Is December 25 Really the Day Jesus Was Born? What the Bible Says About Christmas
Though Christmas has evolved into a shopping extravaganza, its origins can be traced back to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, whom the Christian faith considers as God's son. But, was Jesus really born on December 25th?
The simple answer is no. It is not claimed that Jesus was born on the day that Christmas is celebrated around the world. According to The History Channel, Christmas was chosen as a convenient celebratory day on the same day as a pagan holiday that marked the winter solstice. The holiday was known as the Roman pagan solstice, or "birthday of the unconquered light," and it took place between December 17 and December 25.
Based on the Bible, we can guess when Jesus was born. The presence of shepherds watching over their flocks is a major plot point in the tale of Jesus' birth. According to the United Church of God, this is clearly illustrated in the Bible at Luke 2:7-8 and is such an important part of the story that it has been used in Christmas songs. Several documents, including the books "Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays" and "The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary," stated that Shepherds would not have been able to tend to their flocks at the end of December due to the weather. Instead, this means that Jesus was born in a warmer month.
Another big plot point surrounding Jesus' birth and his parents, Mary and Joseph, moving to their hometown of Bethlehem for the Roman census was the notion that Mary and Joseph had to move to Bethlehem for the Roman census. The census reportedly would not have taken place in the winter, or in December in particular, because turnout would have been predicted to be poor.
When it comes to determining when Jesus was really born, many Christians base their calculations on the birth of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. Six months before Jesus, John was born. If his birth is taken into account, Jesus' birth is in June. According to the United Church of God, Jesus was most likely born between June 13 and June 17.
According to author William Walsh, as written in his 1970 book, The Story of Santa Claus, the Christian decision to use December 25 as the global holiday to commemorate the birth of Jesus arose as a means of converting pagans to Christianity. It was perceived as a middle ground between conflicting viewpoints.
Christmas is celebrated worldwide with church services on both December 25 and December 24, or Christmas Eve.
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