Though 25 December has long been held to be the Savior’s birthday, as reflected in various Christmas hymns (“on a cold winter’s night that was so deep”), this is impossible. The shepherds were watching over their sheep outdoors at night, which only happens in the spring, when the lambs are being born. This enables them to assist any ewes who were having difficulty delivering and also to protect the newborns from predators. Though snow occasionally falls in the Bethlehem area, it is rare.
