The Truth About Christmas

I love Christmas and celebrate it every year, but I stay away from the lies of Christmas. Christmas is a wonderful time that should be enjoyed with an understanding of right and wrong (Is.5:20; Jas.4:17). There are things that are right with Christmas and things that are wrong with it. Many believe Christmas is both a national holiday and a religious holy day. First, Christmas is a national holiday that is celebrated with lights, trees, gifts, stocking stuffers, food, friends and family. There is biblically nothing wrong with getting together with family/friends, sharing meals, and exchanging gifts. Santa Claus and his reindeer are a big part of the tradition. The myth of Santa is not necessarily a lie but an untruth if it is not taught to deceive. Parents should tell their children the truth about Santa and reindeer (Eph.4:25; Col.3:9). It will not diminish their joy and excitement of the day and season. Next, saying Christmas is a holy day because it is the birthday of Jesus Christ is a lie. There is no scripture that Jesus was born on December 25th. The Lord’s birth could not have been in the winter (season of bitter cold and snow), since the shepherds were out in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night and would not have been outside in frigid temperatures (Lk.2:8). The devil is the father of lies and deception (Lk.8:44; Rev.12:9), but the God we serve is a God of truth (Deut.32:4; Ps.31:5). His subjects are people of truth. “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Pr.23:23). “Speak the truth in love” (Eph.4:15). “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor” (Eph.4:25). “God is a spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn.4:23-24). “Be established in the present truth” (2Pet.1:12). The truth is ascertained from Jesus and his word, not the world (Jn.14:6; Eph.4:21). Next, Christmas is not a holy day for such days are commanded to be observed. However, nowhere in the New Testament was Jesus Christ’s birthday observed by Christians. It is the Lord’s death, not his birth, that Jesus commanded Christians to observe (Lk.22:19-20; 1Cor.11:23-34). This is the only holy day for Christians which is observed on the first day of every week/Sunday (Acts 20:7). So, can Christians observe and enjoy Christmas as a national holiday? Absolutely! But understand, Jesus is NOT the reason for the season. The word “Christ” may be in “Christ-mas” but Christmas is not in the bible. Therefore, keep the spiritual things out of it and keep it away from the church. Put away the nativity scenes, angels, stars, and carols about Jesus’ birth. While these things have aspects of truth they only lend themselves to the devil’s lie during this time of the year. Therefore, enjoy a non-religious Christmas season.