Catholics, why do you insist on celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ as December 25,?

To answer your question:

If observed at all, the celebration of Christ's birth was usually lumped in with Epiphany (January 6), one of the church's earliest established feasts. Some church leaders even opposed the idea of a birth celebration. Origen (c.185-c.254) preached that it would be wrong to honor Christ in the same way Pharaoh and Herod were honored. Birthdays were for pagan gods.

Not all of Origen's contemporaries agreed that Christ's birthday shouldn't be celebrated, and some began to speculate on the date (actual records were apparently long lost). Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20 but noted that others had argued for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) championed January 2. November 17, November 20, and March 25 all had backers as well. A Latin treatise written around 243 pegged March 21, because that was believed to be the date on which God created the sun. Polycarp (c.69-c.155) had followed the same line of reasoning to conclude that Christ's birth and baptism most likely occurred on Wednesday, because the sun was created on the fourth day.

The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen's concern about pagan gods and the church's identification of God's son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.

Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire's favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ's birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ's birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church does celebrate Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as the date of Christ's baptism.

Another wrinkle was added in the sixteenth century when Pope Gregory devised a new calendar, which was unevenly adopted. The Eastern Orthodox and some Protestants retained the Julian calendar, which meant they celebrated Christmas 13 days later than their Gregorian counterparts. Most—but not all—of the Christian world now agrees on the Gregorian calendar and the December 25 date.

The pagan origins of the Christmas date, as well as pagan origins for many Christmas customs (gift-giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year; Yule logs and various foods from Teutonic feasts), have always fueled arguments against the holiday. "It's just paganism wrapped with a Christian bow," naysayers argue. But while kowtowing to worldliness must always be a concern for Christians, the church has generally viewed efforts to reshape culture—including holidays—positively. As a theologian asserted in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."

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Furthermore, Catholics aren't the only ones who celebrate christmas....

An anniversary celebration can be designated at any time of the year. Exact dates don't matter, it's the meaning which matters.

"You know tht December 25 is not really the birth of Jesus Christ, why insist on celebrating it"

When then is the date of Christ's birth? Nobody knows thus any day can be designated.

A little honesty? Wouldn't it just! Dishonest authors in the 20th century, seeking to discredit CHristianity, made up most of the stories about so-called pagan origins. You've been studying the wrong books. Easter? Based on the JEWISH Passover, not any pagan festival, because it is about that time that the BIBLE says that Christ died and rose again. That's why Easter, is most languages is called after Passover - Pascha, Pasqua, Paques. Both Jews and Christians have since changed the way they work out the date of Easter/Passover but there is no "historically accurate" way of working it out as the historical method was not accurate. Christmas? Again there is no historically accurate date for the birth of Christ. Contrary to modern myth, there was no traditional Roman or other pagan festival on 25th December. There is no evidence that Christians did it fo any other reason than it was the best guess at the time of when Christ was born.

All Christian's celebrate 12/25 as the birth of Christ, and we all know that, that date is not his birthday, he was most likely born in the spring. Dec was chosen by a Roman Emperor to co-inside with the Roman Yule 2 week holiday. If it bothers you that much pick out one of the other 364.2 days and choose your date to celebrate his birthday, I'm sure he won't mind.

December 25 was chosen by a Pope to coincide with a popular pagan festival. It is easier to get converts to switch from paganism to Christianity. you just redefine the holiday in Christian terms. Instead of celebrating the birth of the Sun, you celebrate the birth of the Son (of God).

Because the fact that Jesus was born *is* worth celebrating.

We don't celebrate the day. We celebrate the event.

It is only out of respect for the holy birth of christ that it is celebrated at all. do you have a problem with showing honor and respect for Jesus?

Yes they do infact Know.

What they do not Know. Is what dat he was really born on.

As such one day is as Good as another.

Also I can say F*** Jesus a;; I want and the man you claim as your savior has a 60% chance of not caring. Did you know that?

There is a good amount of proof to suggest a mis translation and that his real name was Joshua. Enough so that Archaeologists of all persuasians look for both names, if NOT Joshua.

Its called Christ Mass. The Celebration of his birth. It is commonly misconstrued as his "Birth day" just becuse it is celebrated on the same day every year.

I'm not a Catholic anymore but someone decided way back when to use this date - the reasons weren't very good but no one knows when the birthday of Jesus really is. So this one works for most of us - it is the idea of His birthday, more than the actual date, that is important.

Because Jesus gave the Catholic church alone the power to bind and loose, on earth and in heaven, and we decided December 25th was the day to celebrate Jesus' birth.

As for the actual date ... were you there?