Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ b’day, is on the 25th december why is this when jesus actual date of birth is unknown but thought to be some time in september, don’t give me all that pagan festival bull, 'cos there were many pagan festivals that could have been replaced but why this one?
Well, it seems emotionally right (in the northern hemisphere), for one thing.
Actually, as far as I know, we don’t have any actual record of how it happened.
Rax,
Because Saturnalia was the one pagan festival when there wasn’t a lot of work to do – you know things like harvesting, planting, etc.
It was also significant that the Sun turned around and headed north again after the solstice.
THAT was a big event each year, because those early pagans were never really sure the Sun was actually going to reverse itself and head north again. There must have always been great relief after the solstice when the Sun start creeping north again.
Best,
Sky
Because they stole Jesus’s birthday from Mithras.
It’s my understanding that Jesus’ birthday would have been in the spring, i.e. around Easter. Shepherds would have been “watching their flocks by night” because of the lambs. I recall reading (sorry - I forget where) that the Roman census has been dated fairly specifically as well to sometime in the spring.
Because the solstice on december 25 was the Dies Natalis Solis Invictus, “Birthday of the unavanquished sun” in the solar cult the later emperors tried to set up,so he who was “the new light” could easily be interpreted as being born the same day, as well as giving a reason for good christians to keep the saturnalia celebration, which has proven difficult to stamp out…
Raxel, you’ve posted the same question in a different forum. Note that Cecil has already answered this, in “Why is Christmas celebrated on Dec 25?”
You’re new here, so you might want to read the FAQ and rules. We do not permit double-posting.
I am therefore closing this one, and leaving the link to the other thread: Why is Christmas in December?