Wild how this is still even debated.
People have some how convinced themselves that the SOLSTICE isn't a SOLAR holiday, but the SOLAR god copied the NON-SOLAR diety.
Think about that. The same god who is shown taking on SOLAR TRAITS in the 3rd century.
Literally Jesus, portrayed as SOL INVICTUS, White Horses, Chariot, 7 Rays, the WHOLE 9, is somehow NOT copying the Solar god for being born on the WINTER SOL-stice, when light begins to increase, or is BORN.
250 AD Mosiac of Christ as Sol Invictus. Tomb of the Julii in the Vatican Catacombs.
I can give you WAY MORE than one piece of evidence that Christmas is heavily influenced by paganism.
First of all..
Micchael says "December 25th was not a MAJOR HOLIDAY, until the Christians started using it".
This is false. In the Calendar of Filocalus, the "Birthday of the Invincible God" Sol is attributed THIRTY Chariot Races. The MOST of any Holiday on the entire 12 month calendar.
This is BEFORE Christmas was a liturgical date on the Christian Liturgical Calendar.
So the exact OPPOSITE is true here. CHRISTMAS was not a MAJOR CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY until AFTER PAGANS celebrated Sol Invictus Birthday.
Let's set this up for Mid-December.