QUESTION: Is Christmas a pagan holiday?
ANSWER 1: Under Christian belief and perspective, the answer is “No”. Christmas is not a pagan holiday. Christmas is a festival that is observed by Christians to commemorate and rejoice over the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that God entered human history through Jesus Christ, and as a result, Christ is deserving of the name Immanuel, which means “God With Us” (Matthew 1:23).
Despite this, there are those who believe that many of the customs associated with Christmas have pagan roots; therefore, the question is valid.
To begin, there is a great deal of debate regarding the pagan roots of Christmas. Although it is commonly associated with Christmas, the winter solstice does not occur on December 25. In a similar vein, Saturnalia, another festival that has been credited with being the inspiration for Christmas, was never observed on December 25. It’s possible that other Christmas symbols, like trees and candles, had some pagan connotations in the past; however, these things are so common in human experience that it’s hard to believe that paganism was ever the only religion to make use of them.
Second, the context in which a word, symbol, or tradition is used, rather than its origin, is the most important factor in determining its meaning. A great number of phrases and customs have become divorced from their roots and no longer mean anything that even comes close to what they did in the past. For example, the swastika, which is considered to be a symbol of good fortune, has been in use for thousands of years. As a result, it was reasonable for the Nazi party to take this as their symbol, as they emphasized that they were the party to bring good times back to Germany, which was going through hard times after World War I. In other words, it was reasonable for the Nazi party to take this as their symbol. On the other hand, if one were to decorate their home with swastikas today with the intention of honoring their “real meaning,” they would be making a grave error. Because of the strong association that has been established between the swastika and the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, many people consider it to be a symbol of anti-Semitism as well as all that is wicked. The original significance of the symbol is wholly unimportant at this point.
Similarly, if you were to ask the typical American citizen, “What do you know about Nike?” the vast majority of them would most likely describe the company as a brand of athletic shoes and clothing, making hardly any reference to the Greek goddess of victory after whom the company is named. If you were to conduct a search on Google utilizing the term “Nike,” you would need to sift through dozens of results before you came across anything that related to the Greek goddess Nike. The first thing that comes to mind when you see someone wearing the famous “swoosh” is a contemporary company, not an ancient goddess, and no one would ever assume that the person wearing the clothing is a devotee of the goddess simply because they are wearing the clothing.
Regardless of the possible meanings that the Christmas symbols once had, their use in modern culture needs to be evaluated based on what those symbols mean in modern times. It is not warranted to automatically associate pagan worship with things like candles, colored lights, or trees that have been decorated.
If our celebration of Christmas includes any traditions that are not found in the Bible, then we ought to stop doing those things. Since biblical teaching distinguishes between feasting and gluttony, this distinction should be taken into consideration by Christians as they plan their Christmas celebrations. The Bible does not prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages; however, it does forbid getting drunk. Therefore, drinking alcohol is not appropriate for a Christian celebration. Gift-giving is encouraged throughout the Bible; however, going into debt or spending beyond one’s means is not. Therefore, it is important that Christmas presents be purchased in a responsible manner. It is beneficial for Christians to evaluate the celebrations they participate in to determine whether or not they truly honor God.
Third, whenever there is a clash of cultures, there is always an effort to change the language and co-opt the cultural symbols of the other culture. To further his mission of spreading the gospel, Paul had no problem appropriating a pagan altar. While he was delivering his speech at the Areopagus, he said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. Because as I went along and looked at the things you use to worship, I came across an altar that had the following inscription on it: “To the Unknown God.” I will therefore proclaim to you whatever it is that you consider to be unknown worship (Acts 17:23–24).
If what we now know as Christmas was originally a pagan celebration, then it has been so successfully co-opted by Christians that any pagan with any sense of dignity would be upset by what Christians have done to it. Paganism and the celebrations associated with Christmas are such polar opposites of one another that any purported connection between the two can be ignored.
It is not pagan for Christians to celebrate Christmas any more than it is pagan for churches to gather for worship on Sunday (which got its name because it was the pagan “Day of the Sun”) or for churches to hold prayer services on Wednesday (named after the Norse god Woden). The weekly gatherings of the church have nothing to do with the pagan origins of the names of the days of the week, and the ancient pagan winter festivals have no real bearing on the modern Christian celebration of Christmas.
Imagine a Christian living in the second or third century who is thinking about the celebration of Saturnalia in his town. He is thinking to himself, “Saturnalia is being celebrated throughout the entire town with feasting and the exchange of gifts.” They are referring to “releasing souls into immortality” and “the dawn of a golden age” in their discussions. I believe that now would be an excellent time to throw a party and invite some of my friends over so that I can explain to them how their souls really can be released into immortality and how the dawning of the age that will be the truest golden age of all, the Kingdom of God, is just around the corner. In recognition of the fact that God has given us the most precious present of all, I believe it would be fitting to present them with some presents as well. A festival can be “redeemed” for the glory of God in this way, and Christians can be provided with a biblical alternative to celebrate in place of the pagan holiday.
Christians can typically be divided into three distinct groups according to the cultural practice being discussed. Some people simply conform their behavior to the standard without giving it any thought. This is a very foolish thing to do. Some Christians will simply disagree with it, and they will frequently withdraw into a Christian subculture as a result. In the end, some people will give the cultural practice careful thought, embrace what they can, reject what is ungodly, and redeem what is worth saving. Because Christians have been so successful in redefining the meaning of certain cultural practices, almost no one can recall what those practices were originally intended to signify. If it is true that the celebration of Christmas has pagan roots, then this is exactly what took place; to God be the glory! It would be a blessing from above if something like this were to take place at more of our social and cultural gatherings and activities.
