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Why do you celebrate Christmas?

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Maedchen

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I decided not to celebrate Christmas after long research and prayer. The main reasons for that do not fit into this introduction, so I'll post them right below as reply to this thread.
I kindly ask to read my reasoning first before you post your answer.
Love and peace, Maedchen
 
The Top 10 Reasons Why I Don't Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is a hugely popular holiday celebrated by some 2 billion people worldwide. It’s become such an ingrained part of modern culture that even people in nations with little or no Christian history or tradition are celebrating it in increasing numbers.

Christmas is so big that it plays a key role in the economies of many nations. In the U.S. retail industry, Christmas shopping season and stores that have been “in the red”—operating at a loss all year—suddenly see their sales shoot up so fast that they are now operating in the black (at a profit) the rest of the year.

So it’s not surprising that I get some pretty shocked looks when I tell people I don’t celebrate Christmas. So here I offer my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas!

1. Christmas is driven by commercialism.
It’s not that difficult to recognize what really drives the holiday in our age. Cal Thomas, an American syndicated columnist who often writes from a Christian perspective, acknowledged uncomfortable truths about Christmas in a December 2003 column.

“I’m not sure it’s worth keeping Christmas anymore,” he began, lamenting that the holiday has become a “road show of reindeer, winter scenes, elves and the God substitute, Santa Claus, who serves as a front for merchants seeking to play on the guilt some parents bear for ignoring their kids the rest of the year.”

He asks a great question: “Why participate any longer in this charade where the focal point of worship has shifted from a babe in a manger to a babe in the Victoria’s Secret window? . . . No room in the inn has been replaced by no room in the mall parking lot.”

But perhaps his most insightful statement is this: “It’s instructive how just one season away from lusting after material things can break the habit. It’s something like liberation from an addiction or lifestyle choice. Being away from it can cause one to realize the behavior is neither missed nor needed for fulfillment and enjoyment."

2. Christmas is nowhere mentioned in the Bible.
This is rather obvious, but most people never give it a second thought. The books of the New Testament cover 30+ years of Jesus Christ’s life, then another 30+ years of the early Church following His death and resurrection, but nowhere do we find any hint of a Christmas celebration or anything remotely like it.

Yes, the Bible does give us quite a few details of His birth—the angelic appearance to Mary and then Joseph, the conditions surrounding His birth in Bethlehem, the heavenly choir’s performance for the shepherds in the fields outside the town. But nowhere in the Bible is there any record of anyone observing Christmas or any hint that God the Father or Jesus Christ expects us to do so.

3. Jesus wasn’t born on or near December 25.
Remember those shepherds who were “living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night”? (Luke 2:8). December weather around Bethlehem is often miserably cold, wet and rainy. No shepherd in his right mind would have kept his flocks outside at night at that time of year!

The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary says this passage argues “against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted” shepherds to be out in the fields with their flocks then.

And Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays tells us that Luke’s account of Christ’s birth “suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks at night” (p. 309) rather than keeping them outdoors.

Also, Luke 2:1-4 tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because his parents came to that town to register in a Roman census. The Romans were well known as highly efficient administrators. It would have made no sense to have conducted a census in the dead of winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and traveling was difficult due to poor road conditions. Taking a census under such conditions would have been self-defeating!

4. The Christmas holiday is largely a recycled pagan celebration.
Consider the customs associated with Christmas. What do decorated evergreen trees, holly, mistletoe, yule logs, a jolly plump man in a fur-lined red suit, sleighs and flying reindeer have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ?

None of these things have anything to do with Him, but they have a lot to do with ancient pagan festivals.

And what about the date of Dec. 25? How did it come to be assigned as the supposed date of Jesus Christ’s birth? Historians Gerard and Patricia Del Re explain:

“The tradition of celebrating December 25 as Christ’s birthday came to the Romans from Persia. Mithra, the Persian god of light and sacred contracts, was born out of a rock on December 25. Rome was famous for its flirtations with strange gods and cults, and in the third century the unchristian emperor Aurelian established the festival of Dies Invicti Solis, the Day of the Invincible Sun, on December 25.

“Mithra was an embodiment of the sun, so this period of its rebirth was a major day in Mithraism, which had become Rome’s latest official religion … It is believed that the emperor Constantine adhered to Mithraism up to the time of his conversion to Christianity. He was probably instrumental in seeing that the major feast of his old religion was carried over to his new faith” ( The Christmas Almanac, 1979, p. 17).

It’s difficult to determine the first time anyone celebrated Dec. 25 as Christmas, but historians generally agree that it was sometime during the fourth century—some 300 years after Christ’s death. And then a contrived date was chosen because it was already a popular pagan holiday celebrating the birth of the sun god!

