History of Pagan holidays:  

A brief description followed by links to resources.

Christmas:  Just a little research reveals that Christmas was actually adapted from a Roman celebration called Saturnalia.  The Encyclopedia Romana^* explains that "at the time of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar), Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing, was honored with a festival.  "Isn't that alarming?  The very ways that Christmas is celebrated are directly borrowed from a festival to a god of the Romans!  For more information>>>History of Christmas.

Birthdays:  The lighted candled birthday cake came from the birthday of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, who was honored by her worshippers with moon-shaped honey cakes surrounded by lighted candles.  For more information>>>History of Birthday

Easter:  According to Bede it is derived from the Norse Ostara or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, to whom the month of April, and called Eostur-monath, was dedicated. The Greek myth, Demeter and Persephone, with its Latin counterpart, Ceres and Per sephone, conveys the idea of a goddess returning seasonally from the nether regions to the light of day.  For more information>>>History of Easter

Halloween:  "Fire Festival" called Samhain (pronounced Sha-Von) and it took place on October 31 through to November 1.  During this period, it was believed that the boundaries between our world and the world of the dead were weakened, allowing spirits of the recently dead to cross over and possess the living.  For more information>>>Halloween.

Valentine's Day:  One legend contends that St. Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.  When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young, single men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.  When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.  For more information >>> >>>Valentine's Day.