The second opinion is that December 25 was chosen because of its being the day for the pagan celebration of “the birth of the Unconquered Sun,” known as the Brumalia in the Roman Empire. This followed the week-long festival of the Saturnalia (December 17-24) at the time of the winter solstice. At this time of year the daylight period begins to get longer. The pagan Romans believed that the sun-god, Mithras, was conquering the darkness and gloom of winter. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, this second point of view “remains the most plausible explanation for the dating of Christmas.”

The book The Story of Christmas tells of the date December 25:

“It was, in particular, the greatest feast day of the Mithraic religion, which appeared, for a time, to be rivalling the Christian faith as the state religion of the Roman Empire. . . . The reverence that the Mithraists paid to 25 December certainly had its influence in deciding the Church authorities in fixing the official birthday of our Saviour on 25 December.

“To select 25 December, then, as the official date of the Nativity was to adapt, to the service of Christianity, a feast of immemorially ancient origins and world-wide observance.”

Professor A. H. Newman explains that Catholic religious leaders saw fit to make “the birthday of the Son of God coincide with that of the physical sun.” So the date for Christmas resulted from a compromise with pagan sun worship.

What about the “merry customs” of Christmas, such as the brightly lit and gayly decorated tree, holly, mistletoe, the yule log and the practice of exchanging gifts? Are these Christian customs?

Professor Edvard Lehmann writes in Hastings’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics: “Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. . . . The Christmas feast has inherited these customs chiefly from two sources​—from Roman and from Teutonic paganism.” Some customs even come from ancient Babylon.

Does It Make Any Difference?

In spite of this, the churches of Christendom go on celebrating Christmas year after year. To them it makes no difference where Christmas came from. All that seems to matter is that it is a time of fun that is now thought to be Christian. A Roman Catholic priest replied to a letter of inquiry to the Knights of Columbus on this matter, as follows:

“The evolution of certain objects or feasts used in some form of pagan worship is of no importance. When the Church begins missionary work among a new group of people, the Church regularly takes what is good from the customs and habits of the people and re-interprets such in the light of the teachings of Christ. If formerly something was associated with error, the Church re-educates the people in the light of Christian revelation and gives the object or custom new meaning for the future.”

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A Closer Look at the Nativity

● Who were the “wise men”? In nativity scenes, prominently displayed at this time of year, three “wise men,” kings, are shown bringing gifts to the babe Jesus in a manger. But the Bible does not say that these men were kings; they were pagan astrologers. “A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture,” page 856, acknowledges: “The Magi (D[ouay] V[ersion] ‘wise men’) were originally a Median priestly tribe of clairvoyants. . . . The term later became general . . . for astrologers, sorcerers, etc. of all nationalities.” Did you know that?

● How many “wise men” were there? If you look in the Bible you will nowhere find that it says there were three. The number is not given. The book “The Glory of Christmas,” on page 72, admits: “The brief account in Matthew . . . is the only mention of these Wise Men in the Bible. It does not name them, say where they came from or even how many there were.”

● When did the “magi” visit Jesus? Nativity scenes sponsored by church groups usually show the “magi” bringing their gifts to the newborn Jesus in a manger. But read the Bible account at Matthew chapter 2 for yourself. You will see that it says that, by the time the astrologers arrived, Jesus was a “young child” living in a “house.” (Matt. 2:11) It was only the shepherds who visited the babe Jesus in the manger.​—Luke 2:12.

● Did God use a star to lead the astrologers to Jesus? Do not forget that God’s Word condemns astrology. (Isa. 47:13, 14) Remember, too, that the “star” seen by the astrologers led them first to wicked King Herod, who then ordered all the young boys in and around Bethlehem slaughtered in an effort to kill Jesus. Do these facts point to God or to his adversary, Satan the Devil, as the source of that moving “star”? God did indeed announce the birth of his Son, but he did so by means of an angel.​—Luke 2:8-12.

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What Was Their Origin?

● The Christmas tree has its roots in paganism. Says “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” page 33: “The use of the fir (Tannenbaum) seems to have originated at the winter solstice celebrations of the pagan German tribes in the Black Forest.” “The Two Babylons” by Alexander Hislop points to origins all the way back in pagan Rome and ancient Babylon.

● Holly and mistletoe use in Christmas celebrations also has a pagan origin. Explains Funk & Wagnalls “Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend,” Volume 1, page 501: “The use of holly in religious ceremonies is of considerable antiquity; probably its use as Christmas decoration was adapted by early Roman Christians from the Roman Saturnalia.”

This dictionary also notes in Volume 2, page 732. “Decorating the house with mistletoe at Christmas is often assumed to be a survival of the old druid oak cult. Frazer links the custom of kissing under the mistletoe with the license of the Greek Saturnalia. Others associate the practice with certain primitive marriage rites.”