Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Christmas

There is a growing movement in the body of Christ that is setting aside the holiday of Christmas and no longer taking part in its festivities. These aren't people that are walking away from the faith or who no longer believe in the Messiah, but people growing their faith who are no longer compelled to participate in this widely loved custom. Some who have gone this route might refer to themselves as Torah observant, Hebrew roots, or whole Bible believers, but most don't give themselves any sort of special denomination - they are followers of the Messiah, who have chosen to step away from Christmas.

In this post we will discover:

-Why more and more Christians are no longer participating in Christmas

-What the Bible says about this traditional holiday

-The origins of Christmas

-How believers are instead honoring the Messiah

Maybe you've noticed this trend in your community. Long-standing members of church no longer showing up for the Christmas Eve service. Maybe your in-laws have let you know they won't be celebrating Christmas or buying gifts for the grandkids. Neighbors no longer putting a tree in their front window. Friends sharing that Christmas makes them uncomfortable and dialing back.

It's easy to assume they are no longer believers in Jesus since they aren't celebrating his birth in this traditional way. When I stopped celebrating Christmas, people assumed I no longer had faith in God, and when acquaintances hear that I don't celebrate, they assume I have a Jewish background. But for a large proportion of Christians, neither of those are the case! More and more people who love the Messiah - and are thankful he was born - choose to no longer take part in this holiday that commemorates his birth. We are going to explore why this is.

Why are people no longer celebrating Christmas?

A little research into Christmas reveals some concerning truths:

-This holiday was not created in Jesus's honor.

-Christmas does not come from the Bible, but is rooted in practices that were never intended to glorify YHWH.

-We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Savior was not born in December.

-Many parts of modern celebrations have their origins in ungodly things or are even expressly forbidden by Scripture.

-You'd have to turn several blind eyes to pretend that modern Christmas celebrations are not focused on consumerism.

Yes, Christmas can be fun and even spiritually meaningful, but that does not negate the concerns listed here. 

What does the Bible say about Christmas?

Precisely nothing.

Many people believe that Christmas is in the Bible, but no, only the story of the Savior's birth is. It's important to recognize that the word Christmas is never used in Scripture, and there are no Biblical directives to commemorate the birth of Jesus. If the Bible did direct us to celebrate the Messiah's birth, then it would be inappropriate to ignore that directive. But Jesus never requested we celebrate his birth, and there's no mention of the disciples or early church ever doing so. The modern emphasis on celebrating birthdays in general is a relatively new idea - in the Bible, there are only two or three birthdays mentioned and the events correlated to those are not good. It's not truthful to act like Christmas is the 11th commandment, just because it's something we like to do.

Whether or not it was created with intent to honor God, Christmas is still a manmade holiday. I could create a holiday to commemorate Jesus feeding the 5,000. It could be fun and meaningful, but it would hardly be appropriate to say you don't love God if you don't keep it along with me.

What problems are there in modern Christmas celebrations?

It's also obvious that there are some major problems with the Christmas holiday today. Luke 2 is a wonderful part of Scripture...but nowhere does it mention Santa Claus, decorating trees, elves, holiday lights, mistletoe, yule logs, or any of the symbols we most associate with this holiday. Most of these things are linked to practices not from the Bible and not intended to honor God, but even if we choose to ignore all those things, we are left facing rampant consumerism and greed.

Gift giving is out of control.

Consumerism is the god that is most glorified in the Christmas season, at least in western society today. People are going into debt, spending huge sums on products that are mostly unethically made and profiting unethical corporations. Things that mostly aren't good for mental health (looking at you, smart phones, laptops, tablets, and devices), physical health (candy, 'beauty' products), or the earth (wrapping paper destined for landfills, electronics, plastic items). And by doing so, we create a culture of shame and despair for poor families or individuals in hard times who are unable to buy Christmas gifts for their kids. Collectively we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on things for our loved ones that mostly aren't needed, while knowing full-well there are billions of poor people around the world without clean water or enough to eat. We give children designer clothing and the latest toys and gadgets, well aware that this leaves some of their classmates feeling like lesser-thans or have-nots come January. I deeply struggle to see how we can pretend this honors the Living God.

