Should a Christian Celebrate Christmas?

Christmas. What does that mean to you and your family? Is it a spiritual occasion, or is it only a festive and a merry one? Is it a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ or not to be concerned about the Christian traditions associated with that day? More importantly, should a Christian even celebrate Christmas?

In considering those questions, bear in mind that Christmas traditions may differ according to where you live. For instance, in Mexico and other Latin-American countries, even the name is different. For the purpose of this article, we will consider a few of the beliefs and customs based on the traditional celebration of Christmas. Then, according to the origins of these customs, we'll analyze what a Christian's responsibilities may be toward the celebration of them.

December 25th

One of the primary misleading notions regarding Christmas is the date itself. December 25th of a calendar year has been widely hailed as the birth date of Christ since the fourth century C.E., when the Roman Catholic Church designated that day for the religious observance of Jesus' birth. But does that date correspond with the actual birth of Christ?

It does not. The explanation of the December 25th date can be explained both secularly and biblically. Note what the Britannica Online Encyclopedia has to say on this subject:

"December 25 was first identified as the date of Jesus' birth by Sextus Julius Africanus in 221 AD and later became the universally accepted date. One widespread explanation of the origin of this date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the 'dies solis invicti nati' (day of the birth of the unconquered sun), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer. Indeed, after December 25 had become widely accepted as the date of Jesus' birth, Christian writers frequently made the connection between the rebirth of the sun and the birth of the Son."

The date of December 25^th was chosen, in part since it was already a day of established holiday; in this case, a Pagan holiday in celebration of the sun god. History shows there was a willingness on the part of the church to appropriate a pagan festival into a Christian one in order to further conversion of the peoples. For the purpose of encouraging a seamless transition of the heathenish masses to Christianity, December 25^th was left as the date chosen, and both the existing pagan rituals and the concept of Christ Jesus were amalgamated into one celebration.

A review of the Gospel account of Luke, Chapter Two, further helps us to dispel a December birth date. Luke points out the reason that Joseph & Mary were traveling to Jerusalem. The annual census, as required under Jewish law, called for individuals to return to their home towns. This was a decree of Caesar, who of course represented the hated Roman rule. Historians point out the unlikelihood of Caesar's forcing the volatile Jews to trek to their home cities during December, the cold and rainy season, which could further enrage a rebellious people.

In addition to that, Luke points out the fact that the shepherds were spending the night out of doors with their flocks at the time of Christ's birth. It is equally unlikely that these shepherds would have been living outside with their flocks in such inclement weather.

So biblically as well, we see that the December date is erroneous. But what of the events surrounding the actual birth of Jesus? The night of Jesus' birth has become famous as the basis for Nativity scenes. However, the real story is quite different from the one so often depicted.

The 3 Wise Men and the Star

Most are familiar with the account of the star, whose miraculous appearance led the "three wise men" to the manger where Jesus was born. A review of Matthew's Gospel, from Chapter Two, reveals interesting facts concerning these men and the star they followed.

The three wise men, or "magi", as they are known, were "astrologers from eastern parts" who "came to Jerusalem". (Matthew 2:1) The word 'magi' is Latin in origin, derived from the Greek word 'magos'. From this etymology we have the words 'magic' and 'magician'. The Encyclopedia Britannica says of the three magi, "The Magi were not kings, but fortune-tellers and priests of a pagan religion." These men came in line with their knowledge of the stars to which they were devoted. They were astrologers, and as such, they practiced an art that was specifically condemned under the Mosaic Law.

Consider the strong words God saw fit to be recorded at Deuteronomy Chapter 18, starting in Verse 10: "There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable things Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you."

So God specifically condemned all such magic-practicing arts under the Law given to the Israelites. Those who do such things, whether fraudulently or from uncanny power given to them by none other than God's chief enemy, Satan, and his cohorts of demon spirits, are "something detestable" to Him.

Furthermore, the very star that led these men to Jesus also first led them to King Herod the Great. This point is often overlooked in the telling of the story. Why would the star lead them to Herod?

No man in the world held such means and motive to harm the young Jesus. Herod, fully aware of the writings of the prophets of old, feared the birth of Jesus. The Hebrew prophets called for Jesus to be a great king, and a leader of the Jews. Herod, an ambitious, murderous man, had even killed several of his own immediate family members whom he viewed as threats. After the star led these men to Herod, what was the assignment given to them by Herod? Disturbed to hear of the birth of a future "king of the Jews," he dispatches the astrologers to find Jesus in Bethlehem, under a ruse that he "too may go and do it obeisance". But something strange happens. The "star" that led them to travel to Jerusalem now seems to move!

Was this star a massive, luminous ball of plasma that God himself manipulated through the heavens? Certainly, he could have. He is the Creator of all that we see when we gaze up on a cloudless night. Indeed, he knows all of the millions of billions of stars by name! (Isaiah 40:26) But consider the rest of the account, starting at Matthew Chapter 2, Verse 9.

