Up until the 4^th century AD the dates for Christmas were not fixed. As the Bible gave no indication of Christ’s official birthday, Christians were free to celebrate Christmas anytime from the beginning of January until the end of September. The first recorded date of the Christmas celebrations beginning on December 25^th is 336 AD, during the rule of the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine. A few years later, Pope Julius I decreed that the birth of Jesus should henceforth be celebrated on 25^th December each year.