What are the origins of Christmas?

There's a lot of evidence that points to Christmas being connected to an ancient Roman holiday known as Saturnalia, and many common Christmas traditions originated from that. It's important to note that Saturnalia was kept before the birth of the Messiah. The festival was in the honor of the Roman god Saturn, who was thought to rule over time, wealth, and agriculture. Festivities included sacrifices at the temple of Saturn, gift giving, parties, and feasts.

Most people today have no intention of worshipping Saturn by taking part in Christmas, but is this really the best possible way we can honor the Savior of the world? By borrowing heavily from the festival dedicated to a Roman god? It's a bit like attending a second wedding for someone, and realizing that all the details from the location to the flower choices to the vows and the dress are the same as from their first wedding. That's no way to honor and celebrate a new marriage.

What are people doing instead of Christmas?

There's been a huge influx in the number of believers that are celebrating the holidays that YHWH created - the Biblical holidays listed in Leviticus 23. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that God created and then commanded believers to celebrate "for all generations." These holidays have the spiritual depth and meaning that many of us have so longingly looked for in Christmas and Easter.

Christmas often emphasizes appearances - did you decorate your house? your tree? bake 15 kinds of cookies? make elf themed lunch boxes for kids? buy ugly sweaters? - the Biblical holidays put far less emphasis on how things look, but actually deliver spiritual connection, and are physically and spiritually restorative. These are true gifts to anyone who has ever felt like they were drowning in the pressure of holiday 'musts'.

It's been more than 15 years since I stopped participating in Christmas, and you know what? I don't feel like I'm missing out. I am not isolated from my family and have figured out other ways and times to connect with loved ones. I don't look at the holiday seasons of my friends with envy, because most of them are getting very little joy from this time of year. When I compare the stress and pressure of Christmas with the peace and joy I've gained from keeping the Biblical holidays instead, I would never want to go back.

What to do with friends who no longer celebrate Christmas:

They could use your support, because they have made a hard decision that few people understand. Even if you don't agree with their choice, you can still encourage them and show kindness.

Rather than shaming friends and family with comments like, "You must not love Jesus if you don't celebrate Christmas," give them credit for studying and working to honor God in all of their lives. Or ask them about how their faith has grown.

Choosing to no longer celebrate Christmas is not an easy choice to make or one made lightly for most people. Most of us have really great memories of worship and family time during this holiday season, and no one wants to be the bad guy for ruining the family tradition. Admitting to loved ones that you feel like God is calling you to stop keeping Christmas is difficult, and no one makes that choice because they don't care about their family or want to be left out of the fun. And it's not a choice made because they don't serve the Messiah - plenty of people and cultures around the world take part in Christmas festivities without any thought to remembering the Savior's birth.

If you have loved ones making this choice, please know that it is not because they don't care about you, and they certainly don't want to miss out on connection with you! Chances are they've worried considerably over hurting your feelings or offending you. They are simply doing their best to honor God after learning that Christmas is not from the Bible.

Not only is Christmas not something the Bible gives us instruction to do, but it has been mixed with ungodly customs and behaviors, and in keeping it many things are done that dishonor YHWH. Yes, there are people who manage to keep Santa and blind greed out of their festivities, but by taking part in Christmas you are actively mixing the Biblical truth of the Messiah's birth in Luke 2, with lies. At the worst we can say that Christmas is blatantly pagan, and at best we can say it's settling for less than God's best for us.

More posts on Christmas:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Christmas
Quitting Christmas - Questions and Answers
Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?

Why Christmas is Not a Biblical Holiday

"Christmas is a Biblical holiday because it's in the Bible!"

While many people intend to celebrate the Biblical events of the Messiah's birth when they celebrate Christmas, that does not make this cultural holiday Biblical.

Why isn't Christmas considered a Biblical holiday?

Biblical holidays are defined as holidays the Bible directs believers to keep or observe. These are the set apart times of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Living God himself directed believers to celebrate these and gave us information on when they happen and any special instructions for the festivities.

These are the only Biblical holidays, because they are the only holidays that the Creator tells us to celebrate. Learn more about them here.

"But Christmas is in the Bible!"

