“The fathers of the
first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of
the nativity. No corresponding festival was presented by the Old
Testament ... the day and month of the birth of [the Messiah] are nowhere
stated in the Gospel history, and cannot be certainly determined,”
-
Christmas, Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, by Rev. John
McClintock and James Strong, p. 276.
"In the first two
centuries of the Church, Christmas was not a feast day. None of the lists of feast days compiled
during that time include Christmas"
- Why is That in Tradition?, by Patrick Madrid. p. 176
"Christmas was not
among the earliest festivals of the Church. Irenaeus and
Tertullian omit it from their lists of feasts"
- Christmas, Catholic
Encyclopedia, (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm)