Never in the Bible was it mentioned when Christ was born. In fact, the Bible never even cites the date of December 25 as a day of relevance. So why do we celebrate Christmas on the 25th? There are many theories on this subject. The most believed theory is that of Christian tradition. On March 25, Mary was told she was expecting “a very special baby.” Nine months after March 25th is December 25th.

Another reason behind Christmas being celebrated on the 25th has Pagan roots. Around the time of December 25th, the Winter Solstice occurred and festivals like Saturnalia were being held in Rome. Saturnalia was originally a festival to celebrate Roman deity Saturn. Early Christians could have adapted the celebration of Saturnalia into a celebration of the birth of Christ.

There are many possible origins to the date behind Christmas, and all of them hold some merit.

Similar to the date of Christmas itself, gift giving also has origins in the Pagan celebration of Saturnalia. During Saturnalia, young children were given presents of wax dolls. These wax dolls originally represented the human sacrifices Romans made to the deity Saturn in return for good harvests. Gift giving is a little less macabre these days.

Mistletoe is hardly a romantic plant, it being a parasitic life-form that leaches the life out of trees. It also causes diarrhea and stomach pain when ingested! So why do people kiss under it if it’s so non-romantic? It all began with a Norse legend. Norse legend tells the story of goddess Frigga, who’s son was killed by an arrow laced with a sprig of mistletoe. Frigga cried over the mistletoe over the death of her son. Her tears and the mistletoe brought her son back to life, and Frigga blessed the mistletoe. She promised a kiss to all who pass underneath the plant from that day onward.

People honored this Norse legend by kissing the hands of a host of a party underneath mistletoe. It evolved into the tradition where anyone can kiss under a mistletoe in any way.

Christmas carols are the adapted version of Christmas hymns. Christmas hymns were developed in 4th century Rome. These songs were sung in church for generations. It wasn’t until the 13th century in France, Germany, and Italy was caroling invented. They were not specifically Christmas carols, but they were songs sung jovially at festivals for all.

The candy cane we know is not the candy cane that was originally created. The Christmas candy cane originated in Germany around 250 years ago. Back then, the candy cane was simply a white stick of sugar. It wasn’t until around 1900 that the red stripe was added and the stick was flavored with peppermint or wintergreen.

However, it wasn’t until 1920 that the candy cane was popularized. Bob McCormack started making candy canes for his family and friends.They kept getting more popular until McCormack made his own business called Bob’s Candies. So next time you eat a candy cane, think of Bob McCormack!

Wreaths are one of the items on this list that originated in Christian stories. In Christianity, the wreath represents Christ. The circular shape represents eternity of life, seeing as a circle never ends. The candle that is lit in a wreath represents the coming of Christ. Altogether, the Christmas wreath is one of the only Christmas traditions with deep roots in Christianity.

Christmas cards begun with in 1843 in the United Kingdom. Sir Henry Cole, a government worker, invented these cards. The cards originally only cost 8 cents. About 1,000 cards were sold, in comparison to the 900 million sold in 2015.

The Christmas Pickle is definitely one of the oddest Christmas tradition. the Christmas pickle is an American tradition with unknown origins. It’s believed that the tradition originated in Germany, but this information is false. In fact, most German people don’t know what the Christmas pickle is. It’s more likely that the Christmas pickle was made as a marketing ploy to sell more glass Christmas ornaments. Either way, the tradition is still odd.

The Christmas pickle is a tradition in some households where members hide a glass pickle ornament in the tree. The person who finds it is granted luck and good fortune. The person that finds it may also be the first person to open gifts, or may even get an extra gift. The Christmas pickle tradition varies from house to house.

Evergreen fir is a tree that dons the houses of most people who celebrate Christmas. Traditionally, evergreen firs are used to celebrate winter holidays. The Romans used evergreen firs to celebrate Saturnalia. Pagans used branches of evergreen firs to think of the spring to come. Christians used evergreen firs as a sign of God.

So, how did it become one of the symbols for Christmas?

Germany is believed the be the country that started the craze for Christmas trees. In the 16th century, devout Christians brought trees into their homes and decorated them. Some built and decorated a Christmas pyramid made out of wood. German preacher Martin Luther is credited as the first person to add lights to the tree.

The Christmas tree was brought to America by German settlers in the 1830s. It wasn’t until 1840 that the tradition got accepted in America, however. Most Americans saw Christmas trees as a pagan tradition that wasn’t to be accepted. Many people thought the tree brought mockery to a holiday as sacred as Christmas, and that it was pagan tomfoolery.

Needless to say, the Christmas tree grew on us.

Santa Claus was based off a real person and his achievements. The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a Turkish monk named Saint Nicholas in 280 A.D. Saint Nicholas was widely known for his generosity and kindness. There are many tales of the generosity Saint Nicholas showed in his years alive. Perhaps the most well-known story about Saint Nicholas is of him saving three sisters from being sold into slavery.

Saint Nicholas grew unpopular in Europe around the 16th century. But, someone had to deliver the presents to all the good boys and girls. So, Saint Nicholas was transformed into the marketable Santa Claus. Many countries now celebrate his birthday on December 6th.