Christmas wasn't always celebrated as it is today. In fact at one time, many countries had outlawed it. So how did the celebration come of Christ's birth on December 25th come about? In a nut shell this day was picked to counter other pagan festivals that go on at this time of year.
For over 300 years the Church didn't celebrate the birth of Christ. In 125 Telesphorus declared church services to be held to memorials the "nativity of our Lord and Savior", but their was not set date for this. It was usually done in September. Eventually more than a dozen dates were being used. The most common one was January 6th. In the 4th Century rummage being converted to Christianity, but Easter was the most celebrated holy day. In 320 Popo Julius I specified December 25th as Christmas. Five years later Constantine troduced it as an immovable feast. So why December 25th?
Their could be many reasons for this. No one really knows on what day Christ was born. The bible doesn't tell us. At this time of the year, the winter solstice, many ancient peoples had winter festivals. The E Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Germans and Romans all did. This was the shortest day of the year and since people depended on sunlight to live, it was a time of "rebirth" as the days started to get longer again. The Germans celebrated a fertility festival. The Romans had Saturnalia. This was a festival held from December 17-24. This was a wild party, like most of these festivals, dedicated to Saturn. Saturn was their god of peace and plenty. Public gatherings took place, homes were decorated with flowers and gifts were exchanged. Many Christians decked their homes with Satunalia holly to avoid persecution. Many new believers found the lure to much also. Later on the Romans celebrated nautilus Solis Invicti at this time. This is Why Pope Julius I first picked and December 25th.
Christmas still didn't catch on. Many people just celebrated the ancient festivals and then the next day went to church to repent. This is how it was for centuries. It was known for drunken riots and general lawlessness. The church could do little to change this. A few people still used it as day to reflect on Christ's birth though. This is why in England in the mid 1600's that Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas festivals. He thought it should be a sober day of reflection. This was not popular with the people for the most part. When Charles II came to power after Cromwell's death he reinstiuted the festivals. The Puritans, also known as the pilgrims, banned it in the new world as soon as they got here in 1620. These laws stayed in effect for 150 years. In fact Congress for it's first 79 years met on december 25th. Imagrants eventually turned th tide in America.
In Germany it was a different story. Christmas had evolved into a time when family and friends gathered to share food and fellowship and to honor the birth of Christ. It was the 2nd most holy day only after Easter. When Queen Victoria married Germany's Prince Albert in 1840 things changed in England. He brought these traditions with him and they spread throughout England. The Imigrants did the same thing in America. In 1822 Clement Clarke wrote a poem that was eventually titled "The Night Before Christmas" In 1843 Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol. In the 20-30 years it eventually evloved into a day of family giving and worship that it is today ( or at least should be)
So you can see, we have come a long ways in how we celebrate Christmas. In some ways we have backtracked in recent years. So this Christmas season I urge everyone to remember what we are really celebrating, the birth of Christ who came in this world so we could be made right with the Lord once again. 'Till next time.- THE GREAT ONE
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