[greasepaint]

I never before knew about the tax issues involved with the
the birth of Jesus.
Because of the reference to 'shepards watching their flocks
at night', I believe Jesus was born in the spring.

Jesus was born on April 15th.

[GeronL]

lol!!

[ops33]

I though the same thing and asked a priest who had spent much time in the Holy Land. He told me that there is plenty of forage left in the fields at the start of winter to graze flocks.

[Arthalion]

I don't know about him being born on Tax Day, but the odds are good that he was actually born between April and June. The biggest indicator of that is the reason that Mary and Joseph were traveling...the census. A census would not have been taken midwinter when traveling was risky and food was scarce, it would not have been taken during the fall when people were harvesting, and it would not have been taken during summer when people were busy in their fields. Census taking was a disruptive activity, and would have only taken place during the break between the spring thaw and first planting, hence April-June. And yes, the climate in Israel today is very different from the climate in Jesus day...the entire country has been deforested and is warmer today than it was in Jesus time.

The origins of the December Christmas are well understood, and date back to Saturnalia and early Christian prosecution. It was the only day they could celebrate without risk of arrest or execution.