Many people celebrate the events of Luke 2 and the story of the Messiah's birth on Christmas. I understand the intentions of this are good. But coming up with our own holiday to commemorate Biblical events is not something Scripture ever tells us to do, and neither is celebrating birthdays. We never see the Disciples celebrating the Messiah's birthday, and nothing in Scripture suggests we should do this. There are no instructions for Christmas, and no commands from the Messiah or any writers of the Old or New Testaments about this holiday. In truth, Christmas has no more Biblical legitimacy than Dress-Like-Your-Favorite-Bible-Character Day during Vacation Bible School. A manmade celebration of a Biblical event simply should never be as highly esteemed as the holidays created by the Living God that Scripture tells us to celebrate.

It's important to know too that the word 'Christmas' is never used in Scripture, and that many of its traditions not only have nothing to do with the Messiah or things from the Bible, but they are things Scripture tells us not to do! I'm talking about things like the traditional Christmas ham, lying to children (Santa, Elf on the shelf), bringing a tree in to decorate, and so on. Way too many people claim that Christmas celebrations are about honoring the Messiah, but then ignore much of his word for their festivities.

Again, I know that most people who celebrate Christmas sincerely want to honor the Messiah. I know that's how I felt when I celebrated it. But good intentions don't mean that this is something the Creator tells us to do. Christmas is not considered a Biblical holiday, because the Bible does not direct us to celebrate the events or to partake in the cultural festivities of this time. It's your choice to take part in this or not, but please be aware that Christmas is not one of the seven holidays the Creator instructs us to keep.

Related posts:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Christmas
Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?
Why I Stopped Celebrating Christmas

Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?

Are Christmas trees in the Bible? Even though most people believe Christmas is "in the Bible," most of its traditions and customs do not come from Scripture. You probably don't need me to tell you that stockings full of gifts, Santa Claus, candlelit services, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, hanging mistletoe, and eggnog are not found anywhere in Scripture. But one popular Christmas tradition is found in the Bible.

Do you know what it is? The Christmas tree.

Now, it's not explicitly called that. The word 'Christmas' is never used in any book of the Bible - Old or New Testament. Many believers will be surprised to learn that Scripture never tells us to celebrate Christmas or even the birth of Jesus. But Jeremiah 10 does describe something familiar to all Christmas celebrations. The description sounds a lot like the brightly decorated evergreen trees that many Christians place in their homes in December.

Where are Christmas trees in the Bible?

We can find reference to this in the writings of Jeremiah:

Thus said YHWH, "Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the nations are awed by them. For the laws of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They beautify it with silver and gold, they strengthen it with nails and hammers so it doesn't topple." -Jeremiah 10:2-4

They cut a tree...they decorate it...and they secure it so it doesn't fall over. Doesn't that sound very much like a traditional Christmas tree to you?

We should note that Jeremiah is quoting the Living God himself here. These are YHWH's words, and they start with, "Do not."

Why does the Bible say not to cut trees down and bring them into our homes? Are Christmas trees bad?

In Scripture trees are often connected to worship of other gods. Deuteronomy 16:21 says that no kind of tree is to be planted beside the altar of YHWH. Jeremiah 3:9 says that the house of Israel committed adultery "with stones and trees." Several passages of Scripture warn of idols made of trees. And a common phrase connected with idolatry throughout the Bible is that it occurred under "every green tree." And then of course the original sin of Adam and Eve in the garden had to do with them refusing to honor instructions related to a tree.

Yes, trees were made by the Creator and have many positive references in the Bible. And no, I certainly don't think that all trees are bad somehow. But the connection between trees and sin and idolatry gives me pause, especially when there is the verse in Jeremiah that strongly correlates to the Christmas trees we see in so many churches and households.

Now many people will tell you that the tree in Jeremiah 10 is not a Christmas tree. They believe it's fine to cut a tree down and decorate it since they aren't worshiping that. But this passage of Scripture says not to learn this way because it is "worthless." What does it mean if we are taking Luke 2 (the story of the Messiah's birth) and mixing it with something the Living God calls worthless? Is that watering down the message of the Gospel? Is that confusing people who read the Bible and see how it contradicts with popular Christian theology and lifestyles? 

