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Christmas
Christmas is a holiday celebrated in the Christian world. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Catholics and Protestants celebrate the day on December 25. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the day on January 7.
History[edit | edit source]
Historians believe that Jesus was probably not born on December 25. They believe this date was used by the Catholic Church to replace the pagan rites celebrating the winter solstice that took place at that time of the year.
The Christmas holiday probably began in the 4th century AD while Constantine was the Emperor of Rome. He ended official persecution of Christians and made Christianity a state religion in the Roman Empire in 324 AD.
Secular components[edit | edit source]
Secular components of the holiday include Christmas Eve, the Christmas tree, Christmas carols, gift exchanges, Christmas cards, Christmas stockings, Santa Claus, and others.
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