Every church leader will eventually encounter a church member who questions whether Christmas is pagan. From December 25 to Christmas trees, there are plenty of claims that Christian Christmas traditions were borrowed from ancient pagan religions. But how much historical evidence actually supports those claims?
In a video exploring this question, Christian apologist Wes Huff explains why many popular arguments against Christmas don’t hold up under closer examination.
One common claim is that Christians chose December 25 to replace the Roman festival of Sol Invictus or Saturnalia. However, the historical evidence for those festivals being celebrated on December 25 is limited, while Christians had already identified that date as Jesus’ birth decades earlier. The exact date of Jesus’ birth remains unknown, but there is no clear evidence that December 25 was chosen to imitate a pagan celebration.
Christmas trees are another frequent target. Although ancient pagan cultures used trees in some religious practices, there is no established historical connection between those practices and the modern Christmas tree. Several proposed explanations for the tradition actually point to Christian customs, including medieval paradise trees used to represent the Garden of Eden.
Huff also addresses Jeremiah 10:2–4, a passage sometimes used to argue that decorating a Christmas tree is sinful. In context, however, Jeremiah is describing the creation of wooden idols, not decorating an evergreen tree. The passage condemns idolatry, not a modern Christmas tradition.
Finally, the Bible doesn’t specifically command Christians to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but that doesn’t automatically make doing so wrong. Jesus Himself participated in the Feast of Dedication, now known as Hanukkah, even though it wasn’t one of the festivals commanded in the Old Testament. Christians can set aside time to celebrate God’s work in history, including the incarnation.
The bottom line? Similarities between ancient pagan practices and modern Christmas traditions don’t prove that one came from the other. Christians should also respect those who choose not to participate in certain traditions because of personal convictions.
Want to hear the historical details and biblical arguments behind these points? Watch Wes Huff’s full video for the complete context!
