'That really stuck': Here's how a 1970s campaign to sell Kentucky Fried Chicken with a bottle of wine became a Japanese Christmas tradition | Fortune

"The story of the birth of Jesus appears only in two of the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew and Luke. They provide different details, though both say Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The exact day, month and even year of Jesus's birth are unknown, said Christine Shepardson, a professor at the University of Tennessee who studies early Christianity. The tradition of celebrating Jesus' birth on Dec. 25, she said, only emerged in the fourth century."

""It's hard to overemphasize how important the fourth century is for constructing Christianity as we experience it in our world today," Shepardson said. It was then, under Emperor Constantine, that Christians began the practice of gathering at churches instead of meeting at homes. Some theories say the date coincides with existing pagan winter solstice festivals, including the Roman celebration of Sol Invictus, or the "Unconquered Sun," on Dec 25."

Christmas is a Christian holiday that observes the birth of Jesus, though early followers focused on celebrating his resurrection at Easter rather than his birth. The birth narrative appears only in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and the precise date and year of Jesus's birth are unknown. The selection of Dec. 25 as the celebration date emerged in the fourth century, when Christianity became more institutionalized and Christians began gathering in churches. The date may have been aligned with pagan winter solstice festivals such as the Roman Sol Invictus. Some Eastern Orthodox churches observe Christmas on Jan. 7 because they follow the Julian calendar. Over time Christmas evolved into a widespread cultural holiday with gift-giving, decorated trees, and diverse regional customs.

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