Where did Christmas come from?  The obvious--and true--answer is that Christmas has its ultimate origins in the first century A.D. early Christians' commemoration of the birth of Jesus.  Flush with the joy and wonder of Jesus' resurrection, they set out to not only remember his rising from the dead but his entry into this world as well.
     At my atheist discussion group this week, we discussed criticized, the various ways that Western culture has attached accouterments to the Christmas celebration, things like Christmas trees, Yule logs, gift giving, and the like.  Mention was also made of how December 25 was made the date of celebration.  No surprises here:  clearly, the early church did not use Christmas trees or Yule logs.  Nor did it sing the Christmas hymns that accompany most celebrations of Christmas today.  Furthermore, it's no secret that the date of December 25 is somewhat arbitrary, that we are really not sure exactly when Jesus was born. 
     What's my point?  Simply, although Christmas today looks very different than it did two thousand years ago, its essence has not changed.  Regardless of these ancillary concerns, we know beyond doubt (and secular as well as biblical accounts confirm this) that Jesus was born.  Moreover, whether we wish to call Jesus God or not, we cannot deny the profound extent to which he shaped the tenor and course of world history and every human being who has lived it.
     God really did come.