The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus' conception to March 25 (the same date upon which he held that the world was created), which, after nine months in his mother's womb, would result in a December 25 birth.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor).
Of course you can celebrate Christmas without being religious. Christmas was usurped by Christians from the Pagans (whose beliefs are more like mine).
Many Christians say something similar. Yes, the Christmas tree has some connection with their religion, but they don't really see it primarily as a religious symbol. The thing about Christmas trees is, if you look at their long history, there's a great deal of religious significance attached to them.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday.
For atheists, holiday celebrations can range from nonexistent to the full family affair. Some folks have started celebrating “Newtonmas,” named in honor of English scientist Isaac Newton, who was born December 25 by the Julian calendar in use in England at the time.
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or Easter because they believe that these festivals are based on (or massively contaminated by) pagan customs and religions. They point out that Jesus did not ask his followers to mark his birthday.
Jehovah's witnesses do not celebrate national or religious holidays or birthdays. The only day they do memorialize is Jesus Christ's death around the time of Easter and Passover.
According to the religion's official website JW.org, Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays "because we believe that such celebrations displease God." The site also explains that "Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid celebrating birthdays, it does help us to reason on key features of these events and
Adventists who eat meat typically do not eat meat from pigs, certain fish, and other animals that the Bible names as unclean.
Mormons really only celebrate two religious festivals: Easter and Christmas. An additional festival is Pioneer Day, on 24 July.
Jehovah's Witnesses: They don't celebrate any holidays or even birthdays. Some Christians: Some believe the holiday is associated with Satanism or Paganism, so are against celebrating it. Orthodox Jews: They don't celebrate Halloween due to its origins as a Christian holiday. Other Jews may or may not celebrate.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in drinking and dancing. Jehovah's Witnesses are not against parties, music, dancing and drinking of alcohol, as long as they are done in moderation. Witnesses are cautious about their entertainment choices, avoiding R-rated movies and music with immoral lyrics.
(RNS) A quick glimpse at a calendar is one way to see how religiously diverse the United States has become. This year, December, a month that encompasses the Christian and Jewish celebrations of Christmas and Hanukkah, includes spiritually significant days for Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans and Zoroastrians.
So, because of who Jesus is and what He did for us is reason enough to celebrate His birth on Christmas day! This message of Christmas is also a chance for people to reflect on life and celebrate friends and family and be generous to others. Christmas day was certainly not the exact day when Jesus was born.
But was Jesus really born on December 25? The short answer is no. It is not believed Jesus was born on the day Christmas is globally celebrated. Instead, Christmas was chosen as a convenient celebratory day on the same day of a pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice, according to The History Channel.
"That became a symbol of Christ — being triangular in shape it represents the trinity — and from there came the idea that the tree should be a symbol of Christ and new life," Dr Wilson said. "That's one of the main origins of the Christmas tree and bringing it into the house."
Because in the minds and practice of most Christians, the Christmas tree does not represent a pagan holiday, but represents a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. For most people, the Christmas tree is no longer an idol, but is a reminder of what Jesus did for us in coming to this earth as a humble babe.
“The shepherds were watching their flock and it was cold.” Shepherds usually allow their sheep to roam harvested fields for residual vegetation. So it might not be THAT cold around Bethlehem in fall.
