“Bah, Humbug.”
I never knew what that meant as a kid, even though Ebenezer Scrooge said it often through the many versions and viewings of A Christmas Carol, originally written by Charles Dickens. Scrooge uses the phrase when people communicate a tradition or belief about Christmas.
“Bah” communicates a sense of irritation or frustration, a nonsense word like “ugh.” “Humbug” refers to something false or foolish, empty of meaning. Together, Scrooge rejected the joy and goodwill around Christmas and the holiday season.
While Scrooge eventually transformed and loved Christmas, many Christians are critical of the modern holiday we call Christmas. Their research and moral beliefs decry the commercialization or secularization of the holiday today, a far cry from the original story and meaning. But is it a sin to hate Christmas?
What Does the Bible Say about Christmas?
The Old Testament foretells the birth of Jesus in Isaiah 7:14. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” The prophecy points to the supernatural, divine virgin birth. “Immanuel” means “God with us,” speaking of God’s plan to personally dwell with humanity through his Son as fully God and man. Through Christ’s work, God continues to dwell with his people through the Holy Spirit.
In the New Testament, Matthew and Luke give details about Jesus’ birth. Matthew 1:18-25 recounts how Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. She had been pledged (or engaged) to Joseph. He wanted to be kind to her, hiding her pregnancy but not becoming her husband. An angel encourages Joseph and explains how the child would fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. Matthew specifically mentions Jesus’ divine origin and purpose as the Savior who will “save his people from their sins.”
Luke’s Gospel tells the story from a different perspective (Luke 1 & 2), beginning with the angelic visit to Mary. Gabriel declares how she will conceive the Son of God through the Holy Spirit. Luke highlights Mary’s humble obedience and trust in God’s plan. The nativity story continues through Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and the visit by the shepherds, who had an encounter with an angelic host.
Matthew and Luke focus on the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. The New Testament letters reflect on the theological meaning. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” The passage points to the birth story and Jesus’ dual nature of being fully human and divine. Philippians 2:5-7 also discusses Jesus humbling himself and taking human form. Paul uses this with the church in Philippi to teach how Christ’s disciples should develop the same mindset.
While the New Testament clearly describes the event and meaning of the virgin birth, the Bible doesn’t offer any teaching on celebrating Jesus’ birth.
How did the Early Church Celebrate Christmas?
Since the apostolic letters never prescribed any holiday-type celebration of the birth of Jesus, the first and second-century churches didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus. Early Christians prioritized remembering Christ’s death and resurrection as the central events of their faith, focusing on his redemptive work through the cross and the victory over sin and death. Celebrating Jesus’ birth didn’t happen until later.
In fact, the date of Easter emerged as one of the first major conflicts of the early church. Christians in Asia Minor followed the Passover calendar, since Jesus died at the end of that Jewish feast. Others, particularly influenced by Rome, celebrated Easter the Sunday after Passover to emphasize the resurrection, a date more aligning with the Roman calendar. Church leaders debated which was best. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD standardized the observance of Easter to what the West celebrates today, with the Roman calendar and not the Jewish one.
During the first century, the church focused on spreading the Good News and living out Jesus’ teachings and New Testament traditions such as the Lord’s Supper. The birth of Jesus, although taught as part of God’s redemptive plan, wasn’t a formal celebration. Believers did meditate on the incarnation and what it meant for all Christians.
By the second century, Christian leaders and theologians started to delve more deeply into the theological implications of Jesus’ incarnation. Writers like Ignatius of Antioch and Justin Martyr discussed Jesus’ humanity and divinity, referencing the virgin birth as central to the idea. Despite this, there’s no evidence the early Christians marked Jesus’ birth with a festival or holiday.
A few reasons might explain this. Jews made up a large portion of the early church, and as such, Jewish traditions and holidays influenced them more. The Jews didn’t emphasize birthdays. In the Hebrew and Old Testament culture, religious feasts remembered God’s acts like the Exodus instead of individual birth. Early Christians followed this pattern and instead focused on Jesus’ death and resurrection, especially since it was tied directly to Passover.
Second, the early church didn’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth. Through textual clues, they could know the general timeframe, but since they didn’t see the point of celebrating an exact day, any effort to do so only happened much later. The early church likely saw the incarnation as a daily event. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Christians live the incarnation.
But as more non-Jews became Christians and the church became populated by primarily Gentiles, things changed.
How Did the Roman Church Change Christmas?
By the fourth century, Christmas began to take shape as a more official feast as more theologians highlighted the importance of the virgin birth, and December 25 was chosen as the date to commemorate Jesus’ birth.