Scripture tells us in the golden calf story that the people involved meant that as a way to worship YHWH (Exodus 32:5), but YHWH himself still called the calf an idol in Exodus 32:8. Even if he hadn't done so, I think most of us would still refrain putting any sort of golden calf or cow statues in our home - even if we didn't intend to worship it. In the same way, it makes sense for believers to honor this Biblical admonish "not to learn" the way of those who cut a tree down and take it inside and decorate it.

Related posts:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Christmas
The Christmas Question Documentary Interview with Kayte Abaffy
Why I Stopped Celebrating Christmas

Sharing Your Faith When Someone Wishes You Merry Christmas

When you don't celebrate Christmas it can be more than a little awkward to get "Merry Christmas" wishes multiple times a day. How can we best handle these sentiments? What are ways we can speak truth in a brief exchange at the checkout counter? How can we share our faith with coworkers and neighbors without jumping on the soapbox and having their defenses go up?

Many of you asked how I respond when someone says this to me. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of ideas, just a few things I find myself repeating at this time of year. Remind yourself that if someone wishes you a merry Christmas, or asks about your plans for the holiday, they probably sincerely mean well. You can respond with kindness without reverting to their words or even a "you too!" as you slip out the door. 

Simple phrases to respond with:

"Have a good day/weekend/vacation!" 

"Thank you for your kind wishes."

"I hope you have a nice time with your family."

"That's so kind of you to say! I actually don't celebrate Christmas but I appreciate the thought."

"I haven't celebrated Christmas for a few years now, so I don't really have any plans for the day. It's nice to not have the stress of shopping for gifts!"

"We decided to start celebrating the Biblical holidays in place of the cultural, so we haven't participated in Christmas activities for several years."

"I have felt God calling me to step back from the manmade holiday of Christmas. It's been an interesting journey and I'd love to tell you more about it sometime if you're interested."

"I don't celebrate Christmas anymore. I used to and totally get why you do. It's been quite a change but I feel like my faith has really grown because of it."

Of course, these are just ideas and phrases I use and you can customize them to fit your circumstances. It's not uncommon for me to use a couple at a time either. Usually I try to keep the tone of the conversation pretty upbeat. That's one reason I like to mention something that I enjoy about not celebrating Christmas - that my faith has grown or that I'm free from the stress of the holiday season. 

I'd also encourage you to be honest and real with whoever you're talking to. Admitting that stepping away from Christmas was difficult can go a long way with the people who put their tree up in October and don't take it down until February. Hearing that you had conviction - and acted on that past the point of convenience and comfort - definitely gives the people in your life something to think about. It's nice to have a little more time to talk when you delve into this perspective, but that said you can certainly quickly convey the idea of "It has been hard, but it's really been worth it!"

Sharing sentiments like these is an invitation for the hearer to evaluate their own actions, and the concept of Christmas in general. Many people truly do not realize that Christmas is not a Biblical holiday, and won't unless someone can give them a gentle nudge. Remember that it's not your job to explain all the details or to convince someone that Christmas isn't YHWH's best for them. It's our job to plant seeds, and sharing our faith like this is one way we can do that.

More on Christmas:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Christmas
Quitting Christmas
The Christmas Question
The Hebrew's Guide to Getting Through December

Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Christmas

Here are five things every Believer should know about Christmas:

1. Christmas is not mentioned in the Bible. You can read the entirety of Scripture and you will not once come across 'Christmas.' Luke 2 and other places give some details of the birth of the Messiah, but without question this didn't happen on December 25 or even in December. You will not find the events of Christmas celebrations in Scripture, even by a different name (at least in a positive light). It just isn't there. Take a moment to consider the wisdom of basing a considerable block of your faith on something other than the word of God. What did the Messiah say about building your house on sand?

2. Many of its traditions are expressly prohibited by Scripture. This includes bringing a Christmas tree into your home to decorate (Jeremiah 10:2-4), the traditional Christmas ham (Leviticus 11:7), many nativity scenes (Exodus 20:4), and more. Does it make sense to try and worship YHWH by doing things he tells us not to? What does it say about us if we aren't willing to follow some basic instructions from him?

