When was Christmas first observed?

Answer 1

Answer: Only shepherds celebrated with his parents the day Jesus Christ was born over 2000 years ago. Record of this celebration and the related details, but not an exact date, can be found in the Bible (Luke chapter 2).

It is thought that the early Christians did not widely celebrate the birth of Jesus. This is most likely true, since the primary focus was on His life, crucifixion, and particularly His resurrection. There certainly were some early Christian celebrations. Early writings, including a "feast calendar" written in 243AD, indicate that there were some celebrations in the third century and perhaps even in the second century. Christmas celebrations did not gain widespread prominence, however, until the Middle Ages or starting from around 400AD.

Christmas Day, December 25, is not necessarily the actual date of Christ's birth. The true date is not known because we lack enough information to pinpoint it precisely. (Beware that there are many who claim to have calculated the actual date; they are no more likely than December 25.) Other dates beside December 25 were used for this feast.

December 25 finally was settled on by the church for reasons that are not absolutely clear, though there are some logical reasons for choosing that date. There were pagan celebrations on and about December 25th, celebrating the solstice, or the return of the solar light. Christians may have simply chosen to celebrate the advent of the "Light of the World" at such an appropriate time of year.

Answer: Some historians and scholars studying the history of Christianity have proposed that it is precisely because 25 December is so close to the pagan solstice celebration, that the church chose this date, in order to placate the (then) numerous pagans and not to initiate violent protests or uprisings that might have been caused had they been stripped of all their sacred days immediately following the acceptance of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. This was probably in the hope that gradually paganism would die out or that pagans would assimilate into Christianity for fear of persecution and/or lack of freedom.

The SIMILARITIES between pagan midwinter celebrations and Christmas are amazing.

There was a centuries old, ongoing pagan and secular mid-winter celebration, which was wildly poplular, that the church could not stop. Many scholars agree that apparently, the church figured, "If you can't stop them, join them!" and placed the celebration of Jesus's birth on December 25th, and, over time, the origins of the original midwinter party were forgotten.

According to the new Encyclopædia Britannica later Christians likely "wished the date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the 'birthday of the unconquered sun'."

The festival was celebrated with similar customs (gift giving, feasting) that are done to celebrate Christmas today. Many pagan customs on Dec 21st to Dec 25th were eventually stopped under missionary influence/pressure.

In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was almost the only time of year when a supply of fresh meat was available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time.

Saturnalia gift-giving midwinter celebrations predate Jesus by 100s of years, as do many other popular midwinter celebrations. These celebrations are EVEN MENTIONED in the bible, since they were so popular. And biblegod forbids christians from joining in on these pagan/secular celebrations, in Jeremiah 10: 1-5, and spcifically demands HIS followers do NOT decorate trees, but, apparently, they did not listen, as christians today DO join in the decorating of the trees in midwinter.

The pagan celebration of the birth of the Sun, or any number of December born gods, on December 21st, or Brumalia, on Dec 25th, does indeed contain almost all the customs you will recognize as 'Christmas' celebrations---the red and green decor, the yule logs, the 12 days of feasting, gift giving, mistletoe, holly wreaths, decorating trees, an elf, singing, gathering with friends and family, etc etc.

The sun, was incredibly important to ancient people, as Stonehenge and other constructions of the times attest. Celebrating the shortest day of the year, the midwinter solstice, (which HAS changed dates through the milennia, 'leap years' were not invented yet) was a huge event, long before Jesus was ever born.

It was Constantine, the first christian emporer, who posted Jesus's birthday as December 25th, in the midst of the ongoing pagan celebrations* that the bible ordered christians to avoid as pagan. (Jeremiah 10: 1-5, best read in an older version of bible)

*(with all the red and green decor, decorated trees, gift-giving, feasting, yule logs, 12 days of feasting, focusing on children, mistletoe, elves, holly wreaths, fancy dinners with families, etc etc).

Answer:

The idea that Christmas was designed to placate or gradually displace pagan winter celebrations is overstated and not historically correct. Many scholars, including early church fathers, calculated the date of Christ's birth to December 25th. The December 25th date goes back to as early as Hippolytus (A..D. 165-235). In the Eastern church January 6th was the date used for Christ's birth, a close winter date. Even though the exact date is not definitively known, there are logical reasons for the December 25th date including calculations made from other known dates.

