Origin of snow on Christmas

[Yung Dum]

Does anyone know how the idea of snow on Christmas originated? Is it from Europe, New England or the song "White Christmas"? Or maybe Hallmark or Currier and Ives? Or Clement Moore? Anyone know? I don't.

[redwitch]

Many Christmas traditions started as pagan worship, such as the Yule log (Norway/Sweden), the Christmas tree (Germany)' and, most importantly, Winter Solstice, among others. Northern Europe is usually blanketed in snow this time of year. So, it stands to reason that snow would be integral to the common Christmas images.

[jblum315]

There wouldn't have been any snow at the time of the Nativity, since Jesus was most likely born in July, the month that taxes were collected in Bethlehem. December was the month of the Winter Solstice celebration and when the Roman Empire became Christian they simply added Christ's birthday to the general festivities, along with the Yule log etc.

[blueash]

In researching your question, I learned, or perhaps unlearned something. I had thought there were New Testament descriptions of the birth that mentioned baby animals like sheep or oxen or an ass however in reading today I learned there is no such mention, only that there was a manger which is an animal food trough. This relates to your question as I had been told long ago that the presence of baby animals was the proof that Jesus had to have been born in the spring as that would be when baby animals were around. I also learned today that mangers often were found on the first floor of homes while the usual sleeping quarters were upstairs so maybe no stable and no baby animals
Was Jesus born in a stable? (http://christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a012.html)

and that the birth story as most clearly told in Luke about the family having to travel to Bethlehem because of a census being taken by Quirinius while Herod was king is historically nearly impossible. Perhaps more translation problems
Census of Quirinius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_of_Quirinius)

Thanks for posting the question which lead me on this little educational journey. Didn't find a clear answer to your snow question but I think those above seem very reasonable