IS
CHRISTMAS DERIVED FROM SECULAR OBSERVANCES, AND IF SO, SHOULD WE CELEBRATE IT?
Approaching
the Christmastide season, it is common to hear arguments on various sides for
or against the celebration of Christmas including those related to the actual
date of Christmas itself. Many of the American traditions have little to do
with the birth of Christ such as Christmas trees, the exaggeration of St.
Nicholas that we find in Santa Clause, and even the giving of material gifts. I
believe that these external elements are not wrong or right in and of
themselves; yet, we must be careful with them and have likely lost the sense of
Christmastide in American culture. Additionally, I believe a large reason for
that is the negation of the Advent season: bypassing Advent may only contribute
to the materialistic attitudes we possess. Those opposed to religion often
claim that Christmas (and other Christian observances for the same matter) is
derived from pagan rituals alone and even fall in the way of atheists who claim
this as a sufficient reason to abandon the celebration. One such argument
suggests even the timing of December 25 to be evidence that Christians
celebrate falsely. Indeed, the same arguments are made against all Christian
celebrations, which should cause Christians to consider the foundational
reasons for observances. Here I will argue for the celebration of Christmas as
a vital observance in Christian life and conclude by extending the philosophy
to all Christian observances.
Why
December 25?
I
should begin with one of the primary arguments against Christmas: the date
itself. The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated December 25 is
336 AD under emperor, Constantine; yet, it was not an official Roman state
festival.[1] Unfortunately, biased
human secularism clings to this idea and furthers the claim to submit that
Christmas is derived from pagan rituals rather than the literal birth of God
himself and it has only been perpetuated because of Constantine’s decree. The
obvious bias is evident in this suggestion. There are, however, multiple
theories on how and why December 25 was chosen. It should be noted that these
are merely theories and nothing more.
One
theory suggests that so many Pagan festivals occurred around this date so it
was natural to include the Christian celebration of Christ’s birth. For
example, the birthday of the Pagan Sungod, Mithra, was celebrated December 25
when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice occurred.[2] Another theory suggests
that December 25 was chosen to connect the Christian celebration of Christ’s
birth to the Jewish parallel of Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th
of Kislev (the Jewish month closest to the solar-lunar month of December).[3] Since Jesus was a Jew,
this is a feasible reason for the chosen date. Another likely reason is that
ancient Jews believed prophets died around the same time of year as their
conception. Jesus was crucified and died on the 15th day of Nissan.
In a solar-lunar calendar, that would be in the spring around March 25. Thus,
March 25 is regarded as Annunciation Day in the Christian calendar: the day
Mary received news from God that she would carry and deliver Jesus. Hence, nine
months later, December 25, is when we celebrate his birth.
These
are the most important theories which exist regarding the chosen date of
December 25.
No
One Truly Knows When or Why
Bear
in mind that these are only theories. There are even more theories. These
mentioned, however, are the most presented and substantial. None of them may be
proven or falsified. Whether any or none of them are true, Christians have
celebrated the birth of Christ on December 25 for centuries, albeit in vastly
different ways than today, particularly in Western society. While multiple
sides argue the rightness or wrongness of December 25 as the chosen date
Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, the fact remains that no one knows
with absolute certainty when he was born nor why or how December 25 originally
became the standard date for celebrating his birth. Nonetheless, it is the date
the church has held for centuries.
Is
It Right or Wrong to Observe Christmas if It Is Derived from Pagan Practices?
All
orthodox Christian observances are crucial to living in the reality of the
story of God. I have focused on the date of December 25 here; yet, numerous
arguments are made against observing Christian celebrations not limited to
Christmas but also including Easter and others. Whether the date of December 25
or any other element surrounding the Christmas season (and other liturgical
feasts) is derived from pagan practices is negated by the fact that Christians
have chosen to honor specific events in the life of Christ for centuries. Even
if December 25, for example, stems from pagan customs, it is now (and has been
for centuries) a Christian observance. Thus, one should not be concerned with
the origins. To answer then the question of whether Christians should observe
Christmas if it derived from pagan practices, I suggest that it is right to do
so, for the observance now is not pagan. I might also add that it likely never
has been, for December 25 has been chosen for pragmatic purposes only. What
makes the day sacred is not the day itself but the content therein. As December
25 approaches, let us remember the miraculous and glorious birth of God who
came to bring life to his people. It is s sacred day and one which is right to
celebrate.
