La tua guida italiana a Londra – Your Italian guide in London25/12/2023
Did you know how did Christmas begin?
Christmas 🎄 🎄 🎄
Long before Christianity, people have gathered to celebrate in the darkest days of winter. Early Europeans slaughtered their cattle to sustain them through these harsh months, and enjoyed the fresh meat along with alcohol that had fermented during the year.
The Christian festival we know today didn’t begin until the fourth century. Despite its celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, Pope Julius I didn’t base his choice of 25 December on Jesus’s date of birth. This is because the Bible doesn’t actually tell us when he was born.
Rather, this midwinter choice was due to older festivals being held in the winter, which increased the chances of this new annual event – Christmas – being embraced by a wider population.
by Lauren Good
Digital Editorial Assistant, HistoryExtra