The Roman church likely chose December 25 for both theological and cultural reasons. The pagan Roman culture already celebrated Saturnalia on the date. This winter solstice festival included community feasts, gift-giving, dance, and song. The festival of Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) honored the sun god as the long days of winter started to shorten and the weather changed. Through assigning Jesus’ birth to this day, the church tried to use common days off and celebrations and Christianize them, replacing the worship of idolatry with Christ, the “light of the world” (John 8:12).
As Rome embraced Christianity, Christmas became more structured and popular. The Catholic Church made Christmas an official feast day within their liturgical calendar. It became a day for community worship around the birth of Jesus and the incarnation. The church used Bible readings and wrote hymns and prayers around Christ’s birth.
Over time, Christians adopted different traditions from various pagan cultures into Christmas. For example, the use of evergreen plants such as holly (symbols of life) became associated with the holiday. These symbols had roots in Germanic winter rituals, but in Christmas, they represented new life in Christ. The gift-giving of Saturnalia was tied to the story of the Magi bringing gifts to Jesus (Matthew 2:11) but also became a way to participate in Christian generosity and charity.
While the church stayed focused on worshipping Christ’s coming and role as Savior, the blending of cultures and practices created a celebration that appealed to diverse communities across the Roman Empire.
How Has Christmas Developed into the Modern Holiday?
For centuries, Christmas remained a Christian holiday with church services, family gatherings, and charity. However, the Puritans in 17th century England and America temporarily resisted or dismissed Christmas celebrations due to many traditions being rooted in pagan customs without any biblical support.
The 19th century began to see Christmas change to a more family-oriented holiday. Writers like Charles Dickens wrote works like A Christmas Carol, expressing themes of family, joy, and generosity. The German custom of Christmas trees became popular in Victorian England through Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband. Christmas cards and caroling also became more widespread during this time, blending the Christian message with general seasonal cheer.
The past 150 years saw Christmas become increasingly commercialized. Industrialization and consumer culture advanced in the late 1800s into the early 20th century. This allowed the production of gifts and decorations for the masses. Department stores popped up across America and the West, and they began promoting Christmas as a season of shopping. Figures like Santa Claus (popularized by Coca Cola advertisements in the US) were associated with the holiday’s gift giving. Inspired by the very real St. Nicholas, Santa Claus transitioned into a fantasy or cartoon version of joy and giving presents.
The 20th century continued these movements, and Christmas grew more commercialized. The holiday became more secularized as advertisements and stores wanted a broader appeal to all people, regardless of their religious beliefs. Advertising campaigns and movies supported the notions of gift exchanges, festive gatherings, and generally vague happiness around the season. Department stores and retail outlets transformed Christmas into the most profitable time of year. The secular symbols and traditions have largely overshadowed any religious associations today.
Based on This History, is it a Sin to Hate Christmas?
It’s not a sin to dislike aspects of Christmas, or what our culture has done to it, such as consumerism or meaningless secularization. At the same time, hating the whole idea of Christmas or the people who celebrate it can lead to sin.
As Christians, we must distinguish between resisting ungodly or dangerous elements of the holiday while loving others with a Christ-like attitude. Scripture reminds us, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against … the powers of this dark world” (Ephesians 6:12). Our focus must remain on opposing ideas or practices which distract us from Christ’s glory or expressing his reality. Condemning individuals who embrace Christmas differently, even wrongly, doesn’t communicate God’s love.
The Bible gives guidance on cultural, nonbiblical traditions. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” We can apply this principle to Christmas, too. We are free in Christ to celebrate as he leads us. Christians don’t hold any obligation, biblically, to celebrate Christmas through the modern traditions. While the Bible doesn’t command us to celebrate Jesus’ birth, it does command us to proclaim the Gospel with how we speak and act, including the virgin birth and the incarnation. In this way, Christmas still offers and opportunity to declare God’s truth in good and loving ways.
If we hold a conviction to resist the pagan or commercialized aspects of Christmas, we can focus on more Christ-centered behavior and action. Instead of materialism, we can participate in generosity and charity to those in need, which is biblical. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) Volunteering, helping the poor, or sharing the Gospel with family and friends can shift the holiday back to its spiritual importance for all (John 3:16).
At the same time, we must approach those who celebrate Christmas in different ways with love and grace. Romans 12:18 tells us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” We need to resist any judgmental attitudes within our hearts and instead engage in real conversations about Jesus, the true meaning of Christmas.
We are free to celebrate worldly traditions or not. Ultimately, our goal should be to seek first the Kingdom and honor Jesus. By focusing on his birth, life, and redemption, we declare the Gospel, and our celebrations—whatever they look like—will be centered upon him.
Peace.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Pepgooner
