Every year, when December rolls around, we hear the sounds, see the sights, and experience the joy of Christmas. From hot cocoa, to Christmas trees, to presents, and festive movies that mark this time of year, the wonder of Christmas is everywhere. However, all of the things surrounding Christmas can make us forget that Jesus, our Savior, is the true reason for the season.
In the age of information, many Christians are wondering, “Is Christmas a pagan holiday?” and “What are the origins of Christmas?” Together, we’ll discover the origin of the Christmas tree, dive into whether Christmas Day is a pagan holiday, and provide tips for how you can celebrate Christmas as a Christian on a clear conscience. So, let’s dive in!
The Origins of Christmas: Pagan or Pure?
At its core, Christmas began as a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Even thought early Christians didn’t actually celebrate birthdays, as time passed and Christianity spread, a dedicated day to honor Jesus’ birth became important and necessary.
Early Church fathers believed that Jesus was conceived on March 25th, and that if they did the math, December 25th would be when Jesus was born. Christians did not choose the date of December 25 as a replacement for a pagan holiday; they were following their convictions of the date for Christ’s birth. By the 4th century, December 25th was chosen as Christ's birthday, though the exact birth date of Jesus isn’t recorded in the Bible or ancient texts.
Let’s also take a look at the word Christmas. The word Christmas literally means “Christ’s mass.” Mass is a Latin word that means “dismissal” or “to send forth.” So, as we celebrate Christ's arrival to earth, we also send forth his message into the world!
During Christmas celebrations, Christians made sure to address and celebrate that Christ was born as a human and that he was fully God and fully man. In doing so, they also addressed the growing heresies like docetism and gnosticism that believed that God did not take on the form of a man.
But what about Christmas trees? What's their origin? Do Christmas trees show that the origin of Christmas is a pagan holiday? Not exactly. Most believe that the tradition of Christmas trees began among German Christians in the 1500’s. The star on top? It served as a beautiful reminder of the star of Bethlehem, which led the wise men to find Jesus in the manger (Matthew 2:1-2). Even though some Roman and pagan traditions also used evergreen trees for celebrations in the past, there’s no need for concern today as we celebrate Christmas. As Christians, we aren’t celebrating pagan gods or worshipping pagan deities; we’re only worshipping Jesus. Christmas trees and the gifts under them don’t need to be reminders of a pagan holiday; rather, they serve as reminders of God’s love, generosity, and kindness towards us.
Related Post: Rediscovering Thanksgiving: 5 Steps to a Faith-Filled Thanksgiving
What is the Biblical Meaning of Christmas?
When you strip away all the gifts, the twinkling lights, the Christmas trees, and gingerbread houses, at the heart of every Christmas celebration is generosity, love, and the light of God. For Christians, the biblical meaning is around the incarnation: the wonder and the mystery of how Jesus became a baby to save humanity. Jesus is the reason that we celebrate Christmas! While many people take this important spiritual aspect out Christmas, Jesus is still the core reason why Christmas is celebrated.
The timeless themes of hope, peace, joy, and love are all throughout the Christmas story. From angels declaring the good news of Jesus' birth, to shepherds hearing the prophecies of peace, to wise men seeking the Messiah, Jesus, who would bring light to a dark world. The Biblical and spiritual meanings of Christmas are profound!
For many Christians, Christmas is also a reminder of God’s promise and presence. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, His light shines through. And Jesus' light is so bright that darkness can’t overcome it (John 1). Curious to read the whole Christmas story? Visit the ESV Bible and read: Matthew 1:18-2:12
Feeling lonely this Christmas? Find hope in our blog: How to Move Forward When You Feel Alone During the Holidays
Pagan Traditions and Festivals
In this section, we’ll help you answer the question, “Why is Christmas a pagan holiday?” In short, it’s not. However, overlapping traditions between the Roman world and the Christian celebrations lead many to believe that Christmas is a pagan holiday. But thankfully, overlapping traditions don’t mean correlation between traditions. Here are a few of the main reasons why some people believe that Christmas is a pagan holiday:
Winter Solstice Celebrations: One of the key reasons why people believe that Christmas is a pagan holiday is that many people correlate Christmas with winter solstice celebrations. Many pagan cultures celebrated the winter solstice, right around December 25.
Saturnalia: Another reason why people believe that Christmas is a pagan holiday is because of an ancient Roman festival called Saturnalia. During Saturnalia, Romans would celebrate the god Saturn, and they'd throw extravagant feasts, give one another gifts, and decorate their buildings with greenery.
Sol Invictus: Another overlapping tradition that confuses people about whether Christmas is a pagan holiday is the Sol Invictus feast. In 274 A.D., Aurelian, a Roman emperor, started a feast for the sun god, Sol Invictus. The date he chose? December 25th!
Incorporation of Pagan Practices in Christmas Culture:
Because some of the Christian practices around Christmas seem to mimic or appear as if they were stolen from pagan practices, this leads many to wonder if Christmas is a pagan holiday. However, we have a culture that loves music and a love for buildings because of the Romans, but that doesn’t mean that buildings or music are inherently pagan or evil. Here are some of the incorporations of pagan practices that some use as an argument for Christmas being a pagan holiday:
Evergreen Trees: Because evergreen trees were used in Roman Saturnalia traditions, some believe that Christians incorporate these trees because of the Romans. In ancient times, Romans would bring evergreen trees into their celebrations to celebrate life, hope, and as a means to ward off evil spirits. While it's up for debate whether Christians stole this idea from the Romans, the first record we have in modern history of Christians using evergreen trees in their homes is from Christians families in Germany during the 1500’s.
Gifts & Feasts: In Rome, traditions like generosity, feasting, and exchanging gifts were central to their celebration of Saturnalia. However, generosity and giving gifts to the poor are essential to the Christian message. However, instead of being generous on just one day of the year, Jesus’ teachings invite Christians to be generous and self-sacrificial at all times!
Gift giving in Christianity is also core to the Christian faith. Christians are taught to provide for the needs of others and prefer others over themselves, which naturally leads to gift-giving, on Christmas and other days as well (Philippians 2:3, Matthew 6:1-4)! Gifting, feasting, and breaking bread together are also central to the way of Christians, in ancient times and modern times (Acts 2:46).
Christian Adaptations: Some believe that Christians have re-contextualized pagan and Roman traditions to fit their belief system. Whatever the verdict, it’s essential to know that Christmas isn’t a pagan holiday, but rather a uniquely Christian one.
How to Celebrate Christmas Without Pagan Practices
Our team at the Everyday Faith podcast encourages you to follow your convictions on Christmas as you follow the Holy Spirit. If you’ve read about the history of Roman traditions and the similarities of Christmas looking like a pagan holiday alarming, it’s okay to not have a Christmas tree. For some Christians, they may even refrain from celebrating Christmas altogether. However, many families choose to enjoy the Christmas season without certain customs, and in doing so, they create meaningful alternatives. Here are some ideas to help you keep your Christmas focused on Christ:
Prioritize the Nativity Story: One way to keep Jesus as the center of Christmas is to read the account of Jesus’ birth from the Gospels. You’ll find these accounts in Matthew 1:18-25 & Luke 2:1-21. You can also display a nativity scene as your main decoration and even act out the story of the Nativity with your kids!
Fill Your Home with Worship Music: Rather than filling your home with secular tunes about the season, you can prioritize worship music in your home during Christmas time.
Don’t know where to start? Check out this video with cozy Christmas worship music and scriptures about Jesus’ birth:
Give & Volunteer with Purpose: One of the easiest ways to keep Christ at the center of your Christmas is to serve like Jesus! Instead of getting caught up in the frenzy of buying plenty of gifts, you can be generous in more ways than just money. Give your kids an experience like serving food at a homeless shelter, building care packs for the homeless, or baking cookies for your neighbors.
Keep Scripture at the Center: Having daily Bible readings in the morning and evening with your family is a great way to keep Christmas about Jesus.
Wondering how to pray the scriptures and grow in prayer? Download our FREE e-book: Let’s Talk About Prayer: Simple Steps to Connect With God
Conclusion
As we wrap up this deep dive on why some people believe that Christmas is a pagan holiday, we see that Christmas isn’t a pagan holiday and that Jesus truly is the reason for the season. While history shows us a mix of traditions, dates, and cultural overlap, the true heart of Christmas is about the miracle of the incarnation, where Jesus comes into the world to save us from sin and show us how to love like Him. Whether you celebrate with Christmas trees and gifts, or you prefer a simpler and conviction-led approach, however you choose to celebrate, remember Jesus: our Lord, who is the most generous, the most loving, and the most joyful.
Curious to learn more about Jesus, the reason for the season? Discover more about the miraculous choice He made to save you: This is For You
