The History of Christmas

0:03 Calarugus Shark Media. Hi. I'm Mark Ellison, and today's theme is the history of Christmas, origins of December twenty fifth, pagan influences, and how the holiday evolved over centuries. Question one. In late antiquity, which Roman emperor made December twenty fifth the official Dies Natalis Solis invicti birthday of the Unconquered Sun, a popular sun festival whose date may have influenced early Christian's choice of Christmas Day. Question two. What Roman winter festival, famous for gift giving, feasting and role reversals between masters and servants left traces in later Christmas customs. Question three, according to an early Christian calculation tradition that linked Jesus' conception to his crew fiction date, what calendar date was assigned to the Annunciation, placing the Nativity nine months later on December twenty fifth. Rest Question four, which royal couple's family Christmas tree, widely reproduced in an eighteen forty eight illustrated London news engraving helped popularize the decorated tree tradition in Britain and the United States. Question five in the

1:33 seventeenth century, which religious groups suppressed Christmas as an unscriptural disorderly feast, banning it in England in sixteen forty seven, and finding celebrants in Massachusetts by sixteen fifty nine. We'll be right back with these answers after this break, Welcome back. Question one. Which emperor set December twe twenty fifth as the festival of Saul Invictus? Answer? Emperor Aurelian In two hundred and seventy four CE. Aurelian elevated the cult of Saul Invictus and dedicated a temple in Rome, with December twenty fifth marked for games honoring the sun. The fourth the Century Chronograph of three hundred and fifty four records the festival and its timing likely intersected with Christian dating of Christmas. Question two? Which Roman festival influenced Christmas traditions like gift giving? Answer? Saturnalia held in December. Saturnalia celebrated Saturn with merriment, offerings of small gifts sigillaria, and the decorating of homes with greenery. While Christmas developed within Christianity, aspects of seasonal cheer and exchange echo Saturnalian customs. Question three, what annunciation date leads to a December twenty fifth nativity.

2:50 By calculation answer March twenty fifth. Many Western Christians held that Jesus was conceived on March twenty fifth, the traditional date of the crucifixion and of the spring equinox in late antiquity, Counting nine months from March twenty fifth yields December twenty fifth as the birth date. Question four. Which royal couple popularized the Christmas tree in eighteen forty eight? Answer Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Prince Albert of German heritage introduced the custom at the British court, and the engraving of the royal family around a tree sparked a Victorian craze. The image was copied in American magazines, spreading the tradition across the Atlantic. Question five. Who banned Christmas in sixteen forty seven England and sixteen fifty nine Massachusetts.

3:37 Answer the Puritans. Puritan authorities favored sober worship and saw no biblical warrant for Christmas festivities. England's Long Parliament abolished Christmas observances, and Puritan New England imposed fines until the ban was repealed later in the century. That concludes Today's five daily trivia questions. I'm Mark Allison, and today's questions were crafted with the help of AI technology. Tomorrow you