Changes

==Relationship to pagan festivals==

==Relationship to pagan festivals==

It is sometimes suggested that Christmas is an "appropriation" of a pagan festival, a view that can be traced back to the Puritans. According to this view, the Church placed Christmas on December 25 as a marketing strategy to absorb pagan solstice festivals into Christianity. The cycle of solstice and equinox is a natural phenomena significant to religions of widely varying character. Pagan Rome had many holidays and the fact that Christmas is on the same date as a pagan holiday is not necessarily significant.

It is sometimes suggested that Christmas is an "appropriation" of a pagan festival. This view has a long history and can be traced back to the Puritans. According to this view, the Church placed Christmas on December 25 as a marketing strategy to absorb pagan solstice festivals into Christianity. The cycle of solstice and equinox is a natural phenomena significant to religions of widely varying character. Pagan Rome had many holidays and the fact that Christmas is on the same date as a pagan holiday is not necessarily significant.

The end of the year was a time of varied celebration in pagan Rome, and it remains so in modern times. Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for three to five days. It was followed by ''Dies Natalis Solis Invicti'' on December 25 and Kalends on January 1 to January 4. Saturnalia was exclusive to Italy while ''Natalis Solis Invicti'' was prominent only under Aurelian.

The end of the year was a time of varied celebration in pagan Rome, and it remains so in modern times. Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for three to five days. It was followed by ''Dies Natalis Solis Invicti'' on December 25 and Kalends on January 1 to January 4. Saturnalia was exclusive to Italy while ''Natalis Solis Invicti'' was prominent only under Aurelian.