Christmas in this day and age is celebrated on the 25th of
december. But biblical scholars seem to agree that the actual date of the
Christ Child's birth is around september 29th. Why move it? Personally, the thought that it was moved to provide a
White Christmas strikes a wrong chord in me. It is thought that the church's major motivation in moving Christmas is to take the place of "Carnival" a pagan celebration where there was much wine and sex and other merriment.
The Pagan holiday, Yule, falls on the 21st of December, and is recognised (in some circles) as the day the God is symbolically born into the world to Goddess. This is a cause for much merriment, feasting and music. In modern times (yes, there are still witches/ druids/ misc. pagans about!) feasts are held, candles are lit, songs are sung. It's a time to enjoy the hibernating fertility, just as the God is, in nature. Gaea's sleeping, but you can still see her beauty. Thus the reason to decorate pine trees. To worship nature's beauty. But somehow, an non nature-worshipping religion got into the act. Think about it- why would christians cut down a tree, bring it into the house, and decorate it? A friend of mine once wondered aloud if it had ever occurred to christianity that they were worshipping dead trees. The reason is simple- in order to proselitie, and gain members, the church has to incorporate some mild aspects of pagan-ness, or else nobody would be interested.