The modern Christmas tree most likely came to be in the eighth century when St. Boniface was converting the Germanic tribes to Christianity. The tribes were worshiping oak trees that were decorated for the winter solstice. After St. Boniface cut down an enormous oak tree, which was central to the worship of a particular tribe, a fir tree grew at the oak’s site. From then on, an evergreen tree would often be offered as a symbol of Christianity, and the newly converted Germans began decorating for Christmas.
The word Yule meant “infant” in the language of the Germanic tribes living in the Middle East. The Germanic tribes and the Anglo Saxons celebrated “Yule-day” or “Child's Day”. The custom of the Yule log was noted in France and Italy as far back as the 1200s. Later, the custom spread throughout Europe. On Christmas Eve, an enormous log would be cut and placed on the hearth, where it would be sprinkled with salt, oil and mulled wine. Prayers would be said to protect the house from the Devil and lightning.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who was the first Christian Roman Emperor. A few years later Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th of December.
There are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25. One theory was that on March 25th Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she would have a very special baby, and his name would be Jesus. This was known as Annunciation Day, which is still celebrated today on the 25th of March. Nine months after the 25th of March is the 25th of December.
December 25th being a time of celebration could also have been chosen because the Winter Solstice and also several ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals, which were known as Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, took place near the 25th of December, a time of celebration.
There's a strong and practical reason why Jesus could have been born in either spring or autumn and not in the winter. During the cold winters in Bethlehem, it is unlikely that the shepherds would have been keeping sheep out on the hills.
During the spring (in March or April), the Jewish festival of Passover was held to remember when the Jews had escaped from slavery in Egypt, which was approximately 1500 years before Jesus was born. During the Passover Festival, many lambs would have been needed to be sacrificed at the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the Roman Empire traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. At this time, the Romans could have taken the census (Remember Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census, and Bethlehem is located about six miles from Jerusalem.)
In the autumn (September or October), the Jewish festival of either Sukkot or The Feast of Tabernacles was held. (The word tabernacle is a Latin word meaning booth or hut.) This festival, which is mentioned most often in the Bible, is a time for the Jewish people to remember their dependence on God for all they had after escaping from Egypt and spending 40 years in the desert. Also, this festival was to celebrate the end of the harvest.
Many scholars that have studied the Bible believe that Sukkot would have been a likely time for the birth of Jesus as it could have fit with the description of there being no room in the inn. Many Jews that went to Jerusalem for the festival brought their own tents and shelters. This too would have been a good time to take the Roman Census.
Whenever you celebrate Christmas, remember that you're celebrating a real event, which happened approximately 2000 years ago, when God sent his Son into the world as a present for everyone.