If December 25th is not Jesus Christ Birthday?

Does it matter? We didn't know his actual birthday so we picked a date that

1. Helped pagans convert

2. Was symbolic of new life bringing hope amidst the darkness (winter)

It is his "birthday" in that it is the day we celebrate his birth. It is not known to be the rough equivalent of the date in the calendar of the time on which he was actually born (though there is a roughly 1 in 365 chance that it is). That is because we do not know for sure which date he was born on. Many people in this world do not know the actual date of their birth for certain. They can, however, still have a birthday party once a year on a date they choose. A number of days were suggested for celebrating Christ's birthday during the first few hundred years of the church. The 25th December was suggested in the early 3rd century (c 200AD) based on the date of his death supposedly being the anniversary of his conception (25th March so birth 25th December). Noone these days suggest they got it right, but its as good as any other day, Sometime during the 100 years between then and the early 4th century ( 300AD) this date became popular in Rome and it was adopted eventually throughout western Europe. (There is an ealry 4th century calendar which mentions it) In the late 4th century (c 270AD) , a Roman Emperor inaugurated a festival (Natalis Invicti) on the same date. There is nothing to say for certain whether this came before or after the Christians chose it; however it certainly was not a traditional pagan festival We do know that early Christian writers took great pains to warn their fellow Christians against adopting pagan rites and customs.

No, definitely not the birthday of the Messiah. On the night Jesus was born, the first to hear the good news were shepherds in the field attending to their flock. Who is fool enough to bring out your sheep in the field on a winter? December is a winter month in Betlehem.

On the other hand, December 25 was an old pagan festival called Saturnalia in honor of their sun-god. Astronomers claim that the earth reaches its farthest point in the orbit and it marks the birth of the sun, coming closer again.

@Praise Unicorn- True Christians don't steal- maybe you tell the former Pagans who went to proclaim that they converted to Christianism while not abandoning their old pagan practices and beliefs. These people are what we now call as- Roman Catholics.

December 25th was chosen by the Roman Catholics as the day Christ was born...But the Bible does not support this.for the following reasons:

1) The Roman Census

2) The Sheppard's were out tending to their sheep

First the Roman Census was held in the spring every 10ys. America borrowed this practice and holds its Census every 10 yrs. in the spring beginning in the beginning of each new decade. The Romans made everybody go back to the town they were born in to register. and be counted.This was mandatory. Because it was mandatory Joseph had to take his wife who almost full term on this long and arduous trip. The Romans no doubt scheduled it in the spring to make traveling more feasible

Secondly, The Shepard's were out in the fields tending their sheep, Sheep were only pastured in the spring or very early summer. (check out climate in Israel) So given these facts by the Bible one can not assume that Jesus Christ was born in the winter. By the way Jesus instructed us to not celebrate his birthday...Rather he said for us to celebrate his Death-because His birth did not save us his death did.

I believe that this date was chosen to break up the monotony of winter.

We as Christians celebrate Christmas on 12/25 as a day of giving we exchange gifts in memory of the greatest gift ever, the Christ Jesus our omnipresent God manifest in the flesh found in 1TIM 3:16 to give all for our undeserving Fate Christmas is very Special and Holy in my Household and the Christmas Story is read every year.

Now if your incomplete in your Faith or you think its Pagan or pegan depending on your education of the Bible(JWs) then Christmas for you is simply a commercial opportunity to spoil children and fill your gullet on ham and wine as my in-laws also (JWs) thats right they claim the org but are in my Kitchen every holiday eating

In the Bible no Christian is recorded as celebrating their or Jesus birthday. There are only two birthdays mentioned in the Bible and both were for pagan rulers.

The only way to determine approximately when Jesus was born is, His ministry was to last three and a half years and he died in the spring. So he was born in the fall.

Nothing. It was an adopted holiday of the pagan converts to Christianity. Something to help ease the transition. I guess like letting a Jewish convert keep the tradition of the Christmas tree. But, assigning a Jewish symbolism to it.

In a nutshell.

We stole the date from a pagan winter holiday. Many celebrations took place on December 25 in those years.

agreed with Pagan holiday answers. Plus, not all Christians celebrate on the 25th, some (Orthodox Christians) celebrate on January 7th

As pointed out it was a pagan festival already in use and was "converted" as a convienient date for Christmas.

This was common practice for the early Christians and is widely known.