Reply #3: According to a Program I Saw Yesterday on The History Channel...

[CO Liberal]

...no one knows for sure WHEN Jesus was born, if he was born at all. Estimates of his exact birth date (based on clues in the scriptures) range from mid-March through November. And there's no concensus on the year.

The reason that Christmas is celebrated on December 25th is a continuation of the Catholic Church' practice of placing their holidays on top of established pagan celebrations in their attempt to overtake paganism as the prominent religious practice. That's why Jeses birth is celebrated at the time of the pagan Winter Solstace holiday, and his resurrection is celebrated at the time of the pagan Spring holiday, called Easter. (Ever notice that the word "Easter" appears nowhere inthe Bible? It's a pagan name that was co-opted by the early Christians.)

The more I learn, the farther I move away from my Catholic upbringing.