Many of us especially enjoy the Christmas season, because it affords opportunities to gather with family and friends, warm fellowship, and to give gifts. Also, this time of year offers opportunities to talk with people about Jesus, because at this time of year Jesus is more frequently on people’s minds and His name more often on their lips. We should take advantage of any opportunity to share Christ with those who do not know him (Matthew 28:19-20).
We cannot observe December 25 as a religious celebration of Christ’s birth, because there is no authority for such in the New Testament. Since we cannot go beyond what is authorized (1 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 3:17; 2 John 9), we do not think of December 25 as Jesus’ birthday. We celebrate the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ all year round. Those of us who celebrate Christmas do so in a secular way, that is, we celebrate it as an occasion for gathering with our family and friends.
This raises the question, “How did the religious observance of December 25 begin?” There is some uncertainty about this, but consider a few historical points:
- Christmas did not originate with Jesus’ teaching or with His apostles’ teaching. The earliest document we have that lists a celebration of Christmas is from 354 A.D., more than 300 years after Jesus left the Earth. Furthermore, Jesus probably was not even born in December. Judea is cold in December, and so it is unlikely that the shepherds would have been out with their sheep at night (Luke 2:8). It is unlikely that the Romans would have taken a census in December, when it would have been difficult for people to travel (Luke 2:1-2). Furthermore, the timeline centering on Zachariah’s service in the temple indicates that Jesus was born in the fall of the year (Luke 1:5, 23-24; cf. 1 Chronicles 24).
- Historians tell us that Christmas may have originated from competition with ancient pagan holidays, such as the Winter Solstice or the day of the “birth of the unconquered sun.”
- Historians also tell us that Christmas may have originated from some in the early church giving special significance to various seasons of the year.
Someone might say that a Christian cannot observe a holiday that has its origins in false religion. And yet, faithful Christians do not do anything ungodly by enjoying a fun, family-centered event.