10. The Date of Christmas

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.