Similarly, virtually all of the customs associated with Christmas are recycled from ancient pagan festivals honoring other gods.

5. God condemns using pagan customs to worship Him.
Since Christmas is supposedly a day to worship and celebrate God the Father and Jesus Christ, wouldn’t it be a good idea to look into the Bible to see what it says about how we should worship God?

The answer is quite clear. God gives specific instruction about using pagan practices to worship Him— the exact thing Christmas does! Notice what He says in Deuteronomy 12:30-32: “. . . Do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way . . . Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” .

And lest some think this is simply an Old Testament command that no longer applies, the apostle Paul makes the same point in 2 Corinthians 6, where he addresses whether unbiblical religious customs and practices have any place in the worship of God’s people:

“What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial [the devil and/or demons]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God . . .

“Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’ Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1).

Rather than relabeling pagan customs as Christian, or allowing members of the Church to continue their old pagan practices, the apostle Paul told them in no uncertain terms to leave behind all these forms of worship and worship God in true holiness as He commands. Jesus likewise says His true followers “must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24)—not revel in recycled pagan customs and symbolism.
 
i celebrate Christmas every day just like Easter. i have no certain reason why i celebrate . we don,t exchange gifts here or decorate . not for any certain reason. Christmas has become commercialize . the anti religion groups threaten to sue any time something with a scripture appears on public property . Just like the Grinch found out you can not stop Christmas celebration
 
6. Christmas is worshipping God in vain.
Since Christmas is a jumble of ancient pagan customs invented by men, and a holiday found nowhere in the Bible, does God honor or accept such worship?

Jesus provides the answer in His stern rebuke of the religious teachers of His day, men who had substituted human traditions and teachings for God’s divine truths and commands: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites . . . ‘in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ . . . All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:6-9).

In the 17th century Christmas was actually outlawed in England and some parts of the American colonies because of its unbiblical and pagan origins. They knew something most people today have forgotten or have never known!

7. You can’t put Christ back into something He was never in.
Some people admit the many problems with Christmas. But rather than face up to those problems, some assert that we should “put Christ back in Christmas.”

However, it’s impossible to “put Christ back in Christmas” since He never was in Christmas in the first place! He never so much as heard the word “Christmas” during His lifetime on earth, nor did His apostles after Him. You can search the Bible cover to cover but you won’t find the words “Christmas,” “Christmas tree,” “mistletoe,” “holly,” “Santa Claus” or “flying reindeer.”

Putting Christ back in Christmas may sound like a nice sentiment, but it’s really only a misguided effort to try to justify a long-standing human tradition rather than what the Bible tells us we should do.

8. The Bible nowhere tells us to observe a holiday celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth —but it clearly does tell us to commemorate His death.
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’

“In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes . . . Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).

The point is: Jesus clearly expects His true followers to commemorate His death—not His birth—by observing the Passover.

9. Christmas obscures God’s plan for mankind.
Passover, mentioned above, has enormous significance in God’s plan for humanity. The Old Testament Passover, described in Exodus 12, was symbolic of Jesus Christ’s future role and sacrifice. As the blood of the slain Passover lambs on the Israelites’ houses spared them while the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, so does Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf spare us from death— eternal death.

Paul alluded to this great truth when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” Similarly John the Baptist, speaking under divine inspiration, said of Jesus, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Peter wrote that we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19)—a clear reference to the Passover lambs (Exodus 12:5).

A central key to God’s plan for humanity is Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8)—meaning His death for our sins was planned before the first human beings were ever created (1 Peter 1:18-20). Only through His death to pay the penalty for our sins can human beings receive God’s gift of eternal life (John 3:14-17; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

Christmas, in contrast, teaches us none of this. Regrettably, because it is a hodgepodge of unbiblical customs and beliefs thrown together with a few elements of biblical truth, it only obscures the incredible purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming—as well as why He must return to earth a second time!

10. I’d rather celebrate the Holy Days Jesus Christ and the apostles observed.
God in His Word sets out many choices for us. Will we do things His way or our own? Will we worship Him as He tells us to, or expect Him to honor whatever religious practices we choose regardless of what His Word says?

It’s always good to ask the question, What would Jesus do? The answer, from the Scriptures, is quite clear as to what Jesus did. Jesus didn’t allow His followers the option of adopting pagan practices in their worship. He and the apostles plainly kept God’s Holy Days and festivals that we find recorded in Leviticus 23.

As noted above, they kept the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Scripture shows they also observed the Days of Unleavened Bread (Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The New Testament Church itself was founded on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), another biblical festival they clearly observed (Acts 20:16). They likewise kept the Day of Atonement (called “the Fast” in Acts 27:9) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2; John 7:10).

Christmas, meanwhile, is totally missing from the biblical record.

