Christmas is not pagan...
Christmas Isn’t Pagan.
And Yes… It Really Is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Every December, like clockwork, the same TikToks, reels, and confidently delivered “I did my own research” posts start appearing everywhere. Someone stands in front of a camera, says something bold with no historical backbone, and suddenly Christians are wondering whether celebrating the birth of Jesus is spiritual compromise. And in the middle of all that noise, the opinions, the misinformation, the recycled talking points, the enemy is quietly smiling.
Confusion is one of his favorite tools. Division is one of his favorite weapons. If he can take a season designed to lift our eyes to Jesus and twist it into suspicion, doubt, and arguments, he wins a battle we were never supposed to fight.
So let me speak clearly, not to argue, not to shame, but to bring truth into a place where a lot of confusion has taken root. Christmas is not pagan. Not the day. Not the traditions. Not the symbols. Not the celebration. You can celebrate with joy. You can worship with confidence. You can look at this season with wonder, not worry. Christmas has always been about one thing: Jesus came. God with us. Light in the darkness. Hope in human form. And it is absolutely okay, more than okay, to celebrate that with joy.
Now let’s walk through the truth carefully. Everything that follows is built on solid Christian research, including the historical work of Wesley Huff, who has brought needed clarity into conversations too often shaped by misinformation. I am not writing a textbook here, I want this to speak to your heart, but I also want it to be grounded, honest, and undeniably true.
1. December 25, the Most Misunderstood Part
The loudest claim thrown around every year is that Christians “stole” December 25 from pagan holidays. History simply does not support that. People often mention Sol Invictus, but Sol Invictus was not assigned to December 25 until AD 354, long after Christians were already marking that date as the birth of Jesus. Earlier Roman calendars placed Sol celebrations in August, October, and early December, not December 25. And Saturnalia ended on December 17 and was never connected to the 25.
The early Christians were not borrowing anything. They were not trying to overshadow pagan culture or repurpose a holiday. They simply believed something deeply meaningful: that Jesus was conceived on March 25, the same day they believed He died, and nine months later lands on December 25. Their reasoning was not cultural, it was theological. It was worship. It was the church honoring the moment when God entered our world. That is the truth, simple, beautiful, and clear.
2. The Winter Solstice, the Argument That Sounds Strong but Isn’t
The theory that Christians copied the solstice sounds compelling until you look deeper. Ancient Romans did not give the solstice special religious meaning. There were no major festivals tied to it. No sacred rituals built around it. No ceremonies Christians would have collided with. There was nothing there to borrow. The solstice argument falls apart the moment you read actual history. Christians were not looking for a cultural hook, they were celebrating the arrival of their Savior.
3. Santa Claus, Not Pagan, Just Misunderstood
People love attaching pagan origins to Santa, but the story does not go in that direction. Santa traces back to St. Nicholas, a real Christian bishop known for fierce generosity and deep compassion. He protected the poor, rescued vulnerable young women from exploitation, and defended truth at the Council of Nicaea. Over time, culture reshaped his story into a lighter, jollier, commercial version. But his roots are undeniably Christian. No pagan god became Santa. No myth transformed into him. The story evolved culturally, but it began with a follower of Jesus.
4. Christmas Trees, Beautiful but Not Borrowed
Christmas trees get accused of being pagan more than anything else. But historically, Christmas trees do not show up until the 1500s in Christian homes in Europe, not in ancient rituals, not in Druid practices, and definitely not tied to solstice worship. Pagans did not even view pine trees as sacred, their significant tree was the oak. The evergreen tree became a Christian symbol on purpose, life in the dead of winter, hope when the world is cold, a reminder that God brings life to barren places. The tree was not stolen, believers gave it meaning.
5. Mistletoe, A Tradition Not a Threat
Mistletoe as a Christmas decoration appears in the 1600s, and the kissing tradition does not show up until the late 1700s. There is no ancient pagan ritual Christians absorbed. It is simply a cultural custom that grew over time, decorative rather than spiritual. Christians did not inherit something dark, they inherited something cheerful that people chose to enjoy.
Where December 25 Really Came From
What is truly beautiful is this: long before any pagan holiday ever touched December 25, long before Rome had opinions about Christianity, long before cultural traditions developed, the earliest Christians had already embraced this date. Hippolytus (AD 170 to 235) wrote plainly that Jesus was born on December 25. Tertullian (AD 160 to 240) connected Jesus death and conception to March 25 and counted forward nine months. Sextus Julius Africanus calculated the date using Scripture and history. Augustine affirmed it as long held Christian tradition. These early believers were not blending religions, they were honoring Christ with reverence, devotion, and deep theological reflection.
Here Is My Heart in All of This
If you have heard different claims, if you have wondered whether Christmas is something you should step back from, if you have questioned whether celebrating Jesus birth is somehow wrong, take a breath. Truth removes fear. Christmas is about Jesus, about God stepping into our world, about hope being born, about the beginning of redemption story in a manger. You do not need to be suspicious of this season. You can love it. You can celebrate it. You can enjoy everything about it with a clean heart and a full sense of worship.
But please do not let this divide believers. Not this year. Not ever. The enemy would love nothing more than for Christians to fight each other while forgetting the wonder of Christ birth. Let us not hand him that victory. This is the season of hope, of light, of God coming near. And yes, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. Not because of the date or the traditions, but because of the Savior who entered the world for us.
