Matt Wilmington wrote a great post about the history of Christmas a few weeks ago. Here is an excerpt:

The earliest Christians do not appear to have commemorated the nativity, but only the baptism and resurrection of Christ and the deaths of the martyrs.

Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD

137 AD – the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast.

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20 but others for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) championed January 2. November 17, November 20, and March 25. Polycarp (d. 155 AD), for example, suggested that Christ was born on a Wednesday, since the sun was created on the fourth day in Genesis.

273 AD, Western Christians had decided on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Read more here, it’s good stuff.

Any thoughts?