December 25: Unraveling Christmas Origins & Soviet Union's End

• December 25 was not originally Christmas Day; Epiphany (Jan 6) and Easter were historically more significant.
• The first official mention of December 25 as Jesus' birthday appeared in a Roman calendar from AD 336.
• Jesus was likely not born on December 25; scholars suggest spring/autumn, between 2-7 BCE, based on historical records.
• Early Church leaders chose December 25 to coincide with pagan festivals, easing conversion to Christianity.
• Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as Soviet Union President on December 25, 1991, marking the end of an era and leading to CIS formation.

Why It Matters: December 25 holds diverse historical significance, from Christmas origins to the Soviet Union's dissolution.