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Show TJlme fo! Conilant J)n tlie deiebrationd Of CUif, flatMfy While December is now the month in which Christ's birthday is celebrated cele-brated by Christians all over the world, research and study show that Christ's nativity has been celebrated cele-brated in January, March, April, May, September and October by various peoples. And although few people know it, it was for the purpose of substituting substitut-ing a Christian festival for pagan ones of Romans and Druids that celebrations of Christmas in December Decem-ber were popularized. No historian pretends to fix the actual date of Christ's birth or the date at which Christmas became a general festival. About all that is known is that during the fourth century the feast of the Nativity was observed in all western world churches at different differ-ent dates. The confusion resulting from celebrations cele-brations in seven months of the year caused the western church authorities to meet in 340 to set a definite date for the celebration. The eastern churches did not cooperate co-operate until the sixth century when December 25 was set as the day to be observed. The Question has arisen Innumerable In-numerable times as to why December was selected as the month for rejoicing. The answer Is that this month was chosen In order that a Christian festival fes-tival could compete with those of the pagans, because December Decem-ber was noted for its feasts and holidays in nearly every civilized land. Greeks, Romans, Saxons and Scandinavians all took part in the celebration of these festivals which had originated before the birth of Christ. From the Saxons came the ceremony cere-mony of burning the Yule log. The Saxons burned great bonfires in honor of their god Thor. From the Romans came the giving of presents, pres-ents, for this custom has been traced to the Roman Saturnalia. It may seem strange to claim that the pagan riotousness might be the forebear of the Christian holiday of goodness and love, but intermingled inter-mingled with that which was objectionable, objec-tionable, were things that have gone straight to the hearts of people peo-ple throughout the Christian world. |