Take a moment and think about the origin of Christmas.  Did you immediately think of the birth of Jesus Christ and that starry night in the manger?  If you did you would be among millions of others who would say the same thing.  It is generally common knowledge that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, but what if you were told that Christmas started a long time ago as something completely different?  No matter how long people believe in something, history always gets the chance to come up and change everything they believe.  The true beginnings of the Christmas holiday may in fact be one of those instances, but for most the origin does not change the way they feel about their religion or the holiday.  So what really started the Christmas holiday and how is it that it had nothing to do with the birth of Christ from the start?  Sit back and let me will tell the tale of how Christmas came to be and where it all began.

The Day That Christ was Born!

If someone asked you what day was Jesus Christ born, you would certainly say December 25th.  Even people who are not Christians will answer this easy question.  Christmas has become such a staple of society and by far the most widely celebrated holiday, therefore people who are not even religious celebrate it year after year.  The fact is however that according to several records, Jesus Christ was not born anywhere around the winter season, let alone December 25th.  Many records show that he was born in the fall, probably between September and November.  While December is not too far off from these months, the seasons are quite different and could not be confused.  So how is it that Christ was given this birthday?  The story is interesting and actually began nearly three hundred years after Jesus Christ was actually born.

Saturnalia: The Promise of the Sun!

When the Roman society was one of the most powerful on earth they celebrated a holiday called Saturnalia.  This holiday could be compared to a modern day Mardi gras.  It was the celebration of Saturn and was the promise of the return of the sun after winter.  This holiday happened to fall on the winter solstice, which was of course the transition from winter into a new season filled with crops and good fortune.  This was an exciting time for the Romans so they made Saturnalia a rowdy time filled with drinking and merriment.  The holiday lasted until December 25th.  At this time the Christian religion did not really hold any power in the Roman empire so those few that celebrated the religion simply sat back, dissatisfied with the actions of the Roman people during Saturnalia.

The Christian Influence

It was not long though before the Romans took on Christianity as their main religion.  When this happened several demanded that they discontinue the celebration of Saturnalia and forget the return of the sun, and instead celebrate Jesus Christ, his life and birth.  They called the holiday festival Christmas and for a time it began before the 25th and ended on the 25th just like Saturnalia had.  While they may have wanted to change it and celebrate truly on the day that Christ was born they could not.  No one knew of the original birth date so the existing festival would be the substitute.  After a while the festival took place only on December 25th, making it the only known birthday of Christ.  Despite the fact that Christ was not actually born on this day, the holiday is still the strongest Christian holiday.

Gift Exchange and the Myth of Santa Claus

There are also many traditions that go along with Christmas that have unexplained origins.  One of these traditions is giving gifts to one another on the holiday.  If you were asked where would you say this act of kindness came from?  Most would certainly say that today everyone exchanges gifts just like the three wise men gave gifts to the baby Jesus so many centuries ago.  The gifts that the wise men presented could have been birthday presents, but most likely they were presents being given to what they viewed as a king.  It was customary back then for visitors to give the king they were seeing a gift.  It was not an act of kindness but rather reassurance that they could see the king and not be taken away.  The three wise men could have felt the same way about Jesus although he was merely a baby.  Somehow the tradition of presenting gifts to a king was changed into giving gifts to each other?  This is the likely cause over many years of gift giving.  Overall it is in people’s nature to want to give to one another.  Today one of the most unique and treasured gifts is a personalized ornament!

So where does Santa Claus fall in all of this history?  There are many different tales of Santa Claus or St. Nicholas and how he came to give the children of the world Christmas gifts.  Of course none of this has to do with the birth of Christ, but that does not necessarily make it wrong.  Plenty of Christians from all over the world still tell their children stories of Santa and how he brings toys all over the world in one night.  The story of Santa Claus is a wonderful fairy tale that children grow up loving and believing.  There comes a time when most of us stop believing in the image of Santa, but he still remains as one of the most prominent figures during the holiday season.

When it comes right down to it the way that Christmas began is not the most important thing to remember.  Christmas is a holiday that holds a special place in most people’s heart.  It is so many different things to so many people, from celebrating at church with friends, having feasts with family, exchanging gifts from the heart, and many more Christmas related activities.  Christmas is more than a celebration of the sun or of a birthday, it is a feeling.  It is a feeling that everyone holds in their hearts and cherishes year after year.
 

About the Author: Angela Lytle is a self employed mother of four and publisher of Christmas Decorations Online, a website featuring holiday decorations from Artificial Christmas Trees and inflatable Christmas decorations to outdoor Christmas lights.