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'''Christmas''' is a holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. It is celebrated on December 25. The word "Christmas" comes from "Christ's mass." A few churches, including the Russian and Ukrainian churches, still celebrate according to the [[Julian calendar]]. December 25 on the Julian calendar corresponds to January 7 on the [[Gregorian calendar]].

'''Christmas''' is a holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. It is celebrated on December 25. The word "Christmas" comes from "Christ's mass." A few churches, including the Russian and Ukrainian churches, still celebrate according to the [[Julian calendar]]. December 25 on the Julian calendar corresponds to January 7 on the [[Gregorian calendar]].

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. Christmas is often connected to pagan festivals such as Yule, especially by those who oppose Christian traditions. However, the symbolism of a solstice date appealed to the Church Fathers for reasons unrelated to the various pagan festivals that were celebrated at this time of year.  

 

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. This calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, drifted by almost a day each century. By 325, calendar drift had moved the equinox to March 21, according to the Council of Nicaea. The [[Gregorian calendar]], instituted in 1582, attempted to reestablish the calendar alignment as it was at the time of Nicaea. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22.</ref> Christmas is often connected to pagan festivals such as Yule, especially by those who oppose Christian traditions. However, the symbolism of a solstice date appealed to the Church Fathers for reasons unrelated to the various pagan festivals that were celebrated at this time of year.  

In Western countries, during the Christmas season people generally hang up colored lights, place a [[Christmas tree]] (typically an evergreen conifer tree) in their house, sing [[carol]]s, 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]]. Most towns and cities do this on an elaborate scale in public places, putting a large tree in the public square, and hanging large arrangements of lights with Christmas themed designs over the streets.

In Western countries, during the Christmas season people generally hang up colored lights, place a [[Christmas tree]] (typically an evergreen conifer tree) in their house, sing [[carol]]s, 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]]. Most towns and cities do this on an elaborate scale in public places, putting a large tree in the public square, and hanging large arrangements of lights with Christmas themed designs over the streets.

==History==

==History==

[[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. According to historian Steven Hijmans:

[[Image:Parmigianino Virgin with Child.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy Virgin with her Child]]

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.

 

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. According to historian Steven Hijmans:

{{cquote|Clement of Alexandria [c. 150 – 215], 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.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol: The Sun in the Art and Religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 584.</ref>}}

{{cquote|Clement of Alexandria [c. 150 – 215], 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.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol: The Sun in the Art and Religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 584.</ref>}}

According to an ancient Jewish tradition, the equinox is the anniversary of Creation. On the Roman calendar, the equinox was marked on March 25. In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus wrote a universal history that gave March 25 not only as the first day of Creation, but also as the date of incarnation.<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 implies that Jesus was born in December, nine months later.<ref>Africanus did not calculate the date of birth himself. (Hijmans, p. 585, footnote 8.)</ref> Solar symbolism was 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>"But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." (Malachi 4:2, ESV).</ref> In the Middle Ages, Christians celebrated New Year's Day on March 25.  

In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus wrote a universal history that gave the spring equinox not only as the first day of Creation, but also as the date of incarnation.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> On the Roman calendar, the equinox was March 25, now celebrated as Annunciation.<ref>Sosigenes of Alexandria intended March 25 to be the date of the equinox when he designed the Julian calendar. This calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, drifted by almost a day each century. By 325, calendar drift had moved the equinox to March 21, according to the Council of Nicaea. The [[Gregorian calendar]], instituted in 1582, attempted to reestablish the calendar alignment as it was at the time of Nicaea. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22.</ref>  This implies that Jesus was born in December, nine months later.<ref>Africanus did not calculate the date of birth himself. (Hijmans, p. 585, footnote 8.)</ref>

 

Solar symbolism was 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> This symbolism was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>"But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." (Malachi 4:2, ESV).</ref>

 

[[Augustine]] argued for a solstice date:{{cquote|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."<ref>Augustine, "[http://www.dec25th.info/Augustine's%20Sermon%20192.html Sermon 192]."</ref>}}

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it.<ref>Irenaeus and Tertullian both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays. (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> The Chronography of 354 records that a Christmas celebration took place in Rome in 336.<ref name="Chrono354">The manuscript reads, ''VIII kal. Ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeae.'' ("[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chronography_of_354_12_depositions_martyrs.htm The Chronography of 354 AD. Part 12: Commemorations of the Martyrs]," ''The Tertullian Project''. 2006.)</ref>

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it.<ref>Irenaeus and Tertullian both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays. (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> The Chronography of 354 records that a Christmas celebration took place in Rome in 336.<ref name="Chrono354">The manuscript reads, ''VIII kal. Ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeae.'' ("[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chronography_of_354_12_depositions_martyrs.htm The Chronography of 354 AD. Part 12: Commemorations of the Martyrs]," ''The Tertullian Project''. 2006.)</ref>