CHRISTMAS | HISTORY
The Truth About Christmas
The celebration of Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, a figure whom approximately 2.2 billion Christians worldwide worship as the “Son of God.” The truth, however, is a bit more complicated.
When Was Jesus Born?
Beyond its official significance, Christmas also holds an unofficial purpose — allowing friends and families to cherish special moments with their loved ones while exchanging gifts, preferably while gathered around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree next to a toasty, crackling fireplace adorned with brightly colored stockings that Santa Claus will fill with toys and trinkets.
Some may logically infer that December 25, the traditional date for Christmas (meaning “Christ Mass”), signifies the day of Jesus’ birth.
However, the truth surrounding this matter is more complicated.
I do not intend to dispel anyone’s faith or say they are doing it wrong. You should continue to celebrate what you celebrate the way you choose. I am merely stating the facts as we know them.
Just because some are predisposed to call Santa Claus a commercial myth does not keep others from portraying him as the jolly old fellow who delivers Christmas gifts to all the good little boys and girls around the globe, does it? Of course not.
I originally had this idea while watching “The Big Bang Theory,” one of my favorite TV sitcoms.
Penny and Leonard were decorating the Christmas tree when Sheldon came over with his contribution to the tree, a hanging bust of Sir Isaac Newton, who we also know from the show was not the reason those delightful cookies were called Fig Newtons.
They are named after a town in Massachusetts.
Sheldon explains why he thinks Newton is a better ornament than most by saying:
“December 25, 1642, by the Julian Calendar, Sir Isaac Newton was born. Jesus, on the other hand, was actually born in the summer. His birthday was moved to coincide with the traditional pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice with lit fires and slaughtered goats. Which, frankly, sounds like a lot more fun than the 12 hours of church with my mother followed by a fruitcake.”
Other than Sheldon’s word, determining the exact date of Jesus’ birth is uncertain, as no conclusive evidence exists.
Experts speculate that December 25 is unlikely to be the actual day and instead, propose the possibility of Jesus being born in the spring or summer.
What Does the Bible Say About His Birth Date?
The Bible lacks any specific reference to the day, month, or year of his birth, further complicating matters.
It’s interesting that although we don’t know for sure when Jesus was born, His death or crucifixion was chronicled in detail by the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
“He would have been surrounded by family and despite the suggestion from ‘Away in a Manger,’ He would have cried because He was fully human as well as fully divine. The Bible doesn’t mention Mary riding a donkey, or three kings of the Orient or any animals around the manger.
We also aren’t told anything about the date — it wasn’t until the fourth century that we started celebrating on the 25th of December. But what is clear is that God showed up, the divine in a skin, Emmanuel meaning God with us.” — Peter Lynas, the Evangelical Alliance Director in Newsweek.
Away In A Manger — 9-Year-Old Claire Crosby
The timing of Christmas is further convoluted due to disparities arising from the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Consequently, December 25 does not universally signify the celebration of Christmas.
“Some common synonyms include Noel, Yule, Xmas, and Christmastide. You see, while Christmas is widely recognized across the world, each region and culture has its own way of referring to it: Noel: a French word for Christmas, often used in songs and carols.” — Name of the Year.
Various cultures have designated different dates for the observance of this pivotal event. Armenian Apostolics, for instance, prefer January 6, while several Oriental and Eastern Orthodox churches mark the occasion on January 7.
“In addition to ‘Christmas’, the holiday has had various other English names throughout its history. The Anglo-Saxons referred to the feast as ‘midwinter,’ or, more rarely, as Nātiuiteð (from the Latin nātīvitās). Nativity, meaning ‘birth’, is from the Latin nātīvitās.” — Wikipedia.
As a side note, I typically do not use Wikipedia as a primary source because it is not a trustworthy citation source, as anyone can edit it. However, as a source for what other cultures call Christmas, I thought this would be OK.
Broadening the Winter Solstice Angle by the Church
One of the widely embraced theories regarding the date of Christmas revolves around the winter solstice, a significant event in ancient Rome occurring on December 25.
Augustine of Hippo, a theologian from the fourth century, proposed in his Sermon 192 that Jesus purposefully selected the shortest day of the year for his birth.
Augustine explained it as follows:
“Hence it is that He was born on the day which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase.” — Info Please.
This particular interpretation found support in later works by Sir Isaac Newton.
It is also speculated that the selection of December 25 as the date for Christmas may have been a strategic move by the Roman Catholic Church. It is believed that the Church sought to assimilate the existing pagan festival of Saturnalia, which venerates the Roman god Saturn.
“Saturnalia, held in mid-December, is an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. Because of when the holiday occurred — near the winter solstice — Saturnalia celebrations are the source of many of the traditions we now associate with Christmas, such as wreaths, candles, feasting and gift-giving.” — The History Channel.
How Does Passover Possibly Figure into the Date for Christmas?
Early theologians who explored the topic of Jesus’ birth mentioned that it likely occurred during Passover, a Jewish holiday coinciding with his later crucifixion.
By calculating the date of Passover in the year Jesus died as March 25, they arrived at December 25 as a probable date for his birth — by taking into account a nine-month gestation period.
It’s worth noting that Eastern Christian communities used a different calendar, resulting in January 6, as we discussed above, being observed as Christmas in certain parts of the world due to their calculation of Passover on April 6.
Another theory focuses specifically on the Annunciation when the Archangel Gabriel informed Mary of her forthcoming role as the mother of the Son of God.
The Annunciation is traditionally observed on March 25, precisely nine months before December 25.
Another fascinating fact might be that the difference between 25 December and 6 January (which also coincides with the coming of the Magi, Three Wise Men) as possible dates that Jesus could have been born, according to the elder’s “best guess,” might have given us the 12 days of Christmas.
And since God gave us Jesus to wipe away our sins, we also give gifts to our loved ones.
My Final Thoughts about Christmas
Whatever you believe about Christmas or how you celebrate it or not is your business.
Those traditions shouldn’t be compromised by the later changes in calendars or what some scientist celebrates as fact.
The day or date is not as important as the celebration and tradition.
The most crucial element of Christmas, or whichever date or deity you celebrate, is the gathering of friends and family to celebrate with good cheer, love, and compassion.
That’s all for today. Please engage with my article by highlighting something you found interesting and commenting. Come back soon.
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Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Also, a Top Writer in Bitcoin, Business, Investing, Nutrition, Travel, Fiction, Transportation, VR, NFL, Design, Creativity, and Short Story.
