The truth about Christmas

Media Matters reports that Pat Robinson has declared "Kwanzaa is an absolute fraud". In reality the fraud is the Christian Christmas. Some Christmas History might be in order:

Celebration during the winter season were common, way before Christmas was celebrated on December 25th.
Actually, Christmas was a movable feast and was celebrated many different times during the year. Not until Pope Julius I in the 4th century AD choose December 25th because it coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice or "Return of the Sun". The purpose was to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one.

11 days were dropped from the year in 1752, when we switched from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. The date, December 25th was effectively moved backwards by 11 days. Some Christian Church Sects, called the "Calendarists", still celebrate Christmas on January 7th (previously December 25th of the Julian calendar).

Before Christianity the Swedish people celebrated "midvinterblot" at winter solstice. It simply means "mid-winter-blood", and featured both animal and human sacrifice. This tradition took place at certain cult places, and basically every old Swedish church is built on such a place. The pagan tradition was finally abandoned around 1200 AD, due to the missionaries persistence. (Of course they were sacrificed too, by the Vikings, in the beginning.) Midvinterblot paid tribute to the local gods, appealing to them to let go of the winter's grip. The winters in Scandinavia are dark and grim, and these were the days before central heating. And the Gods were powerful. Until this day Thursday is named after the war god Thor. Friday after Freja (fertility) It is interesting to note that to this day the Swedish name for Christmas is Jul (Yule), and the Jul gnome has a more important role than Christmas father or the Christchild. You don't kill those pagan tradition easily.
The old Viking religion with Thor and his friends is still practiced by some people, somewhat less bloodily.

In Italy, La Befana, a kindly witch, rides a broomstick down the chimney to deliver toys into the stockings of Italian children. The legends say that Befana was sweeping her floors when the three Wise Men stopped and asked her to come to see the Baby Jesus. "No," she said, "I am too busy." Later, she changed her mind but it was too late to catch up with the tree Wise Men. So, to this day, she goes out on January 5th and searching for the Holy Child, leaving gifts for the "holy child" in each household.

To celebrate the New Year in Tibet, Buddhist monks create elaborate yak-butter sculptures depicting a different story or fable each year. The sculptures reach 30 feet high and are lit with special butter lamps. Awards are given for the best butter sculptures.

The ancient traditions of Pakistan pre-date the Christian era. During winter solstice, an ancient demigod returns to collect prayers and deliver them to Dezao, the supreme being. During this celebrations women and girls are purified by taking ritual baths. The men pour water over their heads while they hold up bread. Then the men and boys are purified with water and must not sit on chairs until evening when goat's blood is sprinkled on their faces. Following this purification, a great festival begins, with singing, dancing, bonfires, and feasting on goat tripe and other delicacies.

Christmas was not even an official holiday in the United States until 1870. If it ever had any religious significance that has been lost as it has become a consumer feeding frenzy and little more.