The celebration of Christmas on the 25th of December traces back to 336 AD, when the Roman church first adopted this date. At the time, the emperor Constantine held power and had already established Christianity as the official and practical religion across his entire empire. Many have speculated that Constantine settled on this particular date as a political strategy, aiming to undermine the well-established pagan celebrations of the era.
The Eastern Empire, however, wasn't on board with this choice. Instead, they preferred the 6th of January, a date that held prominence for the next half-century. As a result, Christmas didn't truly rise to the status of a major Christian festival until the 9th century.
What happened on this day?
Rome became the stage for the very first Christmas celebrations on the 25th of December 336. The Christian church in Rome held a joyous festival on this occasion, marking the birth of 'The unconquered sun.' The day was celebrated with great enthusiasm — gift-giving and merrymaking were at the heart of it all. In many ways, it closely mirrored how Christians observe the holiday today. Beyond exchanging presents with one another, early Christians also made a point of visiting and bringing gifts to children and the poor in the community.
The festivities didn't end there — the Christian church extended the celebrations all the way to the 1st of January, which marked the Roman new year. Houses were adorned with greenery for the occasion, and once again, Christians took the opportunity to give gifts to children and the less fortunate in their community.
It's worth noting that the 25th of December AD 336 also coincided with the Roman celebration of the winter solstice, known as Saturnalia. This marked the shortest day of the year.