The term Christmas has its root in Christianity, one of the largest religions in the world. For Christians, this is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the son of God. The word ‘Christmas’ is an English term for ‘mass on Christ’s day’. Mass either means celebration or memorial or messiah.
It was around 3rd century A.D. that Christmas began to be celebrated as a Christian holiday (possibly) thanks to Sextus Julius Africanus, a Christian historian of the time.
However, before then the midwinter solstice was celebrated in Europe as a pagan festival. In fact, some of the practices and traditions we celebrate at Christmas stem from the pagan traditions practiced at the winter solstice.
It is though the origin of the date of 25th of December for Christmas was the “Christianizing of the dies Solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”)”. This was a festival during the Roman Empire that celebrated “the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer.”
Before Christmas, people celebrated the winter solstice as part of the holiday known as Yule. Yule runs from December 21 into January and was widely celebrated across Northern Europe. It was a time of feasting, drinking, and sacrifice. Traditions such as yule singing (wassailing), the yule log, the yule goat, and the yule boar as still seen in Christmas celebrations across Europe today. Many of our modern Christmas customs such a the Christmas tree, advent calendar, and the advent wreath are German Christmas traditions.
Previous to that, in ancient Roman times, the festival of Saturnalia was held in honour of the god Saturn on the 17th December. The festival was later expanded to last until 23rd December. Saturnalia featured sacrifice, public banquets, gambling, gift-giving, and a general carnival-like atmosphere.
Around the 3rd or 4th century Christmas began to be celebrated as a festival and observance of Jesus Christ’s birth.
Some believe that the choice to have Christmas at the same time as the pagan celebrations as part of the effort to encourage people to convert to Christianity. Others however believe that the date coincides with the 25th March being the spring equinox and a time of creation, therefore Christ would have been conceived at that date and the 25th December is 9 months later.