3. Scripture does not tell us to celebrate Christmas. Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to celebrate Christmas or even the Messiah's birthday. If this had been something the Creator wanted us to do, he would have told us! Yahusha had many chances to throw himself birthday parties, but we don't see that. The Disciples could have preached on celebrating Christmas, but they didn't. However, Leviticus 23 gives us the details on seven set apart times of YHWH that we are to observe, and we can see these honored by both the Messiah and the Disciples.

4. Christmas predates the birth of the Messiah by centuries. There is a reason so many cultures and faiths celebrate Christmas, because it's not a holiday that is rooted in Scripture. The December 25 Christmas holiday has a long history of honoring the sun god or other pagan gods around the time of the winter solstice. So no, this isn't something that started out as a nice little way to honor the Messiah's birthday. This is something that originated from faiths against the Living God. While YHWH certainly could choose to redeem it, according to Scripture that is not how he handles things of pagan origin. One such example would be 2 Kings 10:27, when rather than 'redeeming' a perfectly usable temple of ba'al for his own glory he had it made into a public toilet. Here is a good article on Christmas predating the Messiah.

5. The lies of Christmas undermine faith! In our culture, children are told stories of beings they don't see but who do nice things for them. Santa brings presents, the Easter bunny gives candy, and the tooth fairy leaves money under pillows. In time children are let down (Or devastated. These things can hurt.) with the truth...that these are just lies. How does that impact their faith in the Messiah, whom they also can't see, but supposedly loves them and will give them eternal life? I don't think we can emphasize enough how confusing and detrimental these lies are to faith. Even if your children know Santa isn't real, what are the implications for their faith when they find out Christmas isn't in the Bible? It's frustrating and confusing to realize that the Christian faith isn't based on following YHWH's commandments, and if we don't believe we should do as YHWH instructs in one area, why would we in another? 

Those are a few of the reasons why I decided to stop celebrating Christmas. 

More posts about Christmas:
Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?
Why I Stopped Celebrating Christmas as a Believer in Messiah
The Father Christmas Detail CS Lewis Had Wrong in the Chronicles of Narnia

A Hebrew's Guide to Getting Through December (When You Don't Celebrate Christmas)

This post has helpful ideas and strategies for getting through the holiday season when you don't celebrate Christmas, but still serve the Messiah. We talk about simple ways to share your faith and connect with loved ones, and tips to maintain your peace throughout the Christmas holiday season.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...or is it? While winter has many lovely features, the cultural holidays can make for some uncomfortable moments. How do you live differently when your family and friends are against the change in you? How do you deal with the frustration of Christmas overload? My hometown literally broadcasts Christmas music over outdoor speakers so that it is heard throughout the downtown. And not a single business comes to mind where you won't find holiday related decorations, events, or products; driving home from anywhere is bound to take you past lots of Christmas lights. This can be sad, overwhelming, or upsetting. How do we as Hebrews get through this time with grace?

Here are a few ideas to help guide the way:

Remember why you are doing this. At this time of year I like to brush up on some of the reasons Christmas is not condoned by YHWH. Not so I can unload this on every person I know, but because this gives me fresh conviction and motivation to not take part in this. The Truth or Tradition teaching is an excellent resource for this.

Pray and think about how you will respond. Having a few catchphrases to turn to when the subject comes up can simplify things greatly. When a cashier wishes you merry Christmas you could respond with something like, "I actually don't celebrate that but I appreciate your kind wishes." Consider also the reason you'll give if you are asked why not. Something like, "I'm trying to follow the Bible's instructions and while it speaks of seven holidays, Christmas is not one of them," is a way to plant a seed. Pray about sharing extra details with those curious to know more.

It's okay to remember the good times. Most of us have good memories surrounding Christmastime and it's okay to acknowledge that and feel nostalgic. Letting go of Christmas doesn't mean you have to let go of those memories. Reminisce of the happy times you've had with friends and family. Tell the stories or write them down. 

