We really don't know when Jesus was born; there is neither scriptural nor secular evidence to establish
the date of His birth. But we do know one thing about it: it was not in December. One reason that this
is certain is that when He was born shepherds were "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their
flocks by night" (Lk. 2:8). And in Israel shepherds have never slept out on the ground with their flocks
in December, because it is much too cold. In winter they lead the flocks out in the day time and bring
them in at night. During the very early Christian centuries His birthday was not celebrated at all.
But during its first 300 years, the true Church in Rome maintained a staunch position against all pagan
beliefs and practices; however, many new "converts" were reluctant to give up their familiar celebrations.
One of the most popular holidays in the Roman year was the Saturnalia. It was a week-long festival
with torchlight processions, gift-giving and merry-making, culminating in a winter solstice feast
on December 25, called the The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun. The holiday honored the strength
of the sun and the fertility it would soon bring to the earth. In 375 A.D. the Catholic Church
(which was birthed from the merger of paganism with Christianity) announced that the birth
date of Christ would be celebrated on December 25 also, and allowed some of the older celebrations,
such as feasting, dancing and the exchange of gifts, to be incorporated into the observance of
Christmas. The use of greenery, however, popularly used to decorate homes and holy places
during the Saturnalia, was still prohibited as pagan idolatry but later over the centuries
was also incorporated into Christmas and we have been doing it ever since.
 

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