What are the Christian Roots of Christmas? Part I: The Christmas Tradition: What do the Gospels record about Jesus’ Birth?

By: Bryan Ricardo Marini Quintana

Every December 25^th, families gather around the Christmas Tree, waiting for Santa Claus to slide down the chimney with gifts. Around the neighborhood, each house has jolly decorations, holiday music, and delicious food. But everyone is easily distracted by the haste of senseless spending, extravagant adornments, and numerous festivities. Often, people tend to forget why Christmas is celebrated on December 25^th. This Christian Tradition commemorates the Birth of Christ on the day God begot his Son, who became a Man to fulfill his role as the Messiah. Why do Christians believe that the Birth of Jesus was on December 25^th?

In the Gospels of Luke 1 and Matthew 1, the Angel Gabriel delivered his Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, revealing that she would bear the Son of God through the Holy Spirit, with Joseph of Nazareth receiving a divine message to marry her and care for the boy. Both Gospels affirmed that Mary conceived through Divine Conception and gave Birth to Christ in Bethlehem. They also recognized Joseph as a descendant from the House of David, who traced back his ancestors to the days of Abraham’s First Covenant, proclaiming Jesus as a progeny from the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Messiah was most likely born in a lowly abode, where Luke 2 recounted that he was placed in a small manger, a wooden frame used to feed animals, and visited by shepherds, symbolizing his humble roots. Moreover, Matthew 2 narrated how The Magi, otherwise referred to as The Three Wise Men or Kings, traveled to Bethlehem offering gifts of gold (A Treasure of Kingship), frankincense (A Resin for Incense to denote Worship), and myrrh (An Oil for Mourning).

While the Gospels discuss Mary’s Divine Conception, Joseph’s Kingly Lineage, Christ’s Birthplace, alongside the Shepherds and Magi’s adoration of the newborn, they don’t mention any date. To discover the origins of why December 25^th was chosen as Jesus’ Birthday, one must consult the Hebrews’ Ancient Beliefs and Early Christian Theologians. We’ll explore this in the next post!