From Pagan Roots to Christ-Centered Celebration: The Story of Christmas
Is Christmas pagan? There are many people who don't celebrate Christmas because of its supposed Pagan traditions. Many of them are of other religions (like JW), but there are many Christians who don't celebrate Christmas. We are going to study if this is a misguided notion and why so many people who claim Christianity still choose to celebrate Christmas. Is it because they are pagan, because they don't know the roots, or because they believe that they shouldn't demonize something that isn't pagan anymore?
Christmas used to be part of many early winter festivals, including Yule and Saturnalia.
Saturnalia was the festival celebrating Saturn in Rome. It was celebrated between December 17 and 23. It had feasting, gift-giving, and just overall fun.
Yule was a German holiday (or Germanic at the time) and they was a celebration honoring the Norse god, Odin. It was around the time of the winter solstice, and they burned yule logs, which was thought to bring luck for the following year, as well as prosperity. It was also meant to protect against lightning and evil spirits.
This also happened at the winter solstice for a reason. The start of winter was the darkest and shortest day (still is), and in those times, winter was harsh, and many didn’t survive. So winter solstice was a day celebrated to give hope and renewal of life to celebrate the sun’s return. The days would start getting longer again and would signify prosperity in the new year.
We don’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth, unlike the dates of Kings, which were sometimes documented. Even then, though, those were often inconsistent. So, in the 4th century, December 25 was the official date for Christmas (to celebrate Christ). There are many stories, and if you ask Catholics, they’ll tell you it was by the church, but some sources suggest Emperor Constantine was a large influence in the decision to make December 25 the day we celebrate Christmas. Maybe it was to align Christian celebrations with the already existing pagan traditions, to put Christ in Roman Culture. Also, the Christians eventually did a lot more, claiming existing customs and turning them to Christianity, and giving them a Christian meaning. Easter, for example (but that’s for another day.)
Today, even though Christmas has pagan roots, it doesn’t define the holiday and its meaning. It has evolved (for lack of a better word), into a day solely focused on Jesus and how He came to save us. Many people have turned Christmas into a day focused solely on Santa, or some other idol, but that doesn’t mean Christmas is bad.
Knowing that Christmas started with Saturnalia and Yule is interesting, but it doesn’t determine the meaning of the tradition today.
Origins do not need to define modern meaning. Everyday items have distinct pagan roots. Candles, fire, cooking over an open flame, calendars, even the days of the week, and the 7 days we use have roots in pagan practices. Just putting it together like that is probably making you think of a lot of things, including witchcraft, right? As Christians, we use these things on a daily basis, we use a lot of things with pagan roots and have no issues with them, so why should we avoid Christmas (and therefore, a reason to celebrate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ) for the same reasons?
Christians have a long history of repurposing pagan cultural practices:
Christmas trees, wreaths, candles/lights, used to be used for pagan practices. Now, Christmas trees are used to symbolize life in Christ, candles are used to symbolize Christ as the Light of the World, and wreaths symbolize God’s nature, with no beginning and no end. They also show how we have everlasting life through Christ, how we had prepared for His coming, and His victory over death.
Celebrating these things with the beginning of Christ's life here on earth is very different from worshipping pagan gods. The meaning of a holiday is very much so, determined by how and why people celebrate it. By focusing on the pagan roots, you are more focused on that than Christ. It’s like watching the score of football games while in church. Your attention is on something other than Christ. This can affect your relationship and life with Christ over time. And if you are a Christian who feels uncomfortable with the pagan origins, that’s fine. That’s your prerogative and your relationship with Christ. That’s something only you can consider in your own relationship with Christ. But the argument remains that origins do not automatically define modern celebrations.
Therefore, while Christmas does have pagan roots, the modern celebration is Christ-centered by Christians. What was originally used for evil is now good. Such as the trees, wreaths and candles. Our lives will be what we focus on. So if we define Christmas as pagan, that’s what it will be, but its modern meaning is not defined by the historical traditions. The Bible says in Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” That’s just one verse, as well. The Bible is full of passages talking about human evil and God’s goodness (essentially the whole Bible).
A decision on whether to celebrate Christmas or not is highly individual and should be based on your relationship with Christ, not anything else. As every other part of a Christian’s life.
Christmas is a gift to us. It reminds us of who we worship and look to. It is a reminder of hope, love, and the joy we have in Christ, as well as a reminder to celebrate Him with purpose.
Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and love, a call to keep Him at the center of our hearts.
https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christmas-isnt-pagan/
https://bigthink.com/the-past/no-christmas-not-stolen-pagan-festival/
https://davenantinstitute.org/early-christian-appropriation-of-pagan-piety/
https://www.britannica.com/story/how-did-the-tradition-of-christmas-trees-start
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Christmas-tree
https://time.com/5482144/christmas-wreath-origins/
https://www.britannica.com/story/how-did-the-tradition-of-christmas-trees-start?
How Christmas Became Christmas - Nathaniel Perry
Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan - Clement A. Miles
The Pagan Origin of Christian Holidays - Elisha J. Israel
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