THE REAL HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS: Pagan Origins, Winter Traditions, and Why December 25 Has Little to Do With Christ
Christmas, for millions around the world, is celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ. But beneath the nativity scenes, hymns, and midnight services lies a much older story—one woven from ancient pagan traditions, seasonal rituals, and centuries of cultural adaptation. Long before Christianity existed, December was a sacred time for cultures across Europe and the Near East. Romans, Celts, Germanic tribes, and Norse peoples all honoured the winter solstice—the darkest point of the year, when the sun appears to “die” and is reborn. Their festivals focused on light, fire, gift-giving, greenery, community, and the eternal hope that life would return with the lengthening days. When Christianity spread through the Roman Empire, these beloved traditions were too popular to destroy. Instead, the Church gradually absorbed them—rebranding existing pagan celebrations as “Christmas.” It is so unmistakably pagan in origin that, for centuries, Christmas was even outlawed by certain Christia...