And Yes… It Really Is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Every December, like clockwork, the same TikToks, reels, and confidently delivered “I did my own research” posts start appearing everywhere. Someone stands in front of a camera, says something bold with no historical backbone, and suddenly Christians are wondering whether celebrating the birth of Jesus is spiritual compromise. And in the middle of all that noise, the opinions, the misinformation, the recycled talking points, the enemy is quietly smiling.
Confusion is one of his favorite tools. Division is one of his favorite weapons. If he can take a season designed to lift our eyes to Jesus and twist it into suspicion, doubt, and arguments, he wins a battle we were never supposed to fight.
So let me speak clearly, not to argue, not to shame, but to bring truth into a place where a lot of confusion has taken root. Christmas is not pagan. Not the day. Not the traditions. Not the symbols. Not the celebration. You can celebrate with joy. You can worship with confidence. You can look at this season with wonder, not worry. Christmas has always been about one thing: Jesus came. God with us. Light in the darkness. Hope in human form. And it is absolutely okay, more than okay, to celebrate that with joy.
Now let’s walk through the truth carefully. Everything that follows is built on solid Christian research, including the historical work of Wesley Huff, who has brought needed clarity into conversations too often shaped by misinformation. I am not writing a textbook here, I want this to speak to your heart, but I also want it to be grounded, honest, and undeniably true.
1. December 25, the Most Misunderstood Part
The loudest claim thrown around every year is that Christians “stole” December 25 from pagan holidays. History simply does not support that. People often mention Sol Invictus, but Sol Invictus was not assigned to December 25 until AD 354, long after Christians were already marking that date as the birth of Jesus. Earlier Roman calendars placed Sol celebrations in August, October, and early December, not December 25. And Saturnalia ended on December 17 and was never connected to the 25.
The early Christians were not borrowing anything. They were not trying to overshadow pagan culture or repurpose a holiday. They simply believed something deeply meaningful: that Jesus was conceived on March 25, the same day they believed He died, and nine months later lands on December 25. Their reasoning was not cultural, it was theological. It was worship. It was the church honoring the moment when God entered our world. That is the truth, simple, beautiful, and clear.
2. The Winter Solstice, the Argument That Sounds Strong but Isn’t
The theory that Christians copied the solstice sounds compelling until you look deeper. Ancient Romans did not give the solstice special religious meaning. There were no major festivals tied to it. No sacred rituals built around it. No ceremonies Christians would have collided with. There was nothing there to borrow. The solstice argument falls apart the moment you read actual history. Christians were not looking for a cultural hook, they were celebrating the arrival of their Savior.
3. Santa Claus, Not Pagan, Just Misunderstood
People love attaching pagan origins to Santa, but the story does not go in that direction. Santa traces back to St. Nicholas, a real Christian bishop known for fierce generosity and deep compassion. He protected the poor, rescued vulnerable young women from exploitation, and defended truth at the Council of Nicaea. Over time, culture reshaped his story into a lighter, jollier, commercial version. But his roots are undeniably Christian. No pagan god became Santa. No myth transformed into him. The story evolved culturally, but it began with a follower of Jesus.
4. Christmas Trees, Beautiful but Not Borrowed
Christmas trees get accused of being pagan more than anything else. But historically, Christmas trees do not show up until the 1500s in Christian homes in Europe, not in ancient rituals, not in Druid practices, and definitely not tied to solstice worship. Pagans did not even view pine trees as sacred, their significant tree was the oak. The evergreen tree became a Christian symbol on purpose, life in the dead of winter, hope when the world is cold, a reminder that God brings life to barren places. The tree was not stolen, believers gave it meaning.
5. Mistletoe, A Tradition Not a Threat
Mistletoe as a Christmas decoration appears in the 1600s, and the kissing tradition does not show up until the late 1700s. There is no ancient pagan ritual Christians absorbed. It is simply a cultural custom that grew over time, decorative rather than spiritual. Christians did not inherit something dark, they inherited something cheerful that people chose to enjoy.
Where December 25 Really Came From
What is truly beautiful is this: long before any pagan holiday ever touched December 25, long before Rome had opinions about Christianity, long before cultural traditions developed, the earliest Christians had already embraced this date. Hippolytus (AD 170 to 235) wrote plainly that Jesus was born on December 25. Tertullian (AD 160 to 240) connected Jesus death and conception to March 25 and counted forward nine months. Sextus Julius Africanus calculated the date using Scripture and history. Augustine affirmed it as long held Christian tradition. These early believers were not blending religions, they were honoring Christ with reverence, devotion, and deep theological reflection.
Here Is My Heart in All of This
If you have heard different claims, if you have wondered whether Christmas is something you should step back from, if you have questioned whether celebrating Jesus birth is somehow wrong, take a breath. Truth removes fear. Christmas is about Jesus, about God stepping into our world, about hope being born, about the beginning of redemption story in a manger. You do not need to be suspicious of this season. You can love it. You can celebrate it. You can enjoy everything about it with a clean heart and a full sense of worship.
But please do not let this divide believers. Not this year. Not ever. The enemy would love nothing more than for Christians to fight each other while forgetting the wonder of Christ birth. Let us not hand him that victory. This is the season of hope, of light, of God coming near. And yes, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. Not because of the date or the traditions, but because of the Savior who entered the world for us.
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