Christmas: A Short History
December 25th is Nativity, the Birthday of Jesus Christ, Messiah
A brief history of Christmas - Epiphany, Nicholas and Santa Claus, from Roman to today's celebration, including Christmas carols, Christmas trees, and gift-giving.
Christmas Day, December 25, is the day when Christians joyfully celebrate the Nativity, birthday of Jesus Christ, Messiah. The Bible, according to Matthew and Luke, provides information about the birth of Jesus, but not the actual time. From the early 3rd century, his birth was an object of speculation, at times controversial.
As festivities were primarily founded on pagan practices, it was not accepted by the church. Today, Yuletide season includes Christmas carols, Christmas trees, gift-giving, and much more.
Roman Celebration
Telesphorus, the second bishop of Rome (129-138) ordained that "in the holy night of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior, they do celebrate public church services, and in them solemnly sing the Angels' Hymn, because also the same night he was declared unto the shepherds by an angel, as the truth itself doth witness."
December 25 was not officially designated as Christmas and a church festival until sometime between the years 325 and 350. The earliest mention of observing the Nativity of Christ on December 25 is in a calendar tabulating the practice in Rome in the year 336, 4th century.
As the Christian faith spread, it ran headlong into the various pagan cults. Converted Romans found it hard to turn away from their pagan observances, the feasting of Saturnalis. At the same time they were afraid to ignore prayers of Sol Invictus.
According to some scholars, the Romans celebrated December 25 as the festival of Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun. This old holiday persisted, so the church adopted it, choosing the same date to counteract the pagan feast of the nativity of the Invincible Sun, Christ being denoted as the 'Sun of Righteousness'.
Eastern Celebration
Christ's baptism by John the Baptist occurs January 6, significant for the early church. It was also the day the Wise Men (Magi) arrived at Bethlehem to present their gifts. This day is known as Epiphany.
In the East, the feast of the Epiphany commemorated the baptism of Christ. In the later part of the 4th century, Epiphany Day was connected with the Nativity, especially in Syria. By the middle of the 5th century most of the Eastern Churches adopted December 25 as a separate feast of the Nativity. However, until 549, the Church of Jerusalem celebrated on January 6 both Nativity and Baptism.
Epiphany is an important festival of the church. In many countries it climaxes the Christmas season and is the time that gifts are exchanged.
Asia Minor and Saint Nicholas
While the Christmas festival was happening in Rome, a priest named Nicholas was serving churches in Asia Minor. He was consecrated Archbishop of Myra, a seacoast town. He exerted a strong influence on the entire Byzantine branch of Christendom. Soon after his death on December 6, 326, he became known as Saint Nicholas.
Legends grew about Nicholas's generosity and kindness. His gifts were given secretly, so that the recipients would never know who gave them. Nicholas rides on a white horse through central and northern Europe, and asks children if they are 'naughty or nice' during the past year. Eventually the same personality crossed the Atlantic to become the American Santa Claus.
Today's Celebration
Western celebration of Christmas is observed with joy and merry – with characteristics of both the Roman festival of the Sun and other pagan feasts it replaced. The Christmas tree was imported to England by Prince Albert in the 19th century, along with other German customs. Sources:
Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), Hodder & Stoughton (1984)
The International Book of Christmas Carols by Walter Ehret and George K. Evans, The Stephen Greene Press (1980)
