Origin Stories Behind 20 Holidays

Christmas

Christmas is a worldwide holiday celebrated on Dec. 25. The celebration originated as the Feast of the Nativity in the 4th century by Pope Julius I to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ—the savior in the Christian religion.

The date was chosen to coincide with the Roman pagan festival Saturnalia and the winter solstice to help mesh with traditions in the areas where the church wanted to convert people.