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I pronounced that Jesus' birth would be celebrated on December 25. The reason is that in the early centuries, the Christian religion was working on converting Pagans and bringing them to Christ. To make the transition easier, many Pagan holidays were "turned around" to represent Christian milestones. The reasons for celebrating changed, but the dates remained the same.

December 25 is around the Winter Solstice; a time celebrated by Neo-Pagans as Yule or Yuletide. The history of celebrating at this time of year goes back, originally, to celebrations honoring the God Osiris and Goddess Isis. Many other occult religions have celebrated the birth or rebirth of their particular deities at this time of year. In ancient Rome, before the birth of Christ, it was celebrated as Saturnalia, to honor the God Saturn, for example. Ancient Greece celebrated the time of year known as the Winter Solstice with a holiday known as Lenaea, the Festival of the Wild Women. Druids of yore celebrated the changing of the seasons at this time of year with a festival known as Alban Arthuan, and the ancient Incans celebrated this date as "the Festival of the Sun where the god of the Sun, Wiracocha, is honored."

It is not only the date of Christmas that has its origins from other than Christianity itself. The "traditions" that are followed to celebrate Christmas come from a myriad of ancient and occult practices.

What we today know as carolers originated from the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Then known as Mummers, these were a group of people dressed in bright clothes who went from house to house entertaining neighbors during the holiday. Yule logs come directly from the tradition of ancient Pagans burning them in honor of the sun and the sun God Mithras. The kissing under mistletoe comes from these same traditions, and was originally done as part of a fertility ritual. These people also believed that hollyberries were food for the gods.

Not even the Christmas tree is original to this Christian holiday. Early-day Europeans brought evergreen trees into their homes during the cold and harsh winters to remind them that their crops would grow again come Spring. Evergreen was a symbol of fertility and good fortune, and was used in totems and rituals.

And what about Easter? Surely the day celebrated as the death and resurrection of Christ an act Christians believe gives them their salvation is sacred and has no "evil" origins?

In actuality, the time known as the Spring Equinox has long been celebrated

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