Is Christmas A Pagan Holiday?
Is Christmas a pagan holiday? The answer to this question is a bit complicated. Christmas, as we know it today, is traditionally celebrated on December 25th and centers around the birth of Jesus.
However, the origins of Christmas can be traced back to pagan celebrations. In this post we will explore together this foundational Christian celebration known as the “most wonderful time of the year” and why so many of us love it so much. I will explain both the pagan ideas and the reasons why Christian leaders have always promoted the truth behind the pagan rituals.
The origins of Christmas:
The Roman Empire ruled ruthlessly over the Hebrew nation for nearly a decade and Jesus’ followers believed He had come to free them from this tyrannical leadership. Paul was sent to preach the gospel of the Good News to the Romans after his conversion. In fact, most of the New Testament is composed of letters written to those churches.
Many of the Roman citizens did convert to this new religion secretly as it would mean certain death if found out. Still, the passion and unconditional love of the invisible God along with the miraculous signs performed instilled devotion by early Christians who spread the news in underground meetings.
The Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of the empire. He is often credited with the spread of Christianity throughout Europe. During Constantine’s reign, those in ancient Rome primarily worshiped a pantheon of gods including Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, among other mythical figures.
However, as Christianity began to spread throughout Rome, many people converted to the new religion and worshiped the Son of God. This shift in religious beliefs ultimately led to Constantine declaring Christianity as Rome’s official religion in 312 AD.
In ancient Rome, there was a festival called Saturnalia that took place from the dates of December 17-25. This holiday honored the agricultural god Saturn and included feasting, gift-giving, and role reversals where slaves would become the masters for a brief period.
When Christianity spread throughout Europe, early Christian leaders made efforts to merge Christmas with Saturnalia in order to make it more appealing to pagans and encourage conversion. This new Christian festival helped Christmas gain popularity and eventually become the widely celebrated holiday we know today.
So while Christmas does have pagan roots, it has also evolved to become a major religious celebration for Christians. Let’s take a look at the reasons it is celebrated.
The Calendar Changes:
Have you ever wondered why we count the years as either BC (Before Christ) or AD (Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of our Lord”)? Well, it all started with the lunar calendar that was used by early civilizations. This lunar calendar was based on the cycles of the moon.
Eventually, a solar calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, which is now known as the Julian Calendar. This calendar which he believed would more accurately track the seasons by following the Earth’s orbit around the sun was created.
However, even with this new solar calendar, there was still some confusion about what year it actually was. It wasn’t until AD 525 that a monk named Dionysius Exiguus proposed the idea of counting years based on the traditionally accepted year of Jesus Christ’s birth.
The calendar as we know it today, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582 and ordered by Pope Gregory XIII in order to make up for the miscalculations made an eon before by the Julian calendar. It continued to mark the dates from the date of the creation of the world, according to Hebrew tradition, noting the change of time from Jesus’ birth.
This is why we now have the designation of BC and AD to mark time in relation to Christ’s birth.
How was The date of Christmas decided?
There is some debate over the true date of the birth of Christ. While Christmas Day is widely celebrated on December 25th, some believe that this date was chosen by the church in the 4th century to align with pagan customs and winter solstice celebrations mentioned above.
(Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the dark days in late December were the best time to get together with friends and family to celebrate Christ’s day.)
According to the Gospel of Luke, shepherds were tending their flocks in Bethlehem when they were visited by angels announcing Jesus’ birth. This suggests that it was likely during the spring or summer months, as shepherds would not typically be out in the fields during colder winter weather.
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Additionally, Emperor Augustus had issued a decree for a census to take place, which would also suggest a warmer time of year for travel.
In Italy, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th with a feast and the exchanging of gifts. On Christmas Eve, a vigil mass called “La Messa della Notte” is held and often attended by the whole family. The Italian Christmas celebration also includes the arrival of the wise men on January 6th, known as “l’Epifania.” Gifts are exchanged on this day as well, and a traditional dessert called “la torta dei Re Magi” or “the cake of the Three Kings” is eaten.
Christmas can be celebrated on different dates across the world. In Western Christianity, Christmas is traditionally celebrated on December 25th, following the Gregorian calendar. However, Eastern Orthodox Christians typically celebrate Christmas on January 7th, according to the Julian calendar. Some churches even have a combined celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on January 6th, known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day.
Which Christmas Traditions are Pagan?
A long time ago in early America, many pagan traditions followed the immigrants from other parts of the world. Their Christmas so precious to them blended with those of the early church in the New World. We as a nation decided to be one that would allow freedom of religion and therefore co-opted pagan holiday rituals with the Christian holiday.
Christmas Trees:
Where did Christmas trees originate?
An ancient Celtic religious group had a strong belief in the power of trees. They saw trees as living entities with their own spirit and would often hold sacred gatherings underneath certain tree species.
In ancient Rome, the citizens decorated their homes in late December in time for the new year as a symbol of survival. And the new life to come in the Spring.
Mistletoe:
One of the most well-known druid traditions is their use of mistletoe in winter ceremonies. Mistletoe was seen as a symbol of peace and love and druids would often cut it from oak trees using a golden sickle. This tradition is believed to have influenced the modern practice of kissing under the mistletoe during the holiday season.
Yule Log:
The yule log is a tradition that dates back many many centuries. The Norse people who comprised the peoples of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Ireland, would celebrate the winter solstice by celebrating the change from the shortest day of the year into the longer and longer days.
They would do so by lighting fires and telling stories. They would light a log and keep it burning for 12 days. This log became known as the Yule log or Winter log. In the 11th century with the coming of Christianity, the Christians and Norse people began blending traditions.
Not All of the Christmas season is tainted by Pagan cultures.
Take, for instance, Santa Claus, originally born as Nicholas in modern-day Turkey sometime in the fourth century. He became known as Saint Nicholas and was widely known as a very generous man.
In 1823 he was imagined as we know him in a poem called “A Visit From St.Nicholas”. A few years later an artist gave us a visual of this man for a magazine. He is a prime example of the generosity of the God of the Bible.
He is a constant reminder of the joy given to us every day with the salvation offered by accepting the identity of Jesus. They are not just popular claims and have been the cause of many deaths for eons from the ancient world to the present.
The True Meaning of Christmas:
Celebration!
Who Celebrated Christmas first? According to Luke 2 It was the angels. Verses 13-14 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Then there were the shepherds. Luke 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
A week later there were both Simeon and Anna in the Temple… 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; …38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
So, We see who celebrated Christmas first:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God… Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This is because repentance brings about a new Spiritual birth.
Maybe the pagan festivals and Christmas celebrations are festive and this time of year seems to be man-made but from the very beginning, the coming of Christ as a baby was the idea of our loving father. All the holy days and all the Christian celebrations align with the historical accounts of what Jesus came to give… eternal life.
P.S. (Plain and Simple) The Origins of Christmas:
Next time you write out a Christmas card or wish a stranger a merry Christmas remember that you are in the company of the multitudes who have gone before us in the celebration of The Way, The Truth, and The Life coming to Earth as a baby. Christmas time is the perfect time to have a feast day with family members, sing Christmas carols, and enjoy the worship of God. It is not the origin of Christmas but the intent of the heart that makes this holiday meaningful.