Q: Why do Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25? I had a person at work tell me that the Bible doesnt say when Jesus was born and that it used to be a pagan holiday that we shouldnt celebrate. How should I respond?
A: It is true that the date of the Winter Solstice (Dec 21, not Dec 25) was at one time a “pagan” celebration to worship the sun. Secondly, it is true that Dec. 25 most likely was not the date that Jesus was born. So, why do Christians celebrate it? I would ask “why not?”
We celebrate the birthdays of our friends and relatives, presidents and civil rights leaders and so why wouldn’t we want to celebrate the birth of Jesus?
Even though we do not know for certain the exact date of his birth the history of celebrating Dec 25 as the birth of Jesus is actually a testament to the creativity of ancient Christians who utilized the date to celebrate and worship the Son rather than the sun. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire so did the “Celebration of the Son” on December 25. Today the party continues. For believers in Jesus, Christmas is a special time to reflect upon the uniqueness of the fact that God reached out to us. In fact, it is a time when believers celebrate the deity of Christ. And so, like the angels, adoring shepherds, and early believers, many of us still utilize this season to take time out of our busy lives to celebrate the most important birth in the history of the universe.
Secularists continually seek to do away with traditions that honor God. Don’t allow yourself to be influenced by their attempt to revise our history and customs. As the angel announced, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men” (Lk. 2:14).
