History Logo
ShowsThis Day In HistoryScheduleTopicsStories
  • History Classics
  • Live TV
  • Your Profile
Your Profile
History
  • Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
  • Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
Email Updates
  • Live TV
  • History Classics
  • Shows
  • This Day In History
  • Schedule
  • Topics
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • History Podcasts
  • History Vault
  • Shop
  • History Travel

Christmas

Topics

See All

The Roman Saturnalia, an ancient festival celebrated on December 17-24 that consisted of wild merrymaking and people enjoying themselves to the fullest. The day after this festival was adopted by the church as Christmas in an attempt to counteract the effects.

Featured

Saturnalia

What Is Saturnalia? Saturnalia, the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar, derived from older farming-related rituals of midwinter and the winter solstice, especially the practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to the gods during the winter sowing season. The pagan celebration of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time, began as a […]

Read moreRead more about Saturnalia

The War on Christmas

Puritans Cancel Christmas The Puritans were Protestant English Reformists who gained distinction in the 16th and 17th centuries. After King Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic church and created the Protestant Church of England, Puritans sought to further reform his newly-founded church. For centuries, people had been celebrating Christmas by going to church, […]

Read more
A 1915 chromolithograph illustration of Santa Claus holding toys and blowing on a trumpet.

Santa Claus

Santa Claus—otherwise known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle—has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions. Today, he is thought of as the jolly man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve, but his story stretches all the way back to the 3rd century.

Read more
History of Christmas

History of Christmas

How Did Christmas Start? The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them […]

Read more

Stories

See All

Christmas greeting card showing dinner foods as virtues circa 1880.

Featured

How Christmas Was Celebrated in the Middle Ages

In medieval times, Christmas celebrations carried on for multiple raucous days and nights.

Read moreRead more about How Christmas Was Celebrated in the Middle Ages

Dreaming of a White (House) Christmas: 17 Photos

Christmas at the first residence has evolved from an understated, intimate affair in 1800 to an all-out media event.

Read more

Christmas History Facts and Trivia

Learn why we kiss under the mistletoe, the commercial origins of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” whether Jesus was really born on Christmas Day and more.

Read more

The 11 Most Controversial Stamps in U.S. History

Stamps have often invited debate—usually for reasons the post office never anticipated.

Read more

This Day in History


1950

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is the #1 song on the U.S. pop charts

Art, Literature and Film History
1941

Bing Crosby introduces “White Christmas” to the world

Art, Literature and Film History
1914

The Christmas Truce

World War I
1923

President Coolidge lights first national Christmas tree

U.S. Presidents
A+E NetworksOur Family of Brands
  • History Education
  • History Vault
  • Mobile/Apps
  • News
  • Shop
  • Share Your Opinion
Follow History
  • d
  • e
  • p
  • m
  • +
  • Biography
  • Crime and Investigation
  • History en Espanol
  • LRW
  • Military History
  • Ad Choices
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Accessibility Support
  • Copyright Policy
  • Corporate Information
  • Employment Opportunities
  • FAQ/Contact Us
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Notice
  • Terms Of Use
  • TV Parental Guidelines
  • Contact Us
  • Copyright Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Ad Choices
  • Accessibility Support

© 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.