Santa Claus, as we know him today, first appeared in Harper’s Magazine in 1863 through an illustration by Thomas Nast. He was depicted as a plump elf with a beard, a hat, and, of course, as a generous gift-giver. “It’s completely fair to claim that Santa Claus is an American invention,” Smith says.
The origin of the Christmas tree is also somewhat mysterious. According to Smith, there’s a long history of people across Europe bringing greenery into their homes during the cold winter months and decorating it.
The modern Christmas tree, however, traces back to 19th-century Germany. That’s why it’s typically a fir or pine tree, and almost never something like a palm tree. Even so, the exact origins are hard to trace. “There’s no aha moment to say, ‘Oh that’s a Christmas tree,’” Smith explains.
And if you weren’t already aware, December 25th isn’t actually Jesus’s birthday. The date came about from the winter solstice festivities held by the Romans. “We have no idea when Jesus was born,” says Smith. There are no textual records specifying the year, month, day, or even season of his birth.
While the winter solstice now falls on December 21st, it was celebrated on December 25th before Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar in 44 BCE. Later, in 325 CE, the First Council of Nicaea officially decreed December 25th as Christmas, aligning it with existing solstice celebrations like the pagan Feast of the Unconquered Sun.
Still, the idea of Jesus being born on December 25th stuck. “The most compelling theory is the whole point of the idea of the Messiah coming into the world at its darkest hour,” Smith says.
