What is the Origin of Christmas?
The celebration of Christmas has deep roots in Christian tradition and biblical history. Though many customs associated with Christmas have evolved and changed over time, the core reason for the holiday is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the central figure of the Christian faith.
The Date of Christmas
The exact date of Jesus’ birth is not stated in the Bible. However, early Christians chose December 25 to celebrate His birth based on the dating of His conception.
According to the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would conceive Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-35). The angel said this would happen six months after John the Baptist’s conception. John’s father, Zachariah, served as a priest in the temple on a rotating schedule. Historical calculations indicate Zachariah’s service fell in late September or early October, placing the Annunciation in late March and Jesus’ birth nine months later – around late December.
The winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, also occurs in late December. Ancient pagans observed solstice celebrations dedicated to the sun. The Christian celebration honoring the “Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) both capitalized on existing festivities and provided an alternative to pagan ceremonies.
Early Celebrations
The earliest known reference to December 25 as the date of Jesus’ birth comes from a Roman almanac dated A.D. 243. But documentation of Christmas celebrations originate earlier in the Christian communities of the Roman Empire.
Around A.D. 200, Clement of Alexandria reported that some Egyptians commemorated the nativity on May 20. Other early churches celebrated in April or January. When the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in A.D. 312, Christian leaders likely chose December 25 for the Feast of the Nativity to replace festivities honoring pagan gods.
Christmas celebrations spread throughout the Western world during the 4th century. They included special church services, a Mass or Eucharist, and Nativity plays telling the Christmas story. The use of lights and candles, representing Christ as the light of the world, appeared during this period. Trees from pagan winter rites were incorporated into the decorations. And the giving of gifts, recalling the gifts of the magi to Jesus, grew in popularity.
Original Traditions
A number of time-honored Christmas customs emerged during the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. Caroling began as groups of wassailers went from house to house singing songs and drinking to the health of their neighbors. Mumming plays reenacting the events of the Nativity appeared in churches and town squares. And the Christmas feast, holding significance as both the end of Advent fasting and celebrating Christ’s abundance, grew more elaborate.
Additional longstanding Christmas traditions include the keeping of an advent calendar, burning of a Yule log, kissing under mistletoe, and card giving. The practice of erecting Nativity scenes or crèches emerged in Italy during the 13th century. This tradition spread to other parts of Europe and served as the impetus for creating life-sized Nativity displays. Saint Francis of Assisi popularized this practice in 1223 after constructing the first live manger scene.
Secular Influences
During the Reformation, some Protestant reformers, including Martin Luther, condemned the celebration of Christmas for its overt celebration of earthly pleasures and ties to Roman Catholicism. Puritans rejected Christmas festivities as pagan corrupting influences and tried to do away with the holiday by law when they took power in England in 1647. But the public restored the celebration when the monarchy was returned in 1660.
In the early United States, Puritan opposition to Christmas lingered. The holiday was outlawed in Boston between 1659 and 1681. Christmas fell out of favor following the Revolution due to its association with English customs and the Church of England. Over time it gradually became acceptable again. By the 1820s, ministers of various Protestant denominations began promoting the religious observance of Christmas in American society. And Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol (1843) also helped revive and popularize the holiday.
Not until 1870 did President Ulysses S. Grant declare Christmas a federal holiday. Americans enthusiastically embraced the family-centered approach promoted by publications like Godey’s Lady’s Book and commercial enterprises. Christmas benefited from the Victorian era romanticism of home and family. Before long, lavish feasts and gift-giving expanded as an expression of this ideal.
Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus
The legendary figure of Santa Claus grew out of traditions related to Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian bishop from present-day Turkey. Revered for his charity and generosity, legends attributed many anonymous giving miracles to St. Nicholas. In tenth-century Italy, a new church was named in his honor on December sixth, Saint Nicholas Day. Celebrations on this date eventually intertwined with Christmas observances.
