Christmas
History of Christmas tradition
History of “Christmas”
Christmas is traditionally celebrated in the West on December 25; this date was likely determined by the mid- to late fourth century. Some groups, following the older Julian calendar, observe the holiday on December 25 of that calendar, which corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar.
By the late fourth century, Christmas had started to surface as a holiday in its own right, though in its early stages it was more of a prelude to the more established celebration of Epiphany (Kelly, Origins, 69–71). These holidays remain linked in both Eastern and Western traditions, with the Christmas season still ushering in Epiphany. Beginning in the ninth century, however—possibly as the result of the coronation of Emperor Charlemagne on Christmas Day in AD 800—celebration of Christmas became a more prominent, distinguished, and public affair in the West (Murray, “Medieval,” 31–39). Much of what has today become common Christmas imagery (e.g., Santa Claus, Christmas trees) originated in the early modern era, with some traditions emerging as late as the 19th century.
Tourists taking the Christmas pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Bethlehem are apt to be surprised at finding it celebrated there on three different days a Roman Catholics and most Protestants observe December 25. The Eastern Orthodox church holds to January 6, while the Armenian church observes January 19.
There is no evidence for the observance of December 25 before c. A.D. 300. Hippolytus, in his commentary on Daniel, is supposed to have been the first to compute the date. He believed that from the conception to the crucifixion of Jesus was exactly thirty-three years, and that both these events took place on March 25. That would make the birth, nine months later, fall on December 25. The weakness of these premises is obvious. In the 3rd cen. some favored April 18 or 19 for the birth of Christ, others March 28. A. H. Newman says: “The earliest record of the recognition of December 25 as a church festival is in the Philocalian Calendar (copied 354, but representing Roman practice in 336)” (SHERK, III, 47).
One objection often raised against observing Christmas is the claim that it is simply the old heathen festival of the sun Christianized. But it may have been intended to link this with the birth of the Sun of Righteousness (HDCG, I, 261).
