What is the origin of Christmas? | GotQuestions.org

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Hi there. Many others like you have asked, what is the origin of Christmas? Let's find out, shall we?

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You can also discover this answer and more on GotQuestions .org Christmas is a popular

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December holiday celebrated by large numbers of people all around the world. Christmas, or the

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Mass of Christ, has been long known as the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and the celebration first began to be observed in the early 4th century.

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However, some traditions associated with Christmas actually began as a part of pagan culture.

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These were Christianized and given new meaning by the church. The exact date of Jesus' birth is unknown, as the

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Bible does not give specific as to the dates of either his birth or conception. For various reasons, the date of December 25th gained wide acceptance.

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At the time of Christ, Roman culture already celebrated a holiday in December. Saturnalia honored the god

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Saturn and was celebrated from December 17th to about December 24th. Later, the

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Romans began celebrating Sol Invictus, or the unconquered sun, associated with a winter solstice and observed on December 25th.

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When Rome eventually instituted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century, the

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Roman Church converted Saturnalia and Sol Invictus to a Christian holiday, the

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Feast of the Nativity, in order to commemorate Jesus' birthday, thus providing a spiritually positive alternative to a pagan celebration.

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The sinful customs and debauchery associated with Saturnalia were cleaned up, and some of the customs were absorbed into the celebration of Christmas.

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Christians have redeemed December 25th and have celebrated as the birth of Christ ever since the 4th century.

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Given the association Christmas had with the ancient pagan calendar, the question then becomes, is it acceptable for Christians to celebrate it?

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It is important to note that Christmas, Saturnalia, and Sol Invictus were all distinct holidays.

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They were never identical to each other. Also, although some elements of Christmas celebrations are mentioned in the history of pagan worship, the use of such items in one's home in no way indicates a return to paganism.

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In conclusion, Christians simply celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Celebrating Christmas is a matter of conscience. Alright, that answers your question, what is the origin of Christmas?

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On our website, GotQuestions .org, you'll find an in -depth article with citations and resource suggestions.

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