Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

Ras Tafari Renaissance writes to give perspective to the Ethiopian holiday of Genna or otherwise called “YeLidet Be’al.”  Because of the calculations of the Ethiopic calendar, we find that the Christmas that is known in the Western world, using the Gregorian calendar doesn’t correspond with the Orthodox Christian churches’ calculations. (though they differ from specific church to church, within the Orthodoxy)  Instead of December 25th, or the twenty-fifth day of the 12th calendar month (Gregorian), we see that the date arrives on January 7th, or the seventh day of the 1st calendar month.

(Orthodox Christian teachings give this as a testimony for the celebration of the birth of Christ)

During the first three centuries [A.D. – Anno Domini/After the Death of Christ], in the Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Cyprus, the Nativity of Christ was combined together with the Feast of His Baptism on January 6, and called “Theophany” (“Manifestation of God”).

This was because of a belief that Christ was baptized on the anniversary of His birth, which may be inferred from St. John Chrysostom’s sermon on the Nativity of Christ: “it is not the day on which Christ was born which is called Theophany, but rather that day on which He was baptized.”

[according to documentation from Orthodox Church of America]

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/12/25/103638-the-nativity-of-our-lord-god-and-savior-jesus-christ

By Ethiopic calculations, the birth of Christ, occurs on the Julian calendar‘s framework; predating the Gregorian.  In Eastern Christian (or Orthodox Christian sects) some, Orthodox Christians observe the “Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds” on January 6th, & the following day may observe, the “Adoration of the Magi” (or otherwise known as the three kings/wise men) on January 7.  Other Orthodox Christians may attend church liturgies on the 6th, or both.