Backstory: Why is Christmas on December 25?

If Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus, and we celebrate it on December 25, then Jesus must have been born on that day, right? Not so fast! We actually have no good idea when Jesus was born. And besides, the observance of his birth on December 25 is a 4th century contrivance. But why December 25 of all days? In today's episode, professor and author Michael Foley joins Brian to make sense of it all. 

Music in this episode

• "Stress Relief Piano" — PianoAmor, via Pixabay
• "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist
• "Neatly Folded" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Oh Christmas Tree" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "First Snow" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au

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Book

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.