In article , Hole E. Ghost
writes:

For centuries the church could not decide on the proper date of the
birth of JC (bible scholars are still debating if this person actually
existed, or if he was just another concoction of the church to control
the masses), according to Ruth Reichmann of the Max Kade
German-American Center, IUPUI, "Pagans had traditionally decked their
halls with boughs of holly, evergreens and mistletoe to symbolize
winter's inability to prevent the renewal of life. Merrymaking came to
have a share in Christmas observance through popular enthusiasm. The
medieval secular celebrations lasted for a "season," extending from
Christmas eve to Epiphany, and in some localities even from St.
Thomas' Day, Dec. 21 (honoring the "doubting Thomas," disciple of
Jesus) to Candlemas (February 2).
There was some dispute about the proper date of the birth of Christ
and not everyone agrees even to this day. It was not until A.D. 350,
that December 25 was declared the official date for celebrating
Christmas by Pope Julius I. When the fathers of the church decided to
settle upon a date to celebrate the event, they wisely chose the day
of the winter solstice, since it coincided with some rival religions'
celebrations and the rebirth of the sun and approaching longer days,
symbolized by bon-fires and yule logs. December 25 was a festival long
before the conversion of the Germanic peoples to Christianity, it
seemed fitting that the time of their winter festival would also be
the time to celebrate the birth of Christ. The darkness that had
frightened and threatened to defeat the ancient pagans, was forever
defeated by the coming of Christ."

Holey:

Yada, yada, yada. We know all about that. Whatever the geneology of
the holiday, the reason that it is celebrated in present times is to
commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour of all
Christian peoples. Nothing will change that, not even any irrelevant
facts about how the holiday came about. So, please be my guest and
continue to be outraged when us Christians say that "Jesus is the
reason for the season."

May the Peace of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you now
and always.

73 de Larry, K3LT