Popularity? Christ was so popular, the Romans crucified him. Even those who hated him and had every motivation to discount or hide the fact of His resurrection did and still use his birth as the reference point for all of human history.
Popularity? There is no historical figure as popular as Jesus Christ; not even close to his. What other reasonable explanation could there be that sets him apart from every other person born in the history of the world. Could it be that he wwas the only one resurrected from the dead?
Christianity was not popular with Rome. They killed virtually all of Christ's disciples and uncounted thousands or millions of Christians until much later.
At the time of Jesus there were half a dozen popular religions claiming a Virgin birth and a resurrection. these were old religions at the time.
Read my post again - I meant that the fact that Christ's birth is commemorated (not the actual date, of course, but a symbolic date) in no way serves as actual evidence that he was resurrected.
Nice try, but it's yet another emotional appeal. Still hardly evidence.