Why do most religious holidays fall within or close to winter?
436297
Catholic religious holidays and feast days are pretty spread out throughout the year, not just in or near winter.\n\nI believe Jewish holidays are too.  Two of the major ones, Yom Kippur and Roshashana, are in the early fall.
768895
Mainly because of religion, probably. Sad, huh?
7433
Yes. In fact, almost all of the traditions of Christmas were "stolen" (if you will) by the Christian religion from the pagan celebration of the winter solstice.\n\nAnd, by the way, "pagan" doesn't mean satanic, nor does it mean "having no religion" in this context. Rather, in ancient Rome, pagans followed a polytheistic religion.\n\nThe winter celebration was called the festival of Saturnalia. "By the fourth century, the pagans were worshipping the god of the sun on December 25, and the Christians came to a decision: if you can't stop 'em, join 'em. They claimed (contrary to known fact) that the date was Jesus' birthday, and usurped the solstice holiday for their Church."\n\nLights were very much a representation of the stars and sun, as a way to celebrate the pleasures of life.
105776
There is a Christian holiday called Christmas when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and then there is an American holiday called Christmas that is about Santa Claus and reindeer and snowmen and getting together with family and friends and having parades. Whether you celebrate the Christian version of Christmas or the American version of Christmas, it is still Christmas to the large majority of Americans.
134715
They don't Celebrate Holidays that they deem Pagan in Origin like Birthdays, Christmas, Easter and so forth.\n\nBut they do celebrate Wedding Anniversaries and they do attend Parties that are not involved with Holiday celebrations such as Retirement Parties.\n\nA really Ironic thing though is they did not always ban Holidays, the 1st - 5th Presidents of the Watchtower Society all celebrated Christmas and other Holidays before.\n\nWhile the Jehovah's Witnesses claim the reason for no Holiday celebrations is cause of Pagan origins, that is not the real reason they are forbidden.\n\nThe real reason is to isolate members from outsiders.
804396
Christmas is the darkest part of the year ,As well as often the coldest .\nAdd to this loneliness and illness as well as a sprinkling of the thought of Bills to pay in the new year ,You have a recipe for suicidal thoughts.
680485
Medieval celebrations revolved around feast days that had pagan origins and were based on ancient agricultural celebrations that marked when certain crops should be planted or harvested. \n\nWheat and rye were sown from Michaelmas (September 29) to Christmas. Spring crops would be planted from the end of Christmas through Easter. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost (or Whitsunday) would be celebrated with a feast of the Church, and would be followed by a week of vacation. Lesser celebrations such as:\nCandlemas (February 2), \nHocktide (end of the Easter week), \nMayday, the Rogation Days, Ascension (all in May), \nMidsummer, or St. John's Day (June 24), \nand the Lammas, or Feast of St. Peter, \n-would all be marked with feasts. Michaelmas marked the beginning of winter and the start of the fiscal year for tradesmen. \n\nBy November, feed was often too scarce to keep animals through the winter, and became known as the "blood month" when meat was smoked, salted and cured for consumption during the long winter ahead. The month began with All Hallows (later, All Saints) Day, followed by St. Martin's Day (November 11). \n\nMedieval society celebrated the grandest feast during the dreariest time of year. The two-week period from Christmas Eve to Twelfth Day (January 6) transformed into the longest vacation for workers. The Lord of the manor or castle often gave bonuses of food, clothing, drink and firewood to servants. Houses were decked with holly and ivy, and giant Yule logs were brought in and burned throughout the two-week celebration. New Year's took place during this time and added to the festivities, and "First Gifts" were often exchanged on this day. \n\n"Plow Monday" took place the day after Epiphany, and freemen of the village would participate in a plow race, to begin cultivation of the town's common plot of land. Each man would try and furrow as many lines as possible, as he would be able to sow those lines during the coming year. Children would play the role of "Fool Plow" and go from house to house asking for pennies. Those who refuse would find the ground in front of their door plowed up. \n\nEaster, as Christmas, was a day for exchanging gifts. The castle lord would receive eggs from the villagers and in return, provide servants with dinner. May saw celebrations of love, especially on the 1st. Villagers would venture into the woods to cut wildflowers and other greenery for their homes to usher in May and hope for a fertile season.
323013
I believe it has to do when solstice falls.  Not exactly sure though.  Good question.
