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Telemere125 t1_j2e63b6 wrote

Because Dec 25 is the end of Saturnalia, celebration of the god Saturn, in the Roman pantheon. It was adopted by the Christians because there was already a big celebration that happened every year on that day so it was easier to integrate it into their religion and make it seem like their god was being celebrated.

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yirzmstrebor t1_j2eb3lz wrote

It's also the Birthday of Mithras, an Indo-Iranian god who had become popular with Roman soldiers, and just 2 days before the Birthday of the Egyptian god Osiris. Notably, both of these deities have myths involving their death and resurrection. It's also close enough to the Winter Solstice that Christians were able to syncretize the celebration of Yule/Jule as Christianity moved into Northern Europe. This celebration was often connected with Odin/Woden, who has a myth wherein he sacrificed himself to himself on the World Tree.

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Telemere125 t1_j2ee4s1 wrote

Oh yea there’s dozens of religious celebrations around winter solstice, usually celebrated sometime around Dec 20-25. Nothing revolutionary for the Christians to celebrate a major event then

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yirzmstrebor t1_j2ejb09 wrote

And, as the shortest day/longest night of the year, it's commonly associated with death and resurrection/rebirth, so the themes fit nicely with Jesus.

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SetTheWorldAfire t1_j2f531p wrote

Jesus is the sun, the light of our world, born in the east and the reason for the seasons

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thunderchungus1999 t1_j2fbhjj wrote

IIRC it this because in the northern hemisphere December usually tends to be at the height of winter (lack of production or active field plowing) and the longest night is the ideal setting dor a reunion in a holding protected from the elemental dangers of a harsh winter night, especially when you consider that before the development of advanced engineering then all resources would have to be pulled into one fortress since civilian homes couldnt hold that many people.

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Inside_Beginning75 t1_j2fqkk3 wrote

But also a bunch of Romans converted. It wasn't to make Christmas seem legit, just convenience for the growing population of roman christians and christians through out the Roman empire.

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Telemere125 t1_j2frfxy wrote

No Roman converted their holiday for the convenience and pleasure of a Christian. Romans hunted Christians pretty extensively from Nero’s rule in 64 CE until 313 CE when Constantine the Great declared toleration. However, you’re other point “for the convenience of the growing population of Roman Christians” is exactly what co-opting the ceremony for Christian purposes means, as I originally said.

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