CHRISTMAS

(‘Christ-Ma ’).—The festival of the birthday of Jesus Christ was at first closely connected with the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6. The observance of Dec. 25 only dates from IV. cent. and is due to a imilation with the Mithraic festival of the birthday of the sun. Dec. 25 was, too, according to Bede, a pagan festival in ancient Britain. The real day of Christ’s birth is unknown. Owing to this, its observance was condemned by the Puritans, New Year’s Day being celebrated instead in Scotland today.