Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays 3399Oh Bosh. Dec. 25 was the celebration of the Birth of Mirthra, celebrated about 1st century BC. Christianity adopted Dec. 25 about 4th cent. AD when Mithraism...
I'm not going to do your homework for you. But if you do the research carefully, you will find your own indisputable sources to show that just about all customs and symbols related to the holiday called "Christmas" pre-date the birth of Christ by many years. The one glaring exception is the nativity scene. But Santa Claus, gift-giving, "Christmas trees", mistletoe, carolling, traditional foods and feasts, in short EVERYTHING that makes up "Christmas" was a part of the holiday celebrated in late December LONG before Christ is said to have been born.
If Julius I never declared the "5th and 20th day of December" to be the birthday of the Christ child, Christmas would still exist. It would be a holiday that you would recognize immediately, as it would be IDENTICAL to what you know as "Christmas". Only, it wouldn't be called "Christmas". And you wouldn't see any nativity scenes anywhere. But it is likely that your family would gather together at the same time of year, have a great feast, and exchange presents from underneath an elaborately decorated tree. You might even have mistletoe hanging in the doorway. If you had children, you would entertain them with stories of Santa Claus. All this sound iliar? -Dave
