Through the centuries, the different Christian traditions have inserted into their beliefs and practices a good number of rituals not found in the Bible. So it’s perfectly reasonable for anyone serious about their faith to research and weigh in the arguments for and against the celebration of Christmas. The reason many Christians oppose the celebration of the birth of Christ, is due to the belief that Christmas was a pagan festivity that became incorporated into the Christian tradition.
But is it really?
While it’s true that the celebration of the birth of the Messiah has no precedent in its original Jewish cultural background, here are the main arguments for those who disagree with this position and continue to honor the birth of Christ in December.
ACCUSATION: “Christmas is the Roman feast of Saturnalia.”
RESPONSE: Saturnalia, honoring the Roman god Saturn, ran from December 17 to 23. Christmas is celebrated on December 25. It doesn’t even overlap. There’s no evidence the early Church chose this date to compete with Saturnalia.
ACCUSATION: “Christmas is actually the feast of Sol Invictus.”
RESPONSE: Sol Invictus was declared in AD 274. Hippolytus of Rome linked Jesus’s birth to December 25 in AD 204. If anything, Sol Invictus may have been Rome’s attempt to counter Christmas.
ACCUSATION: “Christmas is the celebration of the winter solstice.”
RESPONSE: The solstice is around December 21, not December 25. Christians picked December 25 because it is 9 months after March 25, the Annunciation.
ACCUSATION: “Mithras was born on December 25.”
RESPONSE: There is no historical evidence linking Mithras to that date. Besides, the celebration of Christmas predates the cult of Mithras.
ACCUSATION: “Horus was born of a virgin, just like Jesus.”
RESPONSE: Horus was born to Isis using the dismembered body of Osiris–not exactly a “virgin birth.” There’s no evidence of virgin-born saviors in pagan mythology before Christianity. The Virgin Birth is rooted in Jewish prophecy that predates most pagan mythology, particularly Isaiah 7:14. Claims of “parallels” with pagan myths are modern speculation, not ancient fact.
ACCUSATION: “Christmas trees come from pagan worship of evergreens.”
RESPONSE: The Christmas tree tradition started in 16th-century Germany, long after the death of paganism in Europe Ornaments and candles symbolize the Garden of Eden and Christ as the light of the world.
ACCUSATION: “Gift-giving comes from Babylonian traditions.”
RESPONSE: Babylonians did not invent gift-giving. Christians give gifts on Christmas because of the three Magi
ACCUSATION: “Santa Claus is just the Norse god Odin.”
RESPONSE: This connection is supposedly because Odin rode a flying horse…but that’s the only connection St. Nicolas lived in the 4th century and Odin was not worshipped until the 5th century
ACCUSATION: “Yule logs, wassailing, holly, mistletoe, etc. are proof Christmas is pagan.”
RESPONSE: These are examples of cultural adaptation, not paganism. None of these traditions are inherently pagan. Nor are they strictly necessary to celebrate Christmas.
These responses generally provide good counterarguments to common anti-Christmas claims, even if sometimes they may oversimplify complex historical developments.
Obviously, Christmas, like many long-standing cultural celebrations, has multiple influences and has evolved over time. It’s safe to say that this doesn’t make it “pagan,” but neither is it purely Biblical in all its current practices.
Have you aligned your views with any particular ‘camp’ on this issue? Did this post challenge or confirm your beliefs?
Whichever way you may be leaning, Merry Christmas and a have a very blessed 2025!
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Thank you!
Jeff Hagen
President & Founder
Hill Cities, Inc.
