The Origin of Christmas

Historical evidence indicates that the early Christians had little interest in the date or circumstances of Christ's birth, being instead preoccupied with Christ's final coming. His resurrection was celebrated weekly and annually a few hundred years before a tradition of celebrating His birth became popular. Even anniversary festivals honoring martyrs and saints were popular before a Nativity celebration evolved out of the Church's desire to live out liturgically Christ's entire life.

Jesus' actually birth date is not known. It is not recorded in the Gospels, and there is no early tradition that identifies it. Two traditional dates are December 25 in the Western Church and January 6 in the Eastern Church, the latter becoming the feast of Epiphany in the Western Church. The year has been approximatly identified as 8 - 6 BCE (Before the Common Era, formally known as BC, Before Christ).




(From "Catholic Customs and Traditions")