Look ahead to YHWH's feasts. My mind can't help but wander to thinking about what YHWH desired those good memories to look like. To have memories of hearing the story of the Messiah's birth read around a Sukkot campfire instead of next to a Christmas tree. To have kids hunt for the last bits of bread in the house before Matzah Week instead of Easter eggs. These sorts of memories are still possible so start planning for them! Start saving for a Sukkot trip or think of menu options for Passover. YHWH has made seven set apart times of joy for us, knowing that some part of us needs these special celebrations. 

Connect with others. Not celebrating mainstream holidays can feel very isolating, but cutting out Christmas doesn't have to mean avoiding family. Take advantage of extra time off or relatives being in town and invite people over for dinner or games or take your nieces and nephews sledding.

Dissent in small ways. This is a non-dramatic way to align yourself with YHWH's ways. Taking a plain snickerdoodle cookie from the work break room instead of the frosted Rudolph. Not wearing red and green together. Saying, "Have a nice time with your family," in lieu of, "Merry Christmas." Things like this give others nothing to be defensive or upset about. Being different in subtle ways shows others that this isn't for show or attention.

Come up with alternative forms of entertainment. Turn on the radio or the television and Christmas will come at you fast. Create a playlist for the car or at work. Borrow a few wholesome movies from the library. Put snow to use and sled, ski, or make snowmen. Take a break from social media if that helps.

Know that you are not required to participate in Christmas activities at work. It is religious discrimination and employers cannot legally fire or punish someone for not participating in holiday activities. Of course going against the grain is not always expedient to your career, and sometimes hard choices have to be made. Scripture does tell us that if we keep the commandments we will be blessed. Perhaps not right away or in the way we expect, but nonetheless blessed. If you find yourself assigned to a Christmas related task you can ask to be reassigned or offer to switch projects with a coworker. A simple, "no thanks," is the only explanation needed if you don't want to participate in a gift exchange. If your workplace is open Christmas day or Christmas Eve offering to work then so others can have time off can earn you big time brownie points.

Avoid commercial displays of the holidays, if possible. In the fall I try and get stocked up on dry groceries, hygiene products, and such so I can avoid going to businesses that have decked their halls. Seriously, if being around Christmas stuff is hard or sad for you the last thing you need to do is walk through a store's ornament isle. Utilizing pickup options or online holiday offers like free shipping also help me to avoid stores. Choose coffee shops and restaurants that are less decorated if you'll be eating out. Go through the bank drive through instead of standing in line next to the Christmas tree in the lobby. 

Don't make changing anyone your job. It would be great if our families viewed this the same way we do, but honestly December 24 is probably not going to be the day most people have a serious change of heart on this. Pray for others to follow in YHWH's ways and leave it to him. Share your heart, articles, or videos as you feel lead but also consider doing that in June when holiday emotions aren't running high and friends may be more receptive. 

Make your Passover yes louder than your Christmas no. It's important for others to learn that Christmas is not of YHWH and doubtless we will all have opportunities to share truth and our own story of walking away from this during this season. But if we are going to reprimand people for celebrating the wrong holiday, we need to invite them to keep YHWH's. If others hear you speak negatively of Christmas, make sure they hear a lot more positive talk from you about Passover, Shabbat, etc.

Offer grace to your upbringing and relatives. Many of us grew up seeing Christmas as a special time of honoring the Messiah and chances are we will meet some opposition from those who still view it that way. Acknowledge that most people are simply doing their best with what they have been taught, as you once were. Be kind and patient as the seeds you are planting in their lives take root.

Related posts:
Sharing Your Faith When Someone Wishes You a Merry Christmas
The Christmas Question
Five Things Believers Should Know About Christmas

Why I Stopped Celebrating Christmas as a Believer in Messiah (Quitting Christmas Q+A)

For the first 20 years of my life I was an enthusiastic Christmas celebrator. Christmas was special to me and I felt it had spiritual significance. My family loved celebrating the birth of our Messiah. We never did much with Santa and our family emphasized that the point of this season was Yahusha. We meant well.

Of course, Scripture doesn't teach that we can do what we want as long as we have good intentions. As with Hanukkah, there are no passages of Scripture telling us to celebrate Christmas, or even the Messiah's birth. Most of us have heard of the paganism involved in this holiday, so I don't want to take the time to extrapolate the pagan connections to Christmas, but I would recommend this video if you are interested in learning more.

