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Oh yeah, in regards to pagan origins:
I think (not positive, details fuzzy) it used to be a celebration of the Winter Solstice. As Christians became stronger (politically etc) they co-opted the festivities in their ever zeal to convert/impose etc christianity. Use of culture was one method of power building and expansion.
It's weird, I think we covered this in Western Civ. Incidentally, I think one of the Holy Roman Emperors or someone was crowned by a pope on December 25th, 800AD for precisely that reason. To sort of emphasize his authority (and church?) and legitimacy from God. I'm too lazy to cross the room and look it up in my book, no Jedi powers here...
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