Christmas is a joyous time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, some of the traditions associated with Christmas have origins in pagan practices and beliefs. This has led some Christians to question whether certain Christmas customs are appropriate for believers to participate in.
One of the most debated Christmas traditions is the use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands in Christmas decorations. Ancient pagan cultures like the Druids used evergreens in winter solstice celebrations centuries before the birth of Christ. The evergreen was seen as a symbol of life amidst the dead of winter. While Christmas trees may have originated as a pagan symbol, decorating with evergreen boughs can also represent God’s everlasting love and the eternal life we have through Christ (Isaiah 60:13, 1 Peter 1:3-5). As long as our focus is on honoring Christ, there is freedom for believers to decorate with evergreen trees and wreaths during the Christmas season.
The Christmas tree itself likely evolved from the paradise tree, used in medieval church plays about Adam and Eve. These evergreen trees decorated with apples originally represented the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, but later became associated with Christmas. While the modern Christmas tree has connections to pre-Christian traditions, the meaning ascribed to it by most Christians today relates to new life in Christ. Its evergreen branches can point towards the eternal life Jesus offers us (John 3:16). The gifts under the tree can represent God’s greatest gift to humanity, the gift of His Son at Christmas (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Another Christmas custom with possible pagan roots is mistletoe. Celtic Druids considered mistletoe sacred and used it in fertility rituals and celebrations. Ancient Norse mythology also associated mistletoe with their goddess of love. Some historians believe the tradition of kissing under mistletoe comes from these pre-Christian rituals. However, others link the origin to medieval traditions of forgiveness and extending peace to enemies. Church festivals in the Middle Ages allowed people to reconcile under the mistletoe. While mistletoe has a complex history, contemporary uses in Christmas celebrations focus on spreading love and joy.
The tradition of burning a Yule log on Christmas Eve also has ties to winter solstice celebrations. Celtic pagans burned large oak logs decorated with holly, ivy, and evergreens to welcome the return of the sun. The Yule log was seen as a symbol of light overcoming darkness and warmth overcoming cold. Today, the Yule log is usually represented by a log-shaped cake. Focusing on Jesus as “the light of the world” (John 8:12) gives this tradition new meaning for Christians. Still, some believers avoid this custom due to its pagan history.
Caroling also has roots in pagan winter celebrations. Ancient pagans went door to door singing and dancing in anticipation of the winter solstice. Later, Christians adopted this practice but repurposed the lyrics to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Instead of worshiping false gods, caroling allows believers to glorify God and testify about Christ (Psalm 96:1-2). The pagan origins of the door-to-door singing don’t corrupt caroling’s modern meaning.
Many Christmas cards depict snowy scenes replete with holly, ivy, and mistletoe—plants ancients Celts and Vikings associated with their pagan winter solstice rituals. While these plants retain those ancient connections, the Christmas season offers believers a chance to redeem them as symbols pointing to Jesus. Holly recalls Christ’s crown of thorns. Ivy harkens to the eternal life we have in Him. Mistletoe represents His generosity in coming to Earth to save us (John 3:16-17).
The date of Christmas—December 25—also has roots in the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia. This week-long feast leading up to the winter solstice honored Saturn, the Roman god of time and the harvest. Yet the early church chose this familiar date to co-opt pagan traditions focused on rebirth and fresh starts and instead celebrate Jesus, the true light coming into the world (John 1:9).
Many Christmas sweets, such as gingerbread men and fruitcake, were originally created for ancient winter festivals too. They likely made their way to Christmas celebrations through medieval feast days and plays. Traditions like baking sweet treats can bring joy to our Christmas festivities as long as Jesus remains the focus. We can praise God for the delicious gifts of food and share generously with others just as He gave us the gift of His Son (James 1:17).
Santa Claus has roots in both Christian charity and pagan folklore. The real Saint Nicholas showed Christian generosity by giving gifts to children and the poor. But stories of the Christmas gift-giver also draw imagery from the Germanic god Odin riding an eight-legged horse. While Santa Claus may have a blended background, families can focus on giving gifts to honor God’s gift of Jesus. We can also emphasize Saint Nicholas’ charity and explain Santa as a make-believe figure.
Overall, many Christmas traditions do have links to pagan solstice practices. But most of these associations came through indirectly, as elements of ancient folk traditions were incorporated into Christmas celebrations over centuries. Just because a tradition has some pagan precedents does not automatically make it wrong for Christians to participate in.
Rather than condemn all traditions with pagan parallels, believers have freedom in Christ to prayerfully consider what place they may have in our modern Christmas festivities. We can choose to exclude certain customs but may also repurpose others by infusing them with new meaning focused on Jesus. Our choices come down to biblical wisdom, conscience, and living out our freedom in Christ (1 Corinthians 6:12).
When evaluating Christmas traditions, we cannot assume all pagan-linked practices are automatically wrong or dangerous. However, Christians do need to be careful about customs tied too closely to the worship of false gods or spirits. The Bible is clear that idolatry displeases God. So we must approach rebooting pagan traditions in Christ-focused ways with care and sensitivity (1 Corinthians 10:14).
Rather than becoming legalistic, we can focus on maintaining Christmas’s emphasis on honoring Christ. Traditions with pagan parallels do not have to be rejected, but they should point us towards Jesus and Scripture (Colossians 2:16-17, 20-23). Christians have an opportunity to redeem traditions by infusing them with biblical truth. When we tie Christmas customs to God’s Word, we allow light to overcome darkness just as Jesus’ birth brought light to the world.
The Bible offers principles to guide our personal choices on Christmas traditions, while also granting us freedom in Christ. Any tradition that clearly violates scriptural commands should be avoided. But customs that simply have some pagan parallels are not necessarily prohibited. Traditions focused on our spiritual growth and joyfully honoring Christ retain value for contemporary Christmas celebrations (Romans 14:4-9).
By thoughtfully evaluating Christmas traditions in light of Scripture, we can find worth in those that enlighten people and glorify God. Customs that kindle generosity, goodness, and family bonding can have a place in our Christmas festivities when centered on Christ. Traditions remind us we celebrate because Jesus came as a baby to redeem us. When grounded in God’s Word, even customs with pagan links can turn our eyes to Him as Emmanuel, God with us, at Christmas time.