Why is Christmas on December 25?
Nobody knows for sureThe Bible gives no date for the birth of Jesus, and the first record of December 25 comes from Rome around 336, in a calendar known as the Chronography of 354. Scholars still debate the reason. One view counts nine months from a March 25 conception, and the other points to Rome's midwinter feasts.
Christmas dates
What day of the week is Christmas in 2026? 
When does Advent start in 2026? 
When is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting in 2026? 
When should I put up my Christmas tree? 
When is the first day of winter in 2026? - Was Jesus really born on December 25?
- The Bible doesn't say, and most major Christian churches don't treat December 25 as the historical date. It's the day set aside to celebrate his birth.
- Did Christians borrow the date from a Roman festival?
- That's the popular story, but scholars disagree, and early Christian writers never mention choosing the date that way.
- Why do some churches celebrate on January 7?
- Orthodox churches that follow the old Julian calendar still mark December 25 on it, and that day falls on January 7 on ours.
See the whole Christmas Checklist
Last checked Monday, November 9.
From our shop Tartan tumbler Mr. Abernathy won't climb the tower without coffee, and he has never spilled a drop. Our tartan tumbler. 