I stopped celebrating Christmas and I know that most people don't get that, especially at this time of year. It's not a subject that most people are willing to talk about. I get that because I used to get defensive about it as well. I thought I would address here some of the questions I've gotten over the years about deciding to no longer celebrate Christmas. Sometimes it's easier to learn when you're alone with an article than when you're confronted by a person you disagree with. :)

Why did you decide to quit Christmas? It started with a prayer, "Take away things in my life that don't honor you." This was at a point where we had already made some changes in our faith practice, like observing Shabbat. Soon after this prayer lots of things about the origins of Christmas came up, and we also heard of many others who stopped celebrating after a closer look at the origins of this day. We knew that YHWH was speaking to us.

A big eye opener for me was realizing that most of the world, religious or not, believers in Messiah or not, celebrates Christmas. If other cultures and religions have no problem with joining in with our holidays, how 'faith based' can they be? Because outside western culture most people can see Christmas for what it really is, and that's not a celebration of the Messiah.

Was it hard to stop celebrating Christmas? Very! We didn't choose to walk away because we didn't enjoy it nor value it. It felt like something was missing when we didn't put stockings up or bake Christmas cookies, but we knew we wanted to follow YHWH. The first year or two is like working to lift a very heavy weight from your chest, definitely a difficult process and not fun at the time, but afterwards you feel so much better. Each year gets easier.

But I love Christmas! Yeah, I did too. The songs. Family gathering. Giving presents. Stockings. The classic stories. Favorite Christmas movies. Manger scenes. Me loving something doesn't equal YHWH's approval though.

But isn't Christmas in the Bible? Actually, many elements of traditional Christmas celebrations get a mention in Scripture, only in a very negative, don't-do-this sort of way. For instance Jeremiah 10 expressly tells us not to learn the ways of those who cut down trees and then deck them with silver and gold. The word Christmas, like Easter, does not appear in Scripture.

What about the 'Christmas' story? The Luke 2 story - angels appearing to Mary and Joseph, the shepherds in the field, Mary giving birth to Yahusha in a sukkah with animals - is absolutely a precious part of Scripture. It's unfortunate that many elements of this have been totally misconstrued. The wise men didn't arrive for a couple of years after his birth. The shepherds didn't have their sheep grazing on winter's snow. The date was certainly not December 25. And the name that the angel declared the Messiah would be called was not Jesus. And of course at the time of the Messiah's birth no one in Bethlehem had a tree up in their home or told their children stories of elves making toys on the North Pole.

Shouldn't we celebrate our Savior's birth though? Should we be grateful that Yahusha came to earth in the flesh to bring us correct understanding of the Word and ultimately to die for our sins? Of course! May we always be. That said, Scripture does not tell us we should and birthday celebrations aren't a Hebrew idea. The two or three birthdays Scripture mentions (Pharaoh, King Herod, possibly Job's son) all end in death. If you still find yourself wanting to celebrate his birth the appropriate time to do that would be when Yahusha was actually born, in the fall during Sukkot.

I know the Messiah really wasn't born in December but this tradition is important to me and I mean well. There is another story of a group of people that feared and loved YHWH who decided to throw a festival in his honor. Offerings were made. Time was spent making a beautiful decoration. They feasted on food and drink. They laughed and played games. How did YHWH respond to this? Was he appreciative? Did he say, "well it's the thought that counts"? He was ready to kill them. You can read about this incident in Exodus 32.

Can't God redeem pagan things? Reading through Scripture this doesn't seem to be his approach. He could have redeemed the golden calf (they did mean it as a celebration to YHWH after all - Exodus 32:5), but didn't and the people were punished. He could have used that temple of ba'al as a worship center for himself but instead had it turned into a public toilet (2 Kings 10:27). He could have re-purposed some of those asherah poles but always ordered them to be smashed. He could have told us to accept our culture but he said, "Come out of her and be clean."

What about the kids? Yes, making changes can be disappointing for children. Changing holidays is tough for all ages. But it's far better that children grow up learning truth and how to walk in YHWH's ways, than to be blinded by cultural lies in the name of fun. Not celebrating Christmas doesn't mean you have to be miserable though. Replacing pagan holidays with the seven festivals of YHWH can be tremendously joyful as you set apart his times. Plus, YHWH's feast days make up 19 days of the year, not to mention the weekly Shabbat. That's a lot more celebrating than the five or six days of cultural holidays.