Romans 14:5–6 seems to apply, despite the fact that it was not written about Christmas specifically: “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike.” It is necessary for each of them to be absolutely certain in their own minds. Whoever makes a single day more significant than others does so for the Lord. If a particular Christian does not feel at ease with some or all of the components that are included in the celebration of Christmas, then that Christian ought to act in the manner that he or she considers to be appropriate. When there is no obvious biblical guideline involved, he should not judge others who believe and celebrate differently, nor should others judge him. Neither should others judge him.
ANSWER 2: During the Early Christian community’s life, they didn’t celebrate Christmas. According to Origen, a prominent early Christian writer, the Christian holiday wasn’t associated with any particular celebrations during that time. It was only later that the Romans began to incorporate pagan rituals into the celebration of the birthday of Jesus.
During Origen’s lifetime, early Christians did not celebrate Christ’s birth. They regarded birthday celebrations as superstitious pagan practices. They also refused to note the date of the Saviour’s birth.
However, in the mid-4th century, Origen was one of the most influential Christians. He was a biblical commentator, a biblical geographer, a textual critic, and a teacher of orthodoxy. He was a prolific writer, writing more than seven hundred books. Most of these are commentaries on biblical passages. In the last fifty years, a large portion of his works have been translated into English.
He was also a great defender of the Christian faith against heretics and pagans. His work was influential, with many of his students becoming leaders in the Church. His teachings helped slow the slide away from historic faith. However, he was frequently slandered as a heretic.
In the late Middle Ages, Christian scholars began to read Origen’s writings openly. They were impressed by his insights, but many western Christians have found his speculations unconvincing.
During the second century, the Christian Church was still in its infancy, but by the fourth century it had become the official religion of the Roman Empire. As part of this, the Christian Church assimilated many pagan festivals into Christian celebrations. Many of these festivals were based on pagan traditions and myths. They reflected the bond between humans and nature.
For example, the spring equinox marked the resurrection of light over darkness. It was considered a time of rebirth and fertility in ancient communities. A number of pagan cults recognized the equinox and celebrated various aspects of the cycle. For example, the Anna Perenna holiday commemorated the mother goddess of Etruscans. It was held on the first day of the year in the original Roman calendar.
Another holiday associated with Jesus’ birth was the Sol Invictus festival. This festival was celebrated on the first day of the spring equinox. The year itself was seen as a mother-like figure.
During the early 19th century, the first Christmas trees in America were decorated with fruits and lighted candles. One of the most enduring traditions associated with this season is evergreen tree decorating. Some believe that it is a pagan tradition. However, in fact, it is a Christian one.
The name “Santa Claus” is a modern version of the ancient Dutch nickname “Sinter Klaas” or “Sinter king,” which means “jolly old elf.” The modern version is led by a miniature sleigh with eight flying reindeer. The origins of the Santa Claus legend are disputed. However, the name still carries some weight with non-Dutch Americans.
Some argue that Christmas has lost its meaning. A recent national survey found that almost nine out of ten Americans believe that Christmas is less religious than it once was. That is not to say that Christians should not enjoy the Christmas season. It can be an opportune time to spread the gospel.
During the nineteenth century, Christmas became more widespread in Great Britain and America. It became a time to give gifts and lavish attention on children. This led to an increasing interest in Santa Claus.
Santa Claus is a symbol of materialism and secularism. This has led to a rise in the number of products associated with him. For instance, the ham that was traditionally served on Christmas Day has been replaced by turkey. However, Santa Claus still retains some of his mythological qualities.
The influence of American hegemony is one of the key factors behind the popularity of Santa Claus. It has led to an increase in the sales of his products in non-Christian countries.
During the nineteenth century, British and American families became less disciplined. This allowed them to focus more on children’s needs. The increase in the number of gifts was attributed to the desire for domesticity and sentimentality.
Research on consumption can be a useful method for understanding contemporary society. It provides an opportunity to analyze and understand the ways in which the meanings of Christmas are constructed. It also highlights issues related to secularism and positive attitudes.
ANSWER 3: Although Christmas is not a pagan holiday in and of itself, there are aspects of the celebration that have been speculated to have pagan origins.
To begin, it is essential to remove the mystique surrounding the term “pagan.” Christian missionaries used the term “paganism” to refer to a variety of religious practices practiced by people living within the Roman Empire during the time of their expansion into Europe. While certain communities followed regional religions, some of which were monotheistic and others polytheistic, others did not have any kind of religious system in the sense that we understand it today. The fact that these communities did not adhere to the Christian faith identifies them as pagan and serves as the primary criterion for grouping them together in this category.
Given that Christmas is meant to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, we can safely say that Christmas is not a pagan holiday. In spite of this, there are a few divergent points of view concerning the selection of the appropriate day for the celebration. The winter solstice was observed on the 25th of December according to the Roman calendar (December 21 on the modern calendar). Saint Augustine of Hippo gives the following explanation for why Jesus Christ was born on the day that is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length: “Therefore, it is that He was born on the day that is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length.” He who humbled himself and raised us up therefore chose the shortest day, yet the one from which light begins to increase.
An opposing “paganization” hypothesis suggests that the Church chose December 25 to hijack the Roman holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which celebrates the Sun god Sol Invictus and was adopted by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti is also known as “the birthday of the Sun.” In this theory, the Church changed the name of the holiday to Christmas. There is also the possibility that the celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti took place on December 25 in order to compete with the expanding influence of Christianity.
There are a number of practices that date back to pagan times that are incorporated into the cultural celebration of Christmas. In spite of the fact that the Christmas tree was invented in Germany in the 17th century, the tradition of decking the halls of one’s home with evergreens during the winter months originates from a pagan practice. Santa Claus and his numerous European variants are both derived from the same pagan winter concept, which describes spirits traveling across the sky in the midst of the season. Santa Claus’s origins can be traced back to ancient Europe.