A Reminder for Us All, Not Just Those Who Quibble About Dates

Isn't saying that 'Christ wasn't born on Christmas' like claiming the Pope isn't Catholic? Not quite. I admit, the title above really should be, "Christ [Probably] Wasn't Born on Christmas...". The fact is, we have no real evidence of when Jesus was born. Some say it couldn't have been December 25th because sheep in Israel wouldn't have been kept out in the fields at night (as Luke 2 indicates) except in the warmer months (late March through early November). But others argue it could be December 25th, since the Mishnah (an ancient collection of Jewish oral traditions) says flocks for Temple sacrifice were kept outside all year long. Either way, there is zero evidence for any specific date. That means the odds of Jesus being born on December 25th are 365 to 1, or 0.0027%. So again, "Christ [Probably] Wasn't Born on Christmas...".

Why then do we celebrate his birth on this date? There is no indication that the first generations of Christian believers ever celebrated Christ's birth. But that changed several centuries later. The Encyclopedia Britannica tells us this about the Greco-Roman context in which much of Christianity grew:

In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire, which at the time had not adopted Christianity, celebrated the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25th. This holiday not only marked the return of longer days after the winter solstice but also followed the popular Roman festival called the Saturnalia (during which people feasted and exchanged gifts). It was also the birthday of the Indo-European deity Mithra, a god of light and loyalty whose cult was at the time growing popular among Roman soldiers.  

So December 25th may have become the preferred date (in the West at least) to celebrate the Savior's birth because it was already a popular feast date. If later Roman, Christian leaders wanted to convert the masses to the new faith, why stop people from celebrating on a particular day when you can simply swap out why they're celebrating?

While some might see this connection to paganism as a reason to renounce Christmas altogether, here's why the date we observe really doesn't matter. The Apostle Paul makes the argument like this:

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. [6] The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. (Romans 14:5-6a)

While the Apostle was probably addressing disputes over Sabbath observance in the Roman church, the principle is just as relevant for observing Christmas. When it comes to such observances, what truly matters is not where it falls on one's calendar, but why it matters at all in one's heart. God is not concerned with dates. He's concerned with motives. And the motive that matters most is that we seek, in everything we do, to "honor the Lord". This is, in fact, what we might call a gospel motivation. Listen to the scope of Paul's explanation in the next set of verses:

For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. [8] For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. [9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:7-9)

The scope of what Paul details here should persuade us that this passage not only speaks to those who want to quibble about days and dates. It should speak to all of us. Why? Because so much about how our culture observes Christmas can actually undermine the Christ-centered motivation Paul writes about in Romans 14; not because it's inherently bad, but because it's usually off-topic, often attention-dominating, and ultimately unnecessary.

So before you observe Christmas as a Christian this year, ask yourself, "Am I celebrating the holiday simply because it's fun, or because it's tradition, or because of family, or... because everyone else is doing it?" Or, "Am I eager to 'observe the day... in honor of the Lord'?". "Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." Wonderfully, when that's the motive that matters most, most of the other holiday elements seem to fall into their appropriate place, with some even serving as reminders of the true 'reason for the season' (like gift giving, for example).

So if you want to celebrate Christmas in July, go for it. Or if you want to have Christmas once a month, knock yourself out. Just be sure your reason for doing so is inspired and informed by love for the Lord Jesus. For when it comes to the calendar, shouldn't that motive matter most every day, December 25th included?