"When they had heard the king, they went their way; and, look! The star they had seen when they were in the east went ahead of them, until it came to a stop above where the young child was. On seeing the star they rejoiced very much indeed. And when they went into the house they saw the young child with Mary its mother, and, falling down, they did obeisance to it. They also opened their treasures and presented it with gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. However, because they were given divine warning in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another way."

Why would it be that Divine warning was given to them in a dream not to return and report back to Herod? If you haven't ascertained this already, the conclusion of the account reveals Herod's true intentions.

Starting in the same Chapter of Matthew, Verse 13: "After they had withdrawn, look! Jehovah's angel appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying: Get up, take the young child and its mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I give you word; for Herod is about to search for the young child to destroy it.' So he got up and took along the young child and its mother by night and withdrew into Egypt, and he stayed there until the decease of Herod."

If there was any wonder of Herod's objective, it became clear later. Consider Verse 16: "Then Herod, seeing he had been outwitted by the astrologers, fell into a great rage, and he sent out and had all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its districts done away with, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had carefully ascertained from the astrologers." Herod used the information given by the Magi, as well as his own understanding of the prophets, and assaulted Jerusalem with his bloody decree.

Does it make sense that the star in the heavens would be provided by God, first leading the astrologers to Herod, and then leading these men to Jesus so that they could report back to the devious Herod? Logically, no. The "star," then, must have been a device of God's enemy Satan the Devil, who would go to any lengths to harm the Messiah. How ironic that the "star" and astrologers are portrayed in Nativity scenes as emissaries of God!

A few moments of research will also reveal that some of the other time honored traditions of the celebration of Christmas, such as the Christmas tree, the hanging of mistletoe, the giving of gifts, and the myth of Santa Clause, just to name a few, can all be traced back to Pagan origins.

Santa Clause

Let's reflect on Santa Clause, or his more formal name, St. Nicholas. Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4^th-century Greek Bishop, is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not be forced to turn to a life of prostitution.

Parallels were also drawn between Santa Clause and the god Odin, the chief god of Norse Paganism. According to Germanic folklore, children would place their boots, filled with sugar, carrots or straw, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy. We can see how this pagan belief was easily adapted into the notion of Santa, his reindeer, and stockings hung on the chimney.

The Tree

What of the time-honored tradition of decorating a tree? Historically, there has been opposition to the custom of the Christmas tree, again because of its pagan origins. Per Wikipedia: "In 1851, parishioners in Cleveland, Ohio, USA condemned as a pagan practice the actions of the pastor, Henry Schwan, for decorating one of the earliest Christmas trees in an American Christian church.Robert Chambers in his 1832 Book of Days asserts that the festivities of Christmas 'originally derived from the Roman Saturnalia, had afterwards been intermingled with the ceremonies observed by the British Druids at the period of winter-solstice, and at a subsequent period became incorporated with the grim mythology of the ancient Saxons. Two popular observances belonging to Christmas are more especially derived from the worship of our pagan ancestors-the hanging up of the mistletoe and the burning of the Yule log.'"

A Personal Decision

Many religions have seen fit to avoid the Christmas celebration for the above reasons. Many Christians prefer that the focus remain on the actual birth of Jesus, recognizing that Christmas traditions stem from pagan roots that dishonor God. Other subsets of Christian religions avoid the holiday for the same reasons, and also cite that the relegation of Christ's birth to a day so very obviously inaccurate, on top of the pagan foundations is, in fact, an outrage.

Religious reasons aside, some parents are uncomfortable about lying to their children about the existence of Santa. Or perhaps they cannot connect the incongruent idea that in addition to an Almighty God, who is omniscient and omnipotent, there is this Santa Clause figure, who also evidently knows if one has been good or bad throughout the year. Isn't this already in God's job description?

Do you find yourself somewhat surprised by this summary of the events surrounding Jesus' birth? Many do. They are surprised that some key elements in the Gospels differ markedly from portrayals in traditional Nativity stories. Perhaps most surprising of all, though, is that so much of the traditional Christmas celebrations miss the vital points of the Gospel narratives. The real Jesus is often lost in Christmas celebrations. Why, there is no record that he ever even told the disciples his date of birth; nor is there any indication that his followers celebrated his birthday.

It was not Jesus' birth, but his death, and its history-making significance that he commanded his followers to commemorate. (Luke 22:19, 20) No, it was not as a helpless baby in a manger of straw that Jesus wished to be remembered, for he is nothing of the kind now. More than 60 years after his execution, Jesus revealed himself in vision to the apostle John as a mighty King riding into battle. (Revelation 19:11-16) It is in that role, as Ruler of God's heavenly Kingdom, that we need to get to know Jesus today, for he is a King who will change the world.

Many individuals, in knowing the above, still choose to celebrate Christmas, stating that overall, it is a day of good cheer, giving spirit, and family togetherness. The actual origins of the day should matter little in the current view of Christmas, they may say. Perhaps that is your view as well. But God does not share in that view. The scriptures make clear that God's thinking on matters does not change with time. And a true Christian would not share in that flawed and selfishly human way of thinking either.