Christmas

Of course, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus - the Son of God who came to earth, taught for three years, and then went to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice to save sinful man. The first recorded celebration of Christmas didn't occur until 336 A.D., and this was in Rome. Instead, the early church celebrated Easter as the main holiday.

No one knows why 4th-century church officials chose the date as December 25th, because the Bible doesn't give a date. Some suggest the actual date was more likely in the spring or summer, or else the shepherds wouldn't have been tending their flocks out in the fields. However, no one knows for sure.

Throughout history, the holiday has varied in popularity. In the United States, the early Pilgrims banned its celebration, deeming it too worldly. However, the settlers at Jamestown embraced it. Christmas didn't become a national holiday until 1870, although it was celebrated in the colonies and then the states much earlier. How do you celebrate the day?

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