Most people don’t know that the Bible includes a whole list of festivals that God commanded, that Jesus Himself observed and that the apostles and early Church were still keeping decades after Christ’s death and resurrection. And unlike Christmas, these reveal a great deal about Jesus Christ’s role and mission.

Each one teaches us a vital lesson in what Jesus has done, is doing and will yet do in carrying out God’s great plan for humankind. The differences between these and the tired old paganism and crass commercialism of Christmas is truly like the difference between day and night. Why not look into them for yourself?

I’ve given you my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas. What do you suppose God thinks of your reasons for continuing to observe it?
 
4 and 5 i disagree with your view imo it only becomes pagan if we as Christians make it.....i do not celebrate pagan practices . 1 i agree with you 2. not sure the shepherds rejoiced and celebrated. as per dec 25 i agree just a date the early Church set. if this is your conviction i have no problem with it. i just don,t share it...
 
It's a fun holiday, both the secular aspect and Christian aspect. I like the family and food part. Giving gifts is fun in moderation. And the celebration of God With Us is wonderful. I love the music and taking the time to reflect on Jesus' birth. Plus my grandkids faces are fun. I played Santa at school. Why? Because it was fun. Kids had fun and I had fun. And I said Merry Christmas a lot. Also said Happy Birthday Jesus just because that's how I roll.

We don't have a tree. Why? too much work. But I love the lights and stuff. I've no problem with any of it. We give to the Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Christmas.

It draws attention to Jesus. His name is preached. The reason He came to earth is shared and celebrated. I could go on. But you get the idea.

How others choose to observe the day (or not) is up to them and I respect it if for the right reasons. Follow your conscious on this one. It's fine either way.
 
It's a fun holiday, both the secular aspect and Christian aspect. I like the family and food part. Giving gifts is fun in moderation. And the celebration of God With Us is wonderful. I love the music and taking the time to reflect on Jesus' birth. Plus my grandkids faces are fun. I played Santa at school. Why? Because it was fun. Kids had fun and I had fun. And I said Merry Christmas a lot. Also said Happy Birthday Jesus just because that's how I roll.

We don't have a tree. Why? too much work. But I love the lights and stuff. I've no problem with any of it. We give to the Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Christmas.

It draws attention to Jesus. His name is preached. The reason He came to earth is shared and celebrated. I could go on. But you get the idea.

How others choose to observe the day (or not) is up to them and I respect it if for the right reasons. Follow your conscious on this one. It's fine either way.
i approach it like Joseph told his brothers
Genesis 50:20King James Version (KJV)
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. if i keep it holy . then it is holy and not pagan . paul said
1 Corinthians 1:27
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
 
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Several times of the year in Ancient Israel God told the Israeli people to have a celebration and do no work.

Since the induction of the New Covenant we needed new celebrations...to celebrate what God has given us. Even SAINT Nicolas was a believer...and we give gifts to emulate Christ and Nicolas.

So every year... ALL Year long...we think about Christmas and buy presents for loved ones that are given at Christmas time.

I personally don't care and it doesn't matter to me what the Heathen do and think. It matters only what I do and think. I'm responsible for me...not everyone else. Everyone who knows me and receives presents knows exactly what and why I am celebrating with gifts. It's not even a question in their heads. (Despite my mischievous nature)

Soooo
You don't want to celebrate?
Where is the love expressed in this course of action?
How will people understand loving kindness and unmerited favor in this day and time if you don't show it at the one time of year that everyone else seems to express it? Because to the less "religious" it looks more like you are a Scrooge of sorts. (Even if you aren't)

How do you plan to overcome this perception?
 


its ok to even sing here comes Santa Claus as long as week away in manger on top and centered . lighten up enjoy it does not make you a pagan worshiper you don,t have to put a tree .. just enjoy
:amen:pepsican:pepsi2
 
Since the induction of the New Covenant we needed new celebrations...to celebrate what God has given us.
Actually, we don't need new observances in this New Covenant. The old observances are a picture of Christ through and through. The old observances were outlawed by the Catholic Church because it was erroneously believed that to observe them automatically equated to a person trying to be justified by them. And, they outlawed them to distance themselves from the Jews.

New observances were invented by the Catholic Church to draw pagans into the church. Presumably to keep the coffers full. Kind of like what we're seeing happen today--more and more doctrines and methods being created to appeal to the unsaved masses. And for the ignoble purpose of preserving the church as a business entity.

The best thing Christians can do with Christmas is just enjoy it for what it's worth, in or out of the church, and leave it at that. It's so far removed from it's pagan influences that it's simply a non-issue these days. You have to be told what the pagan influence is in Christmas for you to even then decide if it's right or wrong. And even then there is disagreement on it's exact origins.

