CHRISTMAS

WHAT IS

?

Christmas

On this Day Gifts are exchanged,Christmas Tree is decorated

&Gift from Santa Claus is expected

Is a Christian Holiday which falls on 25th December

and celebrated by Christians as Jesus Christ’s Birth Day

Was Jesus Born on 25th December?

What the Bible say?

At the time of Jesus’ Birth, Shepherds were

watching flocks at night in the fields.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

1

This suggests that Jesus may not have been born in December 25 but in summer or early fall i.e. September or October.

Luke 2 : 7 – 8

Bible has not given the exact date when Jesus was born, but

it says

The Temperature at night in Bethlehem in the last week of December will be below Freezing, especially at night and even Snowfalls.

On December 25 the weather would not have permitted shepherds watching overtheir flocks in the fields at night.

2Jesus' parents came to

Bethlehem to register in a Roman census

that there was to be a numbering of all the world. …, everyone to his town. And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to Beth-lehem, …, To be put on the list with Mary, his future wife, who was about to become a mother. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.

Luke 2 : 1 – 5

The census described by Luke

Luke's account of the census argues strongly against a December date for Christ's birth. For such an agrarian society, an autumn post-harvest census was much more likely.

Now it came about in those days that an order went out from Caesar Augustus

The Roman and Judean rulers knew that taking a census in winter would have been impractical and unpopular.

A census would take place after the harvest season, around September or October, when the weather was good and the roads were still dry enough to allow easy travel

3When Gabriel visited Mary, Elizabeth (John’s Mother) was 6 months Pregnant

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.… And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus.

Luke 1 : 26 – 31

If 25th December is not Jesus’ Date of Birth then …

John the Baptist was 6 Months older then Jesus

When was John the Baptist Born ?

John's (The Baptist) father, Zacharias, was a priest serving in the

Jerusalem temple during the course of Abijah (Luke 1:5).

Historical calculations indicate this course of service corresponded to June in that year.

It was during this time of temple service that Zacharias learned that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child (Luke 1:8-13).

A careful analysis of Scripture, however, clearly indicates that Dec. 25 is an unlikely date for Christ's birth.

John's conception took place near the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March

as the most likely time for John's birth.

Adding another six months (the difference in ages betweenJohn and Jesus) brings us to the end of September

as the likely time of Jesus' Birth.

Then how 25th December was set for Christmas.

Christmas has its roots in pre-Christian Pagan religious traditions

The Romansbelieved

in many godsand goddesses.

Months & Daysare named

afterRoman gods

Bacchus(Dionysus),

the god of wine.

Mithras,A Sun godBorn on

25th December

Venusthe goddess

Of LoveAnd

Beauty

Jupiterthe goddess

OfWomen

AndFertility

SaturnRoman

godof

agriculture

In the fourth century, the church decided to try to redeem

a Roman pagan winter solstice festival:the festival of Saturnalia as Christ’s Birthday

because pagans already observed this day as a holiday

The Yule-feast which lasts for twelve days in from 21st December, During this time log-fires were burnt,

Shrines were decorated with greeneryand it was an occasion for feasting and drinking.

Saturnalia was a large and important public festival in Rome.

which honored the god of Agriculture & Harvest which took place on 17 December up to 23

December.

Santa Claus

Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a bishop Born

after 300 years after Jesus

The ancient inhabitants of northern Europebelieved a powerful pagan god,

cloaked in red fur, galloped across the winter sky.These myths combined with the legends of the real life figure of

Bishop Nicholas.

The word 'Santa Claus', appears nowhere in the Bible.

he was kind, at nighthe use to bring

presents to the needy.

He Died on 6th of Dec. and in Europe this day was celebrated as a feast.The celebration date was later changed from Dec. 6th to Dec. 24th

eve.

The Tree Decorating Rituals were borrowedfrom the Roman Pagans.

The Romans were decorating the Treeswith apples and nuts during the Winter Solstice

on December 21with a hope of the Sun returning to bring Spring

Christmas Tree

Nowhere does the Christmas Tree appear in the Bible

Did the Early Christian Celebrate

Christmas?

Christmas wasn't celebrated

by the early churchuntil the fourth century.

In England "the strict Puritans refused to celebrate at all, saying that no celebration should be more important than the Sabbath

In England in June 1647, Parliament established punishments for observing Christmas and certain other holidays.

Christmas A Banned Celebration in England

Should Dec’25 be celebrated as Christ’s Birth?

There is no command in the Scripture by Christor His apostles to celebrate His birth.

The lure of the profit is so high that, since the 1870s,merchants have vigorously promoted Christmas.

Reasons for the growth of Christmas

Because of the Economic Factors.

The Christmas shopping season accountsfor 50% of the profit of the retailers.

Jeremiah 10 : 2 – 4

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven;

for the heathen are dismayed at them.For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest,

the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.They deck it with silver and with gold;

they fasten it with nails and with hammers,that it move not.

Bible WarnsLearn not the way of the Pagans

Worship not theImages or

IdolsDeuteronomy 27 : 15

Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD,

Deuteronomy 5 : 7 - 9Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image,

or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them,

nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.

Job 25 : 4 – 6How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

John 8:12 he that followeth me shall not

walk in darkness,

Psalms 97 : 10Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:

Jesus Says

Bible Says

Do You Still Celebrate

Christmas?

Say: He is God, The One!

God, The Eternally Besought of All!

He Begetteth Not Nor Was He Begotten.

And There is none comparable to Him.

Last Testament

Chapter 112

Please Forward it to your Friends and Relatives.

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