Early Christmas celebrations were on various dates. The final, commonly accepted date of December 25th was the result of a confluence of factors and not a plan to preempt pagan celebrations. Due to the fact that pagan celebrations were seasonal, year round, and often not limited to a particular day, any date chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ could be seen as supplanting a pagan practice. December 25th is close to the period of some pagan celebrations, but there were no specific celebrations for that particular day. Mithras' birth was not celebrated on that day and in fact had no public celebrations. Sol did not specifically coincide with that date either. Solstice was close to December 25th, but the differences between solstice celebrations and Christmas are stark.

Christmas is based on the birth of Jesus Christ. Although many scientist out not sure of the exact date of this. Many believe it took place sometime in the summer due to vital information that is given in the Bible.

Well Christmas started when Jesus Christ was born. The word Christmas has a meaning, just think about it.... Christ/mas Christ's Mas took part when he was born so you are celebrating Christ's Mas. Thankyou for questioning

Answer 2

AnswerWhen Constantine attempted to unite Europe he created a "universal church" and used religion to unite Europe. Prior to Constantine's effort, Nordic religions celebrated the trip of the Sun back north. The evergreen tree was revered because it was able to keep it's needles through the winter. Spring festival celebrated the fertility of the earth (Easter). Many of the holidays that we have considered to be Christian are actually an adaptation of the holidays from other European holidays. Christmas was created in part to unite Europe so effectively Christmas was first celebrated during the reign of Constantine.

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AnswerChristmas was first celebrated , when the shepherds visited Christ .

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Catholic AnswerBefore 330 A.D. there, of course, was no public celebration of Christmas, for the simple reason that Christianity was a persecuted religion. But the feast of Christmas was celebrated, along with the Epiphany very early and in 200 A.D., St. Clement of Alexandria (150-215 A.D.) refers to a special feast which was held in the East, at that time, on May 20. The Latin Church began observing it on December 25 very early on. The practice of celebrating three Mass on Christmas can be traced to a custom by a Pope, about the fourth century, who celebrated a midnight Mass in the Liberian Basilica (where tradition holds that the manger of Bethlehem is preserved), a second Mass in the Church of St. Anastasia, whose feast also falls on December 25, and a third at the Vatican Basilica. Many of the present day customs associated with Christmas are traceable to the Church's Christianizing the pagan celebrations associated with the beginning of winter and the new year. extracted from Modern Catholic Dictionary byJohn A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980.

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AnswerThe feast of Christmas, as we have it now, was established in the mid-fourth century, it was definitely assigned to 23 December after the last great persecution in 330 A.D. Originially the feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ was celebrated along with the Epiphany. We have evidence from St. Clement of Alexandria (150-215) that the feast of the Epiphany was broken away from the feast of the Nativity by 200 A.D.

Answer 3

If you really think about it, Christmas was actually first celebrated the night of Christ's birth with Joseph and Mary, the 3 wise men, and the animals that were in the stable. The wise men each brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Although it was not considered a holiday at that time, the birth of Christ was celebrated and throughout the years became a time of giving gifts and remembering the birth of our Savior.

Answer 4

1st Answer:

Christmas was taken from an ancient Celtic Winter solstice celebration by the Catholic church in the middle ages. They wanted to make the heathen celebration into a Christian one so they used a day that was all ready in use by the Celtics. They did the same thing with Easter. So, it was created and became a day of three church services with a dinner in the evening.

2nd Answer:

The earliest known mention of Christmas being celebrated is in writings of Clement of Alexandria, and is dated to about the year 200. At his time it was celebrated on May 20.

The earliest known mention of Christmas being on December 25 is in the Chnonography of 354, which was compiled in Rome in that year. The feast was not thought especially important until about the years 380 to 400, when it was promoted as part of a campaign against Arianism.

There were many traditions incorporated into Christmas from earlier times. In Rome, it drew on the traditions of Saturnalia. Similarly, in other parts of the world, it took on other devices from other cultures.

There is a link below to a section of an article on Christmas dealing with its history.

Answer 5

It was most likely celebrated first in the 400s, though if you choose to believe The Bible, it says the first chrismas would be on the day of jesus' birth, celebrated by the shepherds. Regardless, historical evidence suggest it was stolen from another religions solstice holidays, though there is no definitive proof.

Answer 6

It was a Pagan Holiday for thousands of years. The first mention of Christmas a a Christian holiday is in the 4th Century document "Chronography of 354"

Answer 7

The first Christmas was celebrated by the shepherds and the wise men.

Answer 8

christmas was first celebrated in 100

Answer 9

400 AD

Answer 10

I DO’NT KNO BISH