How did we come to celebrate Christmas?

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SUMMER HIATUS

How did we come to celebrate Christmas?

The Conversation: Bronwen Neil, Australian Catholic University
Adoration of the shepherds (1622) by Gerard van Honthorst/WIkimedia Commons
Why do we celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December? Adoration of the shepherds (1622) by Gerard van Honthorst/WIkimedia Commons

We are on our summer break and the editorial office is closed until 14 January. We hope you enjoy this article which is part of Summer Hiatus, an eclectic mix from our archives throughout the year, The Conversation and other publications we share content with. Please note the comment function has been turned off while we are away. Happy reading

Christmas is literally “the mass for Christ”, the day on which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. The western date for Jesus’ birth was c