Like I've said in many threads over the years, it's just a fun time of the year for me. It actually has virtually zero spiritual significance to me. Ever since I got born again in 1986 Easter has been the profound spiritual experience for me in regard to church observances.
 
Soooo
You don't want to celebrate?
Where is the love expressed in this course of action?
How will people understand loving kindness and unmerited favor in this day and time if you don't show it at the one time of year that everyone else seems to express it? Because to the less "religious" it looks more like you are a Scrooge of sorts. (Even if you aren't)

How do you plan to overcome this perception?
I don't believe for a minute that the church needs Christmas so the world can see the love of the church.
What the church needs more of is the love of God being expressed through them when the world is not doing 'their' loving. That is the expression of love that will witness to the world. And that should be happening every day of the year. Effective witness happens when you are different than the world.
 
I celebrate Christmas because it is a family time for me and a time for us to all go to church together. Since my kids grew up we rarely get to be in church together anymore. I love being with them and my grandkids on one special day out of the year. Yes, it is pagan, Jesus wasn't born that day, and all they but it is special to me for so many reasons that I still celebrate Christmas. I tried to stop for awhile but it is what I grew up with. It's very difficult to break that tradition.
 
Back in my "radical" on fire for God in Christ charismatic days I was repulsed by Christmas. Saw it as pagan and rampant commercial idolatry.

But I've backed down from that sight considerably the last 2plus decades. Now I use the Holidays as a witnessing time for Jesus, and try to do it in peace with the Holidays. We get more exposure to the unsaved during the Holidays. This year we are (again) having some unsaved friends over. I've shared/witnessed Jesus with them previously. Looking forward to see if His Seed is taking hold.

I never stop sharing, planting, watering. Holidays now serve this purpose. It didn't do my own heart good to rant and rave about it. It alienated me from too many opportunities to witness, in peace.

Christmas itself, as a holiday, still doesn't mean much to me in any case. But I do take advantage of it now. People are more open to Spiritual things during that time.

The real fun personal part for me this year will be spending Christmas day with my 2 (of 3) grandsons. Gonna sing some simple hymns with them in a sing along, feed them well, watch them tear into their stuff afterwards. Give them some good memories of Grandma and Grandpa. That will be special. They are just getting into the age of simple understandings, 3+ and 2+ years old.
 
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I celebrate Christmas.
With Christmas presents, tree and food.
There was never a "Santa", my extra gift was from my cat :)

I celebrate it for two reasons:
To celebrate Christ
To spend time with family

I think God is more concerned with the overall cold- heartedness of man (wars, persecution, bullying, abuse) than with whether or not people drag a tree inside and decorate it.
 
Luke 2:13-14;
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Can you imagine multitudes coming down from heaven to see the birth of Jesus, and then giving praise and Glory to God in the highest?
This is certainly a powerful example as to why we should celebrate Christmas.
A Christian who does not celebrate Christmas does not have a testimony.
 
Luke 2:13-14;
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Can you imagine multitudes coming down from heaven to see the birth of Jesus, and then giving praise and Glory to God in the highest?
This is certainly a powerful example as to why we should celebrate Christmas.
A Christian who does not celebrate Christmas does not have a testimony.

There is no such thing as Christmas in the N.T. We all know it was a dreamt up holiday. Nobody knows the "exact date" of Jesus' birth. If it was some critical factor in the N.T. we'd have a basis and a date for it. But the basis for it came from "mens traditions." We should at least recognize that. It has little to do with faith in Christ and everything to do with a contrivance of man. I'd just as soon do the Passover or any number of other Jewish holidays myself if we wanted to do "scriptural" traditions with Jesus understanding attached to and revealed in them. BUT the reason we DON'T is because the "guys who set this up" were anti-Semites who wanted to "differentiate" themselves from Jewish traditions.

But it was set a long time before we showed up. Ain't gonna change now.
 
There is no such thing as Christmas in the N.T. We all know it was a dreamt up holiday. Nobody knows the "exact date" of Jesus' birth. If it was some critical factor in the N.T. we'd have a basis and a date for it. But the basis for it came from "mens traditions." We should at least recognize that. It has little to do with faith in Christ and everything to do with a contrivance of man. I'd just as soon do the Passover or any number of other Jewish holidays myself if we wanted to do "scriptural" traditions with Jesus understanding attached to and revealed in them. BUT the reason we DON'T is because the "guys who set this up" were anti-Semites who wanted to "differentiate" themselves from Jewish traditions.

But it was set a long time before we showed up. Ain't gonna change now.
It will certainly never change with attitudes like yours.
You sound so anti-Christian, it's pathetic.
But we've all come to expect that of you, haven't we?
 
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