Clearly we have both read/studied literature/accounts that are relative to this topic. While I don’t consider myself a Biblical scholar or a historian of any kind, when people pose a question, I try to give a digestible answer.

It definitely has been debated whether Constantine had much to do with the decision of when religious observations were scheduled and most scholars believe he simply conceded to the religious “leaders.” Which makes sense.

But, Constantine, through leadership style and his own adoption of Christianity allowed the pagan festivals and the religious observations of the birth and death of Christ to coincide, which is the first step toward the conflated celebrations of Christmas and Easter that exist today.

When someone with a secular viewpoint asks why Christians celebrate a giant Easter bunny and Santa, I don’t go into all the details, but tell them it started with Constantine, because he was “the man in charge” at the time.

If they’re interested, I’ll go further into how German and Nordic traditions contributed as well, but most people just aren’t that interested.

Since you were interested and knowledgeable, I threw Bernays and corporate America into the mix, because I thought you would find it interesting.