What happened on December 25th?

As many as two billion people started celebrating Christmas

Author

Matthew Jones
December 25, 2024

336 CE Catholic Church Starts Celebrating Christmas

Estimates of the exact year widely vary, but scholars believe Christians began celebrating December 25th as the birth of Christ sometime between the second and fourth century. How the 25th of December was selected is also a matter of debate, but many believe pagan celebrations on that day were simply co-opted by the Christians. It wasn’t until 336 CE that the Catholic Church officially adopted the day as a sacred feast. In the 1530s, bringing trees inside became part of the tradition. Santa Claus, an American version of the Dutch Sinterklass, who, in turn, was inspired by St. Nicholas, came onto the scene in the early 1800s.

This painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo depicts Baby Jesus cradled by the Virgin Mary and the shepherds of Bethlehem around them.

🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on December 25:

1991 ─ Announcing that “we are living in a new world,” Mikhail Gorbachev resigned from the presidency of the Soviet Union. The USSR formally dissolved soon thereafter.

1962 ─ The film version of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird premiered. It did very well at the box office, won three Academy Awards, and was named one of the top 100 American movies of all time. 

1776 ─ General George Washington crossed the Delaware River to surprise British troops in Trenton, New Jersey. The crossing was immortalized in a painting by Emanuel Leutze.

1066 ─ William I, known as William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England after leading an invasion from Normandy, France, just three months prior. 

800 ─ Charlemagne became the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, receiving the title after helping squash a rebellion against Pope Leo III.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On December 25, we’re singing to:

Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1876) ─ Pakistan’s first Governor-General, known as one of the founding fathers of Pakistan for his role in the fight for independence from the United Kingdom.

Conrad Hilton (1887) ─ American businessman who rose from humble beginnings to establish the Hilton hotel chain, which now has more than 7,000 locations worldwide.

Justin Trudeau (1971) ─ Prime minister of Canada since 2015, the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history and the son of previous prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

 🪦Who Died Today?

On December 25, we’re saying goodbye to:

Dean Martin (1955) ─ American singer, actor, and comedian and part of the famous “Rat Pack,” a crew of entertainers including Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. who took over American entertainment in the 1950s.

James Brown (2006) ─ American singer known as the “Godfather of Soul,” who had 17 songs reach #1 in the Billboard R&B charts and was named in the top ten artists of all time by Rolling Stone.

George Michael (2016) ─ Iconic British singer, composer, and activist who came to prominence in the ‘80s, first with his band Wham! and later as a solo artist with hits such as “Faith.”

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