244078
Christmas is actually more of a pagan holiday (even though the Christians don't seem to realize it).  The proper term is Solstice or Winter Solstice. . During the year, the position of the Sun seen from Earth moves North and South. When it changes direction it stands still momentarily. So solstices are those moments of the year when the Sun reaches its southernmost or northernmost position, at the Tropic of Capricorn or Tropic of Cancer.  It was traditional to give gifts on Winter Solstice and the passing of the year.  \n\nThats part of the reason gifts are given as it was designated a holiday, however when Christianity came along they designated it as Christ birthday even though no one knows the exact day and the tradition of giving gifts was taken.\n\nChristians would also say its in honor of the three wisemen who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
11911
The only reason Christmas is put on December 25th was to replace a popular Roman Pagan holiday. A lot of the customs of that holiday remains today. Most scholors believe Jesus was born in springtime, due to the passage of the shephards, but there is no evidence besides that.
693952
Something to look forward to I guess, like winter is cold and dark and depressing, but hey, Jesus was born and we get to have lots of parties and presents and do family stuff that although you say you hate it, it's pretty fun!\nAs it's for RE, I'd say that it makes a community, or a country, or a religion, feel united in their joy (or sadness for Easter).  We also celebrate to remind us, would we even know half these facts if we didn't celebrate them each year?  It's also an excuse to show people we care about them when celebrating birthdays and anniversaries and stuff.  Lots of reason!
709707
Well I am a muslim, I have christian relatives.. Id say it all depends on your beliefs.. If you take Christmas for what it is.. celebrating Jesus's birthday and not anything to do with Santa and the north pole, and snow etc... Then summer might be closer to the real birthdate.. I mean. Jesus was probably born more towards the summer months anyways.. It was in the middle east, during the time when the lambs are born, thats in late spring or early fall.. (maybe summer)..
847908
Agreed! Even if the facts aren't right with all the religious stuff (hey, they probably aren't!) it's what Christmas stands for which makes it such as great day! It's about the whole 'feeling loved' thing. It's good that everyone gets together and spoils each other!  It's important for everyone to give (and receive!).
437258
You mean OTHER than the religious significance? (HOLY DAY=HOLIDAY)\n\nTo be with the one's you love and enjoy some good times. (And remember, if it isn't a good time, it's a good story!!)  ;-)
407504
Christmas is fixed because the Catholic church fixed it.  and it is totally the wrong time of the year, but they did it anyway.  \nEaster should be linked to the Jewish passover, as Jesus was the ultimate passover lamb.  This should be fixed by the Jewish calender, which we don't use.  A Rabbi should know.\nChristmas is definitely a pagan holiday, but the passover is a feast initiated by God in the Old Testament.  We really have communion and can do it anytime.
928883
No,no,no,That isn't the reason at all,the real reason is that there is an "R"in the month and at this time of the year,Christmas is not far off,it happens to me all the time.Wait until May,the problem will probably resolve itself without the need for medical intervention.Good luck and don't worry,the thoughts of millions of concerned people around the world,are with you.
26268
The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany  (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th). In some traditions, the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th but the following day is considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th).\n\nThe origin of the Twelve Days is complicated, and is related to differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures (see Christmas).  In the Western church, Epiphany is traditionally celebrated as the time the three Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). In some cultures, especially Hispanic and Latin American culture, January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or simply the Day of the Kings (Span: la Fiesta de Reyes, el Dia de los Tres Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag).  Even though December 25th is celebrated as Christmas in these cultures, January 6th is often the day for giving gifts. In some places it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Since Eastern Orthodox traditions use a different religious calendar, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th and observe Epiphany or Theophany on January 19th.\n\nBy the 16th century, some European and Scandinavian cultures had combined the Twelve Days of Christmas with (sometimes pagan) festivals celebrating the changing of the year. These were usually associated with driving away evil spirits for the start of the new year. \n\nThe Twelfth Night is January 5th, the last day of the Christmas Season before Epiphany (January 6th). In some church traditions, January 5th is considered the eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day.  Twelfth Night often included feasting along with the removal of Christmas decorations. French and English celebrations of Twelfth Night included a King's Cake, remembering the visit of the Three Magi, and ale or wine (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA).  In some cultures, the King's Cake was part of the celebration of the day of Epiphany.