holiday, which they called Yule, they would light a large tree trunk on fire and celebrate until the log was completely burned. These Scandinavians also held plants like holly and mistletoe to be important parts of their belief system.
- The ancient Persians celebrated a holiday called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, Latin for "birthday of the unconquered sun." This holiday, which also fell on the winter solstice, honored the god Mithras. The holiday celebrated the return of the sun, which could not be conquered.
As you can see, Christmas is a celebration of ancient traditions, from early winter solstice celebrations to the birth of Jesus. With its long history and combination of aspects of several different cultures, it is no wonder that Christmas has become such an important holiday to so many people.