I know it is not even thanksgiving yet, but there seems to be a lot of confusion about Christmas. Let us start with a bit of history from Christmas past.
Christmas began as the week long pagan celebration of Saturnalia from December 17 to 25. During this time, people would practice all kinds of debase things. Roman communities would pick a person who would represent “an enemy of the people” and “the lord of misrule.” They would force them to indulge in food and pleasures for the week. On the 25th, that person would be brutally murdered. The people believed that by killing this person they were destroying evil.
In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantine established himself as head of the “church” and began to try to “Christianize” pagan practices in an effort to win over the masses and their money. Saturnalia became Christmas in the year 336 A.D. and a short time later Pope Julius I deemed the 25th of December as the birth of Christ in an effort to give the date significance. It did not succeed in winning over the masses, and people continued their pagan customs. It is easy to see why one author said, “Catholicism is just sprinkled paganism.” However, Christmas was born and many other pagan practices began to be added to the celebration. The Christmas tree had its origins in the Asherath cults. Mistletoe was from the Druids. The giving of gifts is tied again to a Roman practice. Santa Claus was a mixture of a bishop named Nicolas from the early Catholic church, Pasqua Epiphania from Italy and the god Woden from the Germanic tribes. A poem from the late 1800’s and the Coca-Cola bottling company can be blamed for the final concept of what Santa looks like in America.
With all this pagan background, is Jesus really the reason for the season? Should we be upset about what is or is not on a coffee cup? No! In fact, we may be better off taking a play from the Puritans who banned the practice of Christmas. From 1659 to 1681, it was illegal in the colony of Massachusetts. For fear of being named a Grinch or “lord of misrule,” I will not champion that idea.
Did the early church practice Christmas? No, they did not. The Bible does not give a command to celebrate the birth of Christ. The only observance commanded is the Lord’s Supper in connection with weekly worship. So what do we do with Christmas? If you practice it as a religious event, that is wrong. If you observe it as an American custom, there is no wrong. If, however, your conscience does not allow you to observe it, don’t. Keep in mind that your non-observance does not constitute a command for others (Col 2:16). In all of this, please remain balanced and respectable. Understand where the practice comes from, but make your own family traditions. Family and friends are an important part of this time of year.