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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 magi 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 magi bringing gifts of "gold, and frankincense and myrrh" are from Matthew.  

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. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22. A calendar reform by Augustus is responsible for much of the misalignment. It is possible there was also an error present from the beginning.</ref> According to an ancient Jewish tradition, the equinox is the anniversary of the first day of Creation. 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 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. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22. A calendar reform by Augustus is responsible for much of the misalignment. It is possible there was also an error present from the beginning.</ref> Christmas is often connected to pagan solstice festivals, especially by those who oppose the holiday. But the symbolism of a solstice date appealed to the Church Fathers for reasons unrelated to paganism.  

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 magi 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 magi and is symbolic of the fact that Jesus came as gift to mankind from [[God]].  

[[Image:Parmigianino Virgin with Child.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy Virgin with her Child]]Nativity narratives feature prominently in both Matthew and Luke. Early Christians had a great deal of interest in establishing the date of the birth of Jesus. But no evidence could be found in the gospels. They proposed a wide variety of dates.<ref>"Clement of Alexandria, for instances mentions (and dismisses) proposals that Christ was born on April 19 or May 20 and himself calculated the date as November 17, 3 BC. Other suggested dates included March 28 and April 2, but not December 25. None of these dates were influential, or enjoyed any official recognition." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref>

[[Image:Parmigianino Virgin with Child.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy Virgin with her Child]]Nativity narratives feature prominently in both Matthew and Luke. Early Christians had a great deal of interest in establishing the date of the birth of Jesus. But no evidence could be found in the gospels. They proposed a wide variety of dates.<ref>"Clement of Alexandria, for instances mentions (and dismisses) proposals that Christ was born on April 19 or May 20 and himself calculated the date as November 17, 3 BC. Other suggested dates included March 28 and April 2, but not December 25. None of these dates were influential, or enjoyed any official recognition." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref>

The choice of December 25 as the birthdate of Jesus was influenced by universal historians. These writers wanted to present history in the form of cycles. In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus gave March 25 as the date of the first day of Creation and of the conception of Jesus in his universal history. This conclusion was based on solar symbolism, with March 25 the date of the equinox. It implies a birth in December, although Africanus did not calculate a date of birth himself.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol, the sun in the art and religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 585, footnote 8.</ref> Solar symbolism was extremely common among Christian writers of the time.<ref>Hijmans notes the "the pervasive use of the sun as metaphor for Christ in early Christian literature, in which he is often referred to as “Sol verus”, “Sol Justitiae”, etc." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref> It was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>Malachi 4:2.</ref>

The choice of December 25 as the birthdate of Jesus was influenced by universal historians. These writers wanted to present history in the form of cycles. According to an ancient Jewish tradition, the equinox is the anniversary of the first day of Creation. Influenced by this tradition, Christians in the Middle Ages celebrated New Year's Day on March 25. In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus gave March 25 as the date of the first day of Creation and of the conception of Jesus in his universal history.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> This conclusion was based on solar symbolism, with March 25 the date of the equinox. It implies a birth in December, although Africanus did not calculate a date of birth himself.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol, the sun in the art and religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 585, footnote 8.</ref> Solar symbolism was extremely common among Christian writers of the time.<ref>Hijmans notes the "the pervasive use of the sun as metaphor for Christ in early Christian literature, in which he is often referred to as “Sol verus”, “Sol Justitiae”, etc." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref> It was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>Malachi 4:2.</ref>

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it. Irenaeus and Tertullian give both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays.<ref>McCracken, George, ''Arnobius of Sicca, the Case Against the Pagans'', Volume 2, p. 83. "Therefore if this is a fact, how can Jupiter be god if it is agreed that god is everlasting, while the other is represented by you to have a birthday, and frightened by the new experience, to have squalled like an infant."</ref>

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it. Irenaeus and Tertullian give both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays.<ref>McCracken, George, ''Arnobius of Sicca, the Case Against the Pagans'', Volume 2, p. 83. "Therefore if this is a fact, how can Jupiter be god if it is agreed that god is everlasting, while the other is represented by you to have a birthday, and frightened by the new experience, to have squalled like an infant."</ref>