The economic impact of Christmas has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.
The canonical gospels of Luke and Matthew both describe Jesus as being born in Bethlehem in Judea, to a virgin mother.
Christmas played a role in the Arian controversy of the fourth century.
In the early Middle Ages, it was overshadowed by Epiphany.
An anonymous work known as De Pascha Computus (243) linked the idea that creation began at the spring equinox, on March 25, with the conception or birth (the word nascor can mean either) of Jesus on March 28, the day of the creation of the sun in the Genesis account.
Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses.In the Matthew account, magi follow a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, born the king of the Jews.King Herod orders the massacre of all the boys less than two years old in Bethlehem, but the family flees to Egypt and later settles in Nazareth.Early Christians celebrated the life of Jesus on a date considered equivalent to 14 Nisan (Passover) on the local calendar.Because Passover was held on the 14th of the month, this feast is referred to as the Quartodecimal.In the Gospel of Luke account, Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, and Jesus is born there and laid in a manger.