Dutch immigrants brought the tradition of St. Nicholas to North America. Their pronunciation of his name led to the figure of “Sinterklaas.” Church reforms altered the saint’s bishop uniform into a red suit. And the burly figure was depicted with eight reindeer in the 1823 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” which created the popular American icon. In the 1930s, the saint’s name was streamlined further to Santa Claus.
While Saint Nicholas was known for giving gifts associated with Christian virtues, Santa Claus became depicted as a secular figure who rewards good behavior with presents. Commercial promotions that began in the late 1800s transformed Christmas into a retail event focused on extravagant material goods.
Modern Controversies
Tensions over the religious and secular dimensions of Christmas have continued to unfold. Objections over the holiday’s ties to paganism and Catholicism prompted some religious groups to repudiate Christmas or promote alternate names like the “Christ Mass.” Celebratory excesses have caused others to condemn its role in indulging materialistic impulses. Christmas in America has expanded as an economic stimulus and advertising bonanza, leaving some questioning its true meaning.
Efforts to bolster the religious emphasis of Christmas have also led to disputes. In the mid-20th century, groups like the John Birch Society raised concerns about the secularization and socialism they believed was inherent in Christmas. Legal challenges to remove public Nativity scenes brought debate over appropriate Christmas displays. And some Christians take issue with the embellished legends and fantastic elements now integral to Santa.
Christmas has also faced opposition for cultural reasons. Non-Christians and various ethnic groups contended the holiday privileges Christian values over other belief systems. And non-Western refugees and immigrants find the Americanized version of Christmas foreign. Multicultural navigations to make Christmas more inclusive have achieved uneven results.
For many people today, Christmas blends religious devotion with secular rituals handed down through the centuries that focus on family camaraderie, generosity, and hope. Individuals emphasize different aspects of these holiday traditions based on their personal values. So Christmas remains a complex mix of sacred and secular practices with both Christian and pagan roots.
The Nativity Story
The biblical foundation for celebrating Jesus’ birth is found in the accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. These describe the events surrounding the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah into the world.
According to prophecy, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem as an heir to King David (Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9:6-7). Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary who was pledged to be married to Joseph, both descendants of David (Matthew 1, Luke 3:23-38). While Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, they had traveled to Bethlehem to register for a census (Luke 2:1-5).
Finding no room at the inn, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable and laid him in a manger (Luke 2:6-7). Nearby shepherds visited, having been told of the baby’s birth by an angelic announcement (Luke 2:8-20). Eight days later, Jesus was circumcised and given the name revealed to Mary by the angel Gabriel earlier (Luke 2:21, Luke 1:31).
Eventually, wise men or magi from the East also came seeking the prophesied king of the Jews, guided by a unique star (Matthew 2:1-12). After visiting and giving gifts to Jesus, they were warned in a dream not to report back to King Herod. Herod had intended to find and destroy any threat to his reign.
Joseph likewise received an angelic warning and fled with Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s infanticide decree (Matthew 2:13-18). Following Herod’s death, the family returned and settled back in Nazareth. The Gospel writers leave a gap in the history until Jesus begins His public ministry around age 30.
The Significance of Christ’s Birth
The birth of Jesus was a pivotal moment in God’s redemptive plan for humanity. As foretold in prophecy, Jesus came as the Savior of the world, the promised Messiah who would deliver people from sin and death (Isaiah 53, John 3:16-17). His incarnation marked the coming of the long-awaited “Word made flesh” (John 1:14).
In taking human form as “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), Jesus opened the way for people to find forgiveness and obtain eternal life through faith in Him (John 14:6). His birth ushered in the arrival of the kingdom of God on earth (Mark 1:15). The divine Son left heaven’s glory to become part of God’s creation that He might redeem humanity (Philippians 2:5-8).
The humility of a manger birth illustrated Jesus came as a servant (Mark 10:43-45). As the perfect Lamb of God, His sinless life qualified Him to become the sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world (John 1:29, Hebrews 4:15, 7:26-