Why I Don’t Celebrate Christmas?

I believe that the Lord Jesus, though He was in the form of God, took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Phi. 2:6-7).

I believe in the virgin birth of my Lord (Lu. 1:26-38).

I believe that He came in the flesh and dwelt among the people (Jn. 1:14).

I believe that He came to save sinners from their sins (Matt. 1:21).

I believe that He died for our sins and physically rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

I believe that there is salvation only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

Therefore, I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for the physical birth, physical death, and the physical resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Having stated my beliefs, I must also confess that I don’t celebrate Christmas. I don’t greet anyone “Happy Christmas”. As a family, we don’t buy new clothes, cut cake, cook special food and buy gifts. I do not even attend Christmas service on December 25 (pardon my unspirituality😊).

Why is it so?

I will share two reasons why I don’t celebrate Christmas and what I actually celebrate.

Reason One: 

Either in the Gospels or in the Letters to the churches, there is no mention of the month, the day and the time of Jesus’ birth. The Holy Scripture only reveals the historical birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

According to GotQuestions.org and Wikipedia, it is in the 3rd century that Hyppolytus of Rome speculated that Jesus was born on December 25. What the apostles and the early church fathers in the first and second century did not mention, the third-century guy speculated the Lord’s birth. Should we believe him?

GotQuestions.org concludes well:

The truth is we simply don’t know the exact date of our Savior’s birth. In fact, we don’t even know for sure the year in which He was born. Scholars believe it was somewhere between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. One thing is clear: if God felt it was important for us to know the exact date of the Savior’s birth, He certainly would have told us in His Word. The Gospel of Luke gives very specific details about the event, even down to what the baby was wearing – “swaddling clothes”—and where he slept—“in a manger” (Luke 2:12). These details are important because they speak of His nature and character, meek and lowly. But the exact date of His birth has no significance whatsoever, which may be why God chose not to mention it. < http://www.gotquestions.org/December-25.html> 

Therefore, when there is no record of the exact date of the birth of Christ Jesus, why should I celebrate December 25 as the day of my Lord’s birth?

Reason Two: 

I observe that God commanded the Israelites to follow certain festivals: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. These festivals reminded God’s faithful work in the lives of His people.

So, here is my point: If Christmas or Good Friday or Easter were so important for us to celebrate, God would have certainly commanded in the New Testament for the church, as He had commanded certain festivals to be followed in the Old Testament for Israel.

The book of Acts, which is a record of early church life, has no mention of celebrating Christmas on December 25 by believers. Moreover, there is no record of celebrating Christmas by the early church fathers of the first and second century.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, known as the Prince of Preachers, stated:

We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English; and, secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and, consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority. (Charles Spurgeon, Sermon on Dec. 24, 1871).

Therefore, my conviction is, why should I celebrate Christmas, which neither the early church nor the early church fathers celebrated?

Some claim that they do not celebrate Christmas because it was a replacement with a pagan festival. I don't find this reason strong enough why we should not celebrate Christmas. There is nothing wrong with something good replacing evil. My convictions for not celebrating Christmas are essentially two reasons I mentioned above.

Celebration: 

The only celebration I see in the New Testament given by the Lord Jesus and which the early church celebrated is—The Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts 2:42, 46).

The Lord’s Supper is a reminder and celebration of the Lord’s birth (Christmas), the Lord’s death (Good Friday), and the Lord’s resurrection (Easter). Therefore, the only festival I celebrate is the Lord’s Supper, and I celebrate this every week with His community. I am content with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

Some may say, “I agree with your points, Stephen, but what’s wrong in celebrating Christmas anyway on December 25?” I do not say it is wrong or sinful to celebrate Christmas. I just say it is unnecessary. If anyone wants to celebrate Christmas, I leave to their conviction and do not think it right to condemn them. I only plead not to give Christmas more priority and excitement over the Lord's Supper. 

I do not consider celebrating Christmas on December 25 worth fighting against, although the Puritans in the 16th and 17th century strongly condemned the celebration of Christmas. I believe it is a minor issue. On my part, I want to give preference only to the Lord’s Supper, as the early church celebrated.

I feel sad, however, the way Christmas is celebrated generally. It is celebrated mostly in a carnal way. Christmas, to many, is all about carols, buying new clothes, cutting cake, cooking special dishes, exchanging gifts and having fun. What is missing in Christmas is “Christ.” There is no devotion towards Him in their celebration.

But there are a few devoted Christians who celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way. Among these few, some even take the opportunity of Christmas and labor to share the gospel of Christ with unbelievers. God bless them!

Before I close, let me mention what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:8 regarding food, "Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do." Similarly, Christmas will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not celebrate it, and no better off if we celebrate it or vice versa.

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Recommended article: "A PURITAN CHRISTMAS" (https://www.biblicalfoundations.org/a-puritan-christmas/) by Dr. Andreas Köstenberger, Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology and Director of the Center for Biblical Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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