Why is December 25th considered the birth of Jesus? Is Christmas Christian?

Jesus was born during the time of the Roman Empire. The Romans celebrated a festival called Saturnalia. This pagan festival was held during the winter solstice (December 21st in America). It was on December 17-24th. It was a time of feasting and giving of gifts to children and the poor. It was also a celebration of Saturn, the sun god of sowing (planting), and fire. Saturn was worshipped in the winter so that he would return and warm the earth which would cause the crops to grow. The planet Saturn was named after this god. Out of all the planets, Saturn with its rings and bright red color represents the god of fire.  

The Romans celebrated another festival on December 25th called natalis solis invicti, the birth of the unconquered sun, was decreed by the emperor Aurelian in AD 274 as a Winter Solstice celebration, and sometime (later)…was Christianized as a date to celebrate the birth of the Son of Light.” It has been said that during this celebration the Romans would grab their Christian friends to join them. By 386 AD church leaders created “Christ-Mass” (Christ’s Coming) on December 25th so Christians could join the pagan festival they felt without bending to their pagan Roman neighbors' debauchery. In other words, they attempted to “Christianize” the Roman festival. From that point up until now Jesus’ birth has been celebrated on “Christ-Mass” or as we know it, Christmas. 

By 529 AD, after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. 

Jesus was not born on December 25th. History tells us He was born in the spring or the fall. Shepherds would not be tending their sheep in the winter due to the cold and rain. The in-climate weather also would have made it impossible to travel during that time as well. 

Who is Santa Claus? 

The Santa Claus legend is derived from a fourth century Christian named Saint Nicholas. His parents left him an inheritance when they died. He was known for his kindness and generosity. He supposedly had a reputation of throwing bags of money into people’s homes and sometimes down their chimney’s.  When he died on December 6th around 340-350 A.D. His death inspired an annual feast where children would put food out for him. The legend is he would come down from heaven through their chimneys and replace the children’s food left for him with toys and gifts for only good boys and girls. This is one of many stories of the legend of Santa Claus. 

Is the Christmas Tree Christian or Pagan? 

What we call the Christmas tree started in Germany. Supposedly the Germans adopted the tree from the Romans. The Romans adopted it from the Babylonians and Egyptians. The idea of decorating a tree came from the Romans. During the festival of Saturnalia, the Romans would decorate their fir trees with red berries (before Christmas was invented). We decorate trees with different colored ornaments now. Do you see the comparison? 

 

Some believe having a Christmas tree is idolatry. Here’s why. Jeremiah 10:2-5 says this, “Thus says the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen…For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” 

The origin of the “Christmas tree” predates Christianity by thousands of years. Babylonians worshipped the tree as a god because supposedly it was the rebirth a Babylonian ruler named Nimrod. In his reincarnated state, he became the god Tammuz (means faithful son). In Sumerian he goes by the name of Dumuzi. In the Akkadian culture his name is Tamuzu. Tammuz was married to Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility, sex and procreation. The prophet Ezekiel saw in a vision women weeping for Tammuz in the house of the Lord (idolatrous worship) which was an abomination (Ezekiel 8:14). 

I would say most do not see any harm in decorating a tree in their home. Their argument would be, “I’m not bowing down and worshipping the tree so what is the big deal? We love the look, smell and ornaments on the tree.  We all see it as a harmless tradition. Why ruin the season with the truth (Galatians 4:16)? 

We as parents have an obligation to teach our children the truth when we know it. We cannot allow our deep seeded traditions to usurp the authority of God’s word (Matthew 15:6-9). 

 

Deuteronomy 6:1, 6-7, 20-21, 25: 

“Now these are the commandments…which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go to possess it…And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up…And when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God has commanded you? Then you shall say unto your son, we were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand…And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.” 

To be technical, there is no such thing as a Christmas tree. The tree has nothing to do with Christ; especially since the origin of the “Christmas tree” is rooted in paganism. Is there any harm in having a tree and decorating it? I personally see no problem with as it is not for idol worship. Some hardline extremists disagree. The individual needs to make up their own mind. 

There is no Santa Claus either. The “Christmas holiday” in America is a time for unbridled spending and commercialism. Most are not interested in honoring the Savior. Of course, it is great for the retailers as they base much of their budget during that time of the year.  

 

So, what the writer suggest is we do is not celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25th since we know He was not born on that day. I have shown in this article that date points to Roman paganism. We honor the Lord by sharing the gospel and declaring that He lives! We are also to commemorate His death till He comes in holy communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-34). 

If the Lord wanted us to celebrate his birth on a particular day, He would have commanded us to.   

Is Christmas Secular? 

In 1990 in Solon, OH a suburb of Cleveland, the School Board banned all nativity and Christmas scenes from their schools. They said Christmas violated the separation between Church and State. The parents were upset and filed a complaint against the board because they said they were taking away a worldwide tradition, and something their kids enjoyed. The school board lost. The parents argued Christmas is neither Christian nor religious, only secular. The courts saw it their way. The courts also argued if it were regarding Bible reading and prayer, then that would be a violation of Church and State and should be removed (Prayer in school was deemed unconstitutional on June 25th, 1962). So, in the minds of the parents of Solon, OH in 1990, Christmas is not Christian nor religious. Just an important international holiday and time-honored tradition that should not be banned from schools. 

Were they right or wrong? 

In closing, we should always investigate our traditions as Christians. We need to know if what we are doing is pleasing to God. If it isn’t, then we must stop it immediately. If it is a gray area, meaning the 

Word of God is silent on the matter, then we leave it to conscience: 

Happy is he (or she) who has no reason to condemn themselves for what they approve...whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:22b-23).