What does the sun have to do with Christmas?

    Winter solstice is, of course, the shortest day of the year and the beginning of winter. Even though the coldest temperatures are still before us, the days will become longer and (eventually) warmer. In other words, the revolution of the Earth is now in our favor, but bundle up, anyhow. 
    Simply put, when the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. When the North Pole is tilted away from the sun, it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. To be technical, The American Heritage Dictionary defines the solstice this way:   

“Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs about June 21, when the sun is in the zenith at the tropic of Cancer; the winter solstice occurs about December 21, when the sun is over the tropic of Capricorn. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and the winter solstice is the shortest.”

     But what does this have to do with Christmas, a religious celebration commemorating the birth of Christ?
    Consider that in ancient times, the winter solstice was a period of celebration. By the third century after Christ's birth, “the Roman Empire, which at the time had not adopted Christianity, celebrated the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25th,” according to an article on the Encyclopedia Britannica website.
    The celebration revolved around the return of longer days. But there was also the festival Saturnalia -- originally a farmers' celebration. As put on the BBC website, Saturnalia commemorated the “dedication of the temple of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and the harvest.”
    Saturnalia, like Christmas, was a time of parties, feasts and gift giving. It ran for seven days starting Dec. 17.
    So why is Christmas also in December? The answer has something to do with politics. There is no specific date for Christ's birthday given in the Bible. Scholars, putting together pieces of information, believe that he may have been born in the spring.  
    In the year 336, the church in Rome began to celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, according to the Britannica article. The merger of pagan parties and the Christian celebration was doubtless intentional -- aimed at turning the spotlight away from the sun.

    To know more:

• BBC: Religions -- Christmas
• BBC: Religion and Ethics--Did the Romans invent Christmas?
• Christianity Today: Why December 25th?
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Why is Christmas in December?
• Lunar and Planetary Institute: About Our Seasons
• NASA: Winter and Summer Solstice 
• Scholastic: Summer and Winter Solstices

     Related:

     Christmas classics from a turbulent time

     The 'Night Before Christmas' author on trial

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