- The word "Christmas" is a conjunction of the words "Christ" and "Mass." The word "Mass" (which means to distribute or send away) was originally coined by the Roman Catholic Church. It refers to the distribution of the bread of the Communion (which commemorates Christ's great sacrifice). Masses are held throughout the year, but the Mass held in celebration of the birth of Christ became known as Christ Mass or Christmas. Luke 22:7-20, 1Co 11:23-26

- We have been commanded to remember the sacrifice of His suffering and death, which purchased our salvation, and His resurrection, which assures it. Christmas is not the greatest day on the Christian calendar. We have not been commanded in the scriptures to do anything to commemorate His birth. It is His death, burial and resurrection that some up the Gospel and give us the greatest cause for celebration, a celebration which has also been overtaken by ancient pagan traditions (Easter).
1Co 15:1-4

- The Roman Catholic Church began formally celebrating the birth of Christ around the 4th century AD, finally fixing December 25th as the official celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ after the great persecution that took place around AD 310. Over time, the church absorbed into its celebration of Christmas, many of the customs and traditions of the pagan peoples it was evangelizing.

- December 25 - was the pagan holiday known as Saturnalia, which celebrated the rebirth of the Roman sun god, Saturn. It was believed that the sun god died on December 22, the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year), but was reborn three days later on December 25.

- These practices were rooted in the Babylonian traditions of the myths concerning Nimrod and his wife and son. In 336 AD, the church fixed the date of the celebration of the birth of Christ as December 25 to offset this pagan holiday, much as modern local churches have celebrated fall festivals to offset Halloween.

- The actual date of the birth of Christ was likely between 2 - 4AD in the fall around the time of the feast of Tabernacles (late September/early October) which coincides with His name Emmanuel. Matt 1:23,
Rev 21:3

- The actual birth date is reckoned as approximately six months after the birth of His earthly cousin, John the Baptist. It should also be noted that the census would not have been taken in winter when roads were unpassable, nor would shepherds have been grazing their flocks in the field in winter. Luke 1:5-45, 2:1-8, Matt 24:15-20

- Yule log - was a ritual celebrating the winter solstice where a tree was cut down, brought into the home and lit as an offering to the sun god who was believed to have died on that day.

- Evergreens - symbolized the rebirth of the sun god on the morning of December 25. After the burning of the Yule log (symbolizing the death of Nimrod's son, Tamez), the trimmed evergreen tree (symbolizing the rebirth of Tamez) was thought to miraculously appear in its place on December 25. They eventually became objects of idol worship. Jer 10:1-15

- Christmas tree - custom was first recognized nationally in the United States when President Franklin Pierce decorated one at the White House in 1856. The practice of decorating the tree was begun earlier in the century during the reign of England's Queen Victoria.

- Ornaments - Christmas trees were decorated with apples, the symbol of man's fall, and sacramental wafers, the symbol of man's salvation. Eventually, glass balls and other ornaments replaced the apples and cookies cut in the shape of stars, angels, or animals replaced the wafers.

- Candy canes - In 1670, a German choirmaster from Cologne began offering candy sticks to young churchgoers to help them pay attention during long masses. Legend holds that, later, an Indiana candy maker incorporated Christian symbols into the candy sticks. Pure white symbolized Jesus' sinless life, the "J" shape referred to the name "Jesus" or perhaps staff of the "Good Shepherd," the red stripes symbolize his scourging and his blood, etc.

- Lights - are a German tradition believed to have begun with Martin Luther who was thought to have used them on his Christmas tree to symbolize the stars in the sky over Bethlehem.

- Holly and mistletoe - are symbols of fertility. The red holly berry represents the female egg of the Roman goddess of fertility, Diana, and the white berries of mistletoe were believed represent the seed of the sun god, Saturn. Thus, holly and mistletoe were hung in the doorways of temples and homes to invoke powers of fertility in those who stood beneath and kissed, causing the spirits of the god and goddess to enter them.

- Poinsettias - the "flower of the Holy Night," is believed to represent the flaming Star of Bethlehem.

- Martin Luther, who started the reformation on October 31st, 1517, left intact the firmly imbedded pagan traditions of the Catholic celebration of Christmas intact.

- In England, as the authorized Bible became available to the common people by the decree of King James the II in 1611, people began to recognize the pagan traditions that had been incorporated into the celebration Christmas.

- In America during the 1600s and 1700s, large groups of colonists objected to the celebration of the Roman Catholic form of Christmas, calling it an abomination. The puritans especially believed that church government should not sanction extra-biblical traditions and customs in the celebration of the birth of Christ and outlawed the holiday as witchcraft.

- Christmas wasn't accepted into American culture until the mid 1800s when secular interest in the holiday spread rapidly with an influx of German immigrants who celebrated it as both a religious and folk occasion.

- Christmas presents were advertised sporadically in American newspapers in the 1820s, but for the next half-century, gifts were referred to as "New Year's" gifts or simply "holiday" gifts. The custom of gift giving didn't catch on until the mid 1800s.

- Santa Claus - was short for St. Nicklaus, the patron saint of children, fraternal charities and the city of Moscow. He was born about 270 A.D in what is now Turkey. His legend included well-known tales of his charitable life and miracle-working power. December 6th was celebrated to commemorate him. The legend of his climb down the chimney is of Dutch origin where the legend had thrived. His red suit trimmed with white fur originated in the miter and cape worn by the Dutch bishops.

- The written description of the modern Santa Claus was created in 1822 by Clement Moore, author of "The Night Before Christmas." Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist, developed the visual image.

- His association with reindeer and the North Pole apparently came from Scandinavia. Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer appeared in a Montgomery Ward advertising campaign when an executive of the company wrote the poem and the company distributed it to customers as a "giveaway" item during the Christmas shopping season. The story wasn't used again until 1946. In 1949 Gene Autry and Bing Crosby recorded the song, which swept the country.

- The 12 Days of Christmas were celebrated from December 25 - January 5, January 6 being the date of the Epiphany. The Epiphany was the traditional date of the arrival of the magi or wise men and commemorated the revelation of Christ's deity to the Gentile world. Matt 2