How did Christmas end up on December 25th?
For those of us who were born and raised in Western countries, when we think of the month of December, we automatically think Christmas, and, along with that, all the memories, excitement, tradition and festivities that accompany it. However, Christmas being in December has also carried with it an element of controversy. Some assume that December 25 is the actual date of Jesus’ birth. Others say that we shouldn’t celebrate Christmas as it comes from pagan traditions. At times I have chatted with people who feel torn about whether they should even celebrate Christmas as a result. Perhaps you may wrestle with this dilemma yourself. So, I thought I’d do some research into the origins of December 25 being Christmas to hopefully help you out.
Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t offer many clues. Some have suggested Jesus was born during the spring lambing seasons due to the reference to angels appearing to shepherds tending their flocks of sheep at night (Luke 2:8), although this could technically stretch from anywhere between March and November. However, most scholars say there needs to be caution with adopting that date, as the Gospel accounts aren’t written to describe a specific timeline of events. Rather, they are written with more of a focus on who Jesus is which is how ancient historical documents were generally composed in ancient times.
While there are many things that historians and scholars are uncertain of, one thing that is pretty much universally agreed upon is that Jesus was not born on December 25. However, due to the lack of details in Scripture and the lack of any indication of the early church even being interested in the date of his birth, we must look for other signs.
Originally, Jesus’ ministry, miracles, death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven were the areas of most interest to early Christian writers. However, around 200AD, we encounter a writing from Clement of Alexandria, who says that at this time, many believed that Jesus was born, at least in our modern calendar, on May 20, or April 20 or 21.
By the fourth century, there were two other dates proposed: January 6, and December 25. As time went on, December 25 was the date that prevailed, at least amongst most Christians. Some Orthodox Christians today still celebrate Christmas on January 6. Others who celebrate on December 25 call this date (January 6) the Feast of the Epiphany, commemorating the arrival of the magi in Bethlehem. The period between these days became what we now know as the 12 days of Christmas.
There are two theories as to how these dates were arrived at some hundreds of years after Jesus physically walked the earth. The first theory is that Christians just adopted pagan practices and made it into Christmas. While it is technically possible, the problem with this theory, however, is that there is no direct reference to Christians borrowing from pagan rituals until the 12th century, some 700 years later.
The other possibility comes down to the widespread belief of the date of Jesus’ death. Before Christians started remembering the birth of Jesus, the date of March 25 was widely thought to be the date of Jesus’ death. Christians at the time believed that the same date that Jesus died was the same date that Jesus was conceived. If this was the case, then that leaves December 25, nine months later, as the logical conclusion. Augustine also believed this and describes this in one of his writings from approximately 400AD.
If we are completely honest, we cannot say with 100% confidence when Jesus was actually born. But I do love one of the reasons why December 25th was eventually chosen as the day to celebrate Jesus’ birth. In the Northern Hemisphere, which is where Christianity was growing at the time, this date is right after what is known as the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. From here on out, the number of hours of daylight begin to increase and the number of nighttime hours begins to decrease. Jesus describes himself in John 8 as the light of the world. The beginning of the days becoming longer is a beautiful representation through creation of that very fact – the light of the world becoming human so that the light can overcome the darkness.
As I mentioned earlier, the other thought was that Jesus was born sometime during lambing season. Whether it was then, or whether it was December, both theories represent such a beautiful picture of who Jesus is and what He’s done – the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world, and as a result, light won over darkness.
Ultimately, what matter more than the date is what it’s all about. I pray that as you journey through this Christmas season, that you will get to encounter the Light of the world, the Lamb of God, the one who became flesh in a new and deeper way.