Why is Christmas considered a Christian holiday?

Question

If you do a little research, it's evident that it is not Jesus' birthday. In Bethlehem, winters are very cold and it speaks of the shepherds being in the fields, tending to the flocks at night. In winter, the flocks would be put out of the cold. There are many other references too that point to Christmas as being of pagan origin. So, why do so many people hold it as something Holy?

I'm just being the devil's advocate. I believe in Jesus and that he died for us. But if he wanted us to celebrate his birth, wouldn't we have instructions to do so? The Imperial Bible Dictionary says, "The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as part of idolatrous worship."

There is no mention of Jesus celebrating his own birthday or of any of his apostles celebrating his birthday after his death. If it was something He wanted us to do, don't you think that the founders of Christianity would have celebrated it?

Answer 1

Ironically, all evidence shows that early Christians did not celebrate the anniversary of Christ's birth at all, and did not even feel the need to record the month, much less the date. In parts of the 13 colonies of the United States, Christmas was outlawed as a pagan celebration with no connection to true Christianity.

Today, there are some Christians who recognize the true nature of so-called "Christmas" and imitate the example of the apostles and other early Christians. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians; they teach that Christ was and is divine and of the same nature as God.

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe!

Jehovah's Witnesses love and respect and honor Christ.

But Christmas does not celebrate Christ; it celebrates the pagan Saturnalia. Jesus was not even born in December. Nearly all so-called Christmas customs dishonor Christ.

http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm


By contrast, it's tragic that the one holiday Christ actually *DID* ask Christians to commemorate is entirely ignored by almost all of Christendom. It is, of course, the Memorial of Christ's death, sometimes called "the Last Supper" or "the Lord's Evening Meal".

(1 Corinthians 11:23-25, NWT) The Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup.. Keep doing this... in remembrance of me.”

(1 Cor 11:24, 25, NEB) "Do this as a memorial of me.”


Christ Jesus himself personally celebrated and explained the significance of that Last Supper to his followers (see Matthew 26:26-29). Christians who commemorate the Last Supper have done so on the same Jewish calendar date as Jesus did, Nisan 14, which generally falls between late March and mid-April. Interestingly, Christians in the centuries immediately after Christ's impalement were sometimes called "Quartodecimans" which literally mean "Fourteen-ers", because the early Christians were well-known for this true holy day.

How would Jesus feel to learn that the holiday he commanded was widely ignored, while his so-called followers chose to celebrate a pagan false god and their own traditions of men? We don't need to wonder.

(Matthew 15:6-9) You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20011115/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

Answer 2

Christmas was implemented by the Catholics simply because it was fun (Easter too was not originally a Christian holiday) and it was a good way to sell Christianity to the pagans who were already celebrating similar holidays. The “Christmas” type holiday found its way into a lot of other religions too and evolved to fit different cultures all over the world. This was not a new thing even at that time; religions have barrowed and stolen ideas, concepts and even gods from other religions since religion has existed on this planet. Many Christians are never educated as to the accurate history of religion and Christianity in general so it is easy to believe the inaccuracies they are taught in church.

Answer 3

Because it is a time to celebrate and commemorate the Nativity of our Lord.

It might be and might not be the actual date of His birth. But if you did not know the DATE of your birth, would you want that no one ever celebrated your birth? We celebrate His birth because we know he was Incarnate and born into this world that needed a Saviour.

As for the shepherds in the fields in winter ... ever consider that there might have been Global Warming back then too?

As for Christmas being of pagan origin. Nonsense. There may have been pagan celebrations about that time of the year. As the pagans were converting and becoming Christians, they wanted Christian celebrations to replace their former pagan ways.

Unfortunately, since then many have decided to celebrate Christmas with their pagan orgies. There have teen those, though, who worshipped in Church on Christmas Day -- remember the story of Bob Cratchitt and Tiny Tim, the crippled lad.

Some people still do celebrate Christmas by attending Services on Christmas Eve and some, even, on Christmas Day.

Answer 4

It is a considered a Christian Holiday because menin the Christian hieriarchy chose December 25 to celebrate the birth of Christ for the following reasons:
A: they don't know the exact date of Christ's birth
B: But more importantly to take peoples interest away from the Pagan Winter Holidays which fall right round the same time.

Answer 5

Right on practicaly everything. One point that I have to differ with you on is its origins being Pagan, The statement should read thusly the date that was picked by early Christians was a result of Roman Pagan holiday As we well know the early Christians were killed by the Romans at that time and the Christians wanted to celebrate Jesus' birth so they wisely picked the Roman holiday called the Saturnalia where the Romans got drunk and while the were drunk the people were celebrating Jesus birth Does it matter today when He was born? The important fact is that he was and has given the world wisedom that is aplicable today as it was then My feeling is that Christmas is for all mankind Merry Xmas

Answer 6

I don't think that anyone actually knows the exact time of Jesus birth....so I choose to believe that December 25 is the time that was choosen to celebrate His brith.
It is like when a child is adopted and the actual date of it's birth is not known........it may be decided that a date close to what a person thinks is the childs birth day will be the day the childs birth will be celebrated.
Regardless of the date...the time...referencing Jesus is all good and should be celebrated.

Answer 7

Christmas is on the day that it is because the people who created his birthday lived around the time when the Romans where starting to get into the christian faith. before christianity, the was the pagan religion. The people thought that more people would celebrate Jesus's "birthday" if it was on the same day as a pagan holiday. they hoped that eventually, more pagans would convert to christianity. I suppose, Christmas was an advertising holiday, just like it is now.

i truly believe that Christmas is no longer about christianity. thanks to hallmark and Coca-Cola, it is a commercialized holiday about buying and giving crap to your friends and relatives.

Answer 8

it is origins do no longer even lie in Christianity. that's to assert explanation why it is celebrated in December. in lots of cultures, the time between approximately Dec. 21-25 replaced right into a occasion of the return of the sunlight (winter solstice). In Rome specifically, this journey replaced into celebrated on the twenty 5th. a lot of human beings have faith that Jesus replaced into born the two interior the spring or later winter. One rationalization for questioning it is that the shepherds have been staying with their flocks at night. Which shepherds in basic terms do in the time of lambing season which happens interior the spring. The Orthodox church homes celebrate Christmas on January 6. Armenian church homes place Christmas on January 19.

Answer 9

Having done research and being a "born again" Christian, I concede that we do not know the authentic date of Christ's birth, and I believe Constantine (I'm not exactly sure) gave us December 25th to celebrate the mass of the messiah's birth; combining pagan worship with that which was holy--the birth of the messiah. However, those of us who want to commenorate his birth as holy take this date the world has given us and celebrate Christ. This means no Santa Claus, no elves, etc.; just a day of worship and thanks to God for sending his son so that man could be saved. We do not know the exact date ofhis birth, but we do know that he was born to take away the sins of the world. We've come to know the date of his birth isn't significant. The fact that he was born and the purpose of his birth is what we treasure.

Answer 10

I admire your deep concern for the flocks being cold. I have often worried about how fur covered creatures would fare in cold weather in a place known for having palm trees!!! Now I happen to enjoy a little paganism now and then , whats wrong with that?