Christmas Day is a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the actual date of Christ’s birth is unknown, it has been celebrated on December 25 since the 4th century. Christmas is also extensively celebrated by non-Christians as a seasonal holiday, on which popular traditions such as gift-giving, feasting, and caroling take place. As Christianity began to spread in the 4th century, the Christmas feast day was set to December 25 by Pope Julius I; although no one knows for certain, some say that this was to align with the Roman pagan holiday Dies natalis solis invicti, “the birth of the invincible Sun.” Today’s rich mosaic of Christmas customs dates back through the ages. Evergreen branches were used to symbolize life in ancient solstice festivals, as they stayed green in winter. This tradition was absorbed by Christians, who interpreted the evergreens as the Paradise tree and began decorating them with apples. The candles and lights associated with Christmas, meant to symbolize guiding beacons for the Christ child, may have evolved from the Yule log, which was lit to entice the Sun to return as part of the jol (Yule) festival in pagan Scandinavia.
Every Year
1490s
1630s
1770s
1820s
1850s
1860s
1890s
1900s
1920s
1940s
- BORN 1945: GARY SANDY (ACTOR)
- BORN 1946: JIMMY BUFFET (SINGER)
- DIED 1946: W.C. FIELDS (ACTOR)
- 1949: COMIC STRIP HERO DICK TRACY MARRIED TESS TRUEHEART
- BORN 1949: SISSY SPACEK (ACTRESS)
1950s
1970s
- BORN 1971: JUSTIN TRUDEAU (CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER)
- BORN 1971: DIDO (SINGER)
- DIED 1977: CHARLIE CHAPLIN (ACTOR)
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
COURTESY www.almanac.com
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