when christmas was started

Christmas has been celebrated for over 2,000 years, beginning as a pagan celebration in honor of the sun god, Sol Invictus, on December 25th. It was later adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th century, when the birthday of Jesus Christ was declared a national holiday and celebrated on the same day. Over time, the holiday became more secularized and commercialized, but the spiritual significance of the birth of Christ is still celebrated by Christians worldwide.