Don't you miss celebrating it? My siblings both live out of state so I'm often nostalgic for days when my whole family is together, including at Christmas. There are a few Christmas songs that I really liked that I miss. Other than that, no. I don't find myself wishing my house was decked in red and green or anything like that.

Wait a minute, are you just trying to take Christ out of Christmas? Well, sort of. I think Christ should be removed from Christmas because, well, he doesn't have anything to do with it in the first place. I think it's sad and ironic one of the few causes Believers are willing to rally behind is this. Not the persecution of Believers in the Middle East, not the Ten Commandments being removed from public buildings, not the rights of students to be able to pray in schools, just that cups at Starbucks aren't plastered with the name of a holiday the Messiah didn't celebrate. I have yet to hear anyone who is upset about a "happy holidays" greeting complain that Starbucks doesn't go unleavened during Matzah Week or that no major retailer has a Shavuot section.

How do you feel when you see Christmas stuff? Okay, so no one has actually asked me about this but maybe it's something people wonder about? When I walk into an office with a tree up or visit a friend's fully decorated home or see manger scenes in the neighborhood my heart sighs. I think, there is so much more for you.

What's the best part of not keeping Christmas? My faith has grown so much by taking this tangible step to follow YHWH! It's nice to read through Scriptures like Jeremiah 10 and not make excuses for what I'm doing, and also to be able to relate to people like Ruth who left their culture to live YHWH's way.

Also, this sounds odd but seasonality has been something I've worked on lately. Things like eating the foods that are seasonally available, and adjusting sleep patterns with sunlight and so forth. And it always felt unnatural to me that during what is typically a cold and icy month we would travel so much, to stores and parties and so on. Having December as more of a low key time makes so much more sense to me. The lovely Spring and Fall weather of Passover and Sukkot is when I want to be out doing things. Does that make sense? It might not be something you can appreciate until you've been there.

What's weird about Christmas now? So many things, but mostly the Santa pictures I see on social media. Can we talk about how weird it is that suddenly handing your baby off to a random stranger is acceptable? Doesn't it seem unwise to teach your child it's okay to trust this man they don't know? Should college girls really be sitting on the lap of some guy in costume? The really bizarre thing is that my not-so-religious friends don't seem to care much about this but the ones on staff at a church or who went to seminary or Bible college? They are hunting Santa down! I don't get that, okay?!

How do family and friends feel about you not celebrating? Some have taken it better than others. But usually it's a range from confused to offended. And for that, I am sorry. The last thing I want is to hurt feelings. This change doesn't impact that I love the people in my life. I get why they enjoy Christmas, because I did for so long too. I just feel like YHWH has called us to better things.

How do you handle Christmas parties? On one hand, I definitely get wanting to avoid all connection to and appearance of celebrating Christmas. On the other, it does seem in John 10 that Yahusha was at the temple during Hanukkah festivities. Of course, he was not throwing the party or leading the songs or making the donuts. He was teaching truth. So I think a lot of this decision depends on what you would be doing at the party. Wearing an ugly sweater, giving a secret Santa gift, and just participating in whatever the Christmas party is doing is very different from the family reunion type of events where you can share with a pro-life cousin what is so horrific about a yule log. Obviously you need to pray and ask YHWH for direction on this, but chances are you will be less busy than normal.

How do you reconcile viewing Christmas as ungodly with good childhood memories of it? All I can say is that we did what we thought to be true at the time. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us that we should grow in the knowledge of Yahusha. Growth means changing. Just as a mature flower looks different than it did when it was a seedling, we can grow without resenting our past. My family celebrated what we believed to be was something that honored YHWH. Now that we know differently our lives should reflect that.

How about you? What kind of questions do you get asked? Is this something you're comfortable talking about?

Related posts:
Sharing Your Faith When Someone Wishes You a Merry Christmas
The Hebrew's Guide to Getting Through December
What C.S. Lewis Was Wrong About
Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Christmas