7. Jesus’ birthday
Christmas is the most popular Christian holiday. On December 25th, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (And we get gifts, drink eggnog and watch some NBA). This is because Jesus was born on Christmas, right? Wrong, actually. Nowhere in the Bible is December 25th mentioned as Jesus’s birthday. In fact, there are few clues in the Bible that reveal Jesus couldn’t have been born on that date. For starters, shepherds were out with their flocks, highly unlikely for winter. And second, his parents came to Bethlehem to register for a Roman census. It is hard to believe that Romans, ever practical, would schedule such an important event in winter. Early Christians suggested several dates for Jesus’s birthday, like November 13th or March 28. In the end, they all settled on December 25th, for one simple reason. It was on this date (or near to it) that several Pagan festivals were held, like Roman Saturnalia and Sol Invictus festival, as well as celebration in honor of Persian god of light Mithra. And yet, millions of people around the world celebrate this date, convinced by a clever ploy that was the day Jesus Christ was born.
