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The story of the birth of Christ is told in the opening chapters of the [[Gospel of Luke]] and the [[Gospel of Matthew]]. Each contains different elements of the Christmas story. The visit of the [[Archangel]] to the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in a [[manger]] are from Luke. The story of the Star of [[Bethlehem]] and the visit from the Wise Men bringing gifts of "[[gold]], and [[frankincense]] and [[myrrh]]" are from Matthew.  

The story of the birth of Christ is told in the opening chapters of the [[Gospel of Luke]] and the [[Gospel of Matthew]]. Each contains different elements of the Christmas story. The visit of the [[Archangel]] to the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in a [[manger]] are from Luke. The story of the Star of [[Bethlehem]] and the visit from the Wise Men bringing gifts of "[[gold]], and [[frankincense]] and [[myrrh]]" are from Matthew.  

It is worthwhile to note that December 25 is likely not the date of Jesus' actual birth. In the Biblical description of Jesus' birth, He was visited by three shepherds who had been out that night with their sheep. Shepherds would not have been out with their sheep in the winter. Jesus' birth date is more commonly agreed to be some time in the autumn. It was not until A.D. 440 that the church officially proclaimed December 25 as the birth of Christ. This was not based on any religious evidence but on a pagan feast. [[Saturnalia]] was a tradition inherited by the Roman pagans from an earlier Babylonian priesthood. December 25 was used as a celebration of the birthday of the sun god. It was observed near the winter solstice.<ref>[http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/was-jesus-born-on-december-25-faq.htm]</ref>

The Bible does not give a date for the birth of Jesus. The holiday is exactly nine months following [[Annunciation]] on March 25. On the Roman calendar, March 25 was marked as the [[spring equinox]] while December 25 was considered the date of the [[winter solstice]]. Both of these dates are traditional and merely approximate.<ref>Sosigenes of Alexandria intended March 25 to be the date of the equinox when he designed the Julian calendar. The calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC. Misalignment may have arisen due to calendar reforms introduced by Augustus and others -- or perhaps it is an error that was present from the beginning. The modern date of the equinox is March 21 or 22.</ref> According to an ancient Jewish tradition, Creation occurred on the equinox. Influenced by this tradition, Christians in the Middle Ages celebrated New Year's Day on March 25.

 

The first recorded Christmas celebration was in Rome in 336.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> The feast was introduced to the Eastern Roman Empire after the death of Emperor Valens, who favored the [[Arian]] heresy, in 378. So the holiday seems to have been associated with Rome and orthodoxy when it was introduced. Scholars do not believe that Christmas has a relationship to any pagan festival.<ref>The two festivals most often suggested are Saturnalia, held December 17, and ''Dies Natalis Solis Invicti'', held on December 25. Saturalia was exclusive to Italy while ''Natalis Solis Invicti'' was prominent only under Aurelian.</ref>

In Western countries, during the Christmas season people generally hang up colored lights, place a [[Christmas tree]] (typically an evergreen tree) in their house, sing [[carol]]s (songs), and exchange gifts. Gift-giving commemorates the gifts given to the Christ child by the Wise Men and is symbolic of the fact that Jesus came as gift to mankind from [[God]].

In Western countries, during the Christmas season people generally hang up colored lights, place a [[Christmas tree]] (typically an evergreen tree) in their house, sing [[carol]]s (songs), and exchange gifts. Gift-giving commemorates the gifts given to the Christ child by the Wise Men and is symbolic of the fact that Jesus came as gift to mankind from [[God]].