Hey, guess what, Christmas is a pagan festival that was co-opted by early Christianity, so it is ironic. Nearly all of its symbols are unabashedly pagan and derive from traditions far more ancient than Christ.Christ wasn't born in December, for one thing. Forget the fact that the nativity story is a late addition to the gospel accounts. If it *were* accurate, its events don't take place in December. Shepherds in Judea did not 'tend their flocks by night' in winter, because the sheep would all die from the bitter night cold. The story doesn't say what time of year the events took place. Early Christian state encouraged the celebration of Christmas at that time of the year to suppress Saturnalia, which was the Roman festival that took place on the same date, among others.