What are you teaching your children?
Historical connections
There isn’t any proof that Jesus was actually born on December 25, so why do we celebrate His birthday on this day? Major reference works suggest early church leaders picked this date to line up with a traditional pagan Roman festival. This event marked the “birthday of the unconquered sun” during the winter solstice. Historians note that this choice was probably made “in order to make Christianity more meaningful to pagan converts.”
Adapting traditions
Rather than setting a completely new date, church leaders chose to repurpose an existing celebration across the world. Connecting the holiday to established festivities helped ordinary people feel more comfortable embracing the new faith.
The Bible doesn’t state the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it suggest celebrating it. “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of New Testament origin.”
Examining history reveals that Christmas stems from pagan religious rites. The Scriptures show that we offend God if we try to worship Him in ways He doesn’t approve of (Exodus 32:5-7).
“When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. Then Aaron called out: “There is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow.” 6. So they got up early on the next day and began offering up burnt offerings and presenting communion sacrifices. After that the people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to have a good time. 7 Jehovah now said to Moses, “Go, descend, because your people, whom you led up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.“
– Exodus 32:5-7
History of Christmas customs
- Celebrating Jesus’ Birthday – “The early Christians did not celebrate [Jesus’] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom,” according to historical encyclopedias.
- December 25 – There’s no proof Jesus was born on this day. Church leaders likely selected it to align with pagan festivals occurring around the winter solstice.
- Gift-giving, feasting, and partying – Saturnalia, a Roman festival held in mid-December, inspired key holiday traditions. Historical records show that elaborate feasting, gift-giving, candle lighting, and suspending all work during this season originated from that celebration.
- Christmas Lights – Europeans decorated homes with lights and evergreens to mark the winter solstice and ward off evil spirits.
- Mistletoe and Holly – Ancient Druids attributed magical properties to mistletoe, while evergreen holly was revered as a sign of the sun’s return.
- Christmas Tree – Tree worship among pagan Europeans survived their conversion to Christianity, continuing through the custom of placing a midwinter tree inside or at the entrance of a home.
For many people, Christmas has shifted from a spiritual holiday into a season centred on nonstop drinking, partying, and loose behaviour. Instead of reflecting on God’s grace and His love, the focus often turns to wild nights out and instant gratification. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating, the deeper meaning gets lost when holiday cheer becomes a cover for excess.
A Season of Reflection
Scripture reminds us that it’s easy to wander off track when caught up in the crowd. True joy doesn’t come from hangover-filled mornings or regrets… God invites us to honour Him with how we live, especially during a time set apart for peace and renewal.
