Quick Q&A: What is the history of Christmas and should Christians celebrate it?

Answer: Just Google the history of Christmas or non-Christian history of Christmas and what you will find will amaze you. If you read the answers to this Web site’s other questions about Christmas, you will notice that you simply can't find Christmas in the Bible. You can't find the exact date of Christ’s birth, either!

Christ made it clear as to whether Christians should observe and keep Christmas as the rest of the world does: “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Luke 4:4). Since “Keep Christmas” aren’t words of God, and since Christmas isn’t in your Bible, surely we should think twice before observing that holiday shouldn’t we?

In fact, when you research the history of Christmas you will see that it is a man-made tradition. If Jesus were keen on man-made traditions replacing God’s Word, would we read His words: “He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9)?

It’s not that everything people do at Christmas is necessarily sinful. Giving gifts is kind and generous, but doing it to celebrate a pagan winter solstice festival is not a tradition of God—and observing that festival as if it honored Christ is even further from His wishes!

Some aspects of Christmas tradition go back a lot further than most people realize.  Notice what the prophet wrote in Jeremiah 10: “Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,  for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good" (vv. 1-5).

Is Jeremiah describing the artisans making a pagan idol? Or is he describing something that sounds an awful lot like a modern Christmas tree, kept at the center of a holiday festival? Maybe both? Clearly, this is an old tradition that Christians ought to stay very far, far away from today.