Is there an association at all between Christmas and ancient Pagan observances?

Superficially, there is some. But not in the way you might think.

It was between AD 270 – 275 that the Pagan, Roman Emperor Aurelian, dedicated December 25 as Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, meaning the “birthday of the unconquered sun.” This occurs a few days AFTER the winter solstice, when the days are just starting to get longer again. It is associated with Pagan sun worship.

However, this event happened long after the dates Sextus Julius Africanus (AD 160 – 240) and Irenaeus (AD 130 – 202), who noted Christmas as being celebrated by early Christians, marking the birth of Christ exactly nine months after his supposed conception on March 25.

The historical evidence is clear, early Christians (many of them Jewish by heritage) were celebrating December 25 as a date closely associated with Christ, long before the Roman Emperor Aurelian dedicated December 25 as the birthday of the sun.

So why did he do this? Remember, we’re talking about a time period in the ancient Pagan empire when Christianity is gaining significant traction in spite of two centuries of periodic persecution. Could it be that Aurelian was simply trying to upstage the Christians?

This is a case of Pagans copying Christians and not vice versa. The historical dates seem to indicate this is exactly the case. Actual history tells us that the ancient Pagans were not in the habit of associating the winter solstice with sun worship.