
#49 Christmas Special with Bart Ehrman - Did Christmas Really Happen?
Within Reason
The Origin and Evolution of Christmas Celebration
The early Christians did not celebrate the birth of Jesus for the first 300 years, focusing instead on Easter. In the fourth century, as more pagans converted to the faith, Christmas began to be celebrated. The date of December 25th is not mentioned in the Bible and was likely chosen due to its proximity to the Roman festival of Saturnalia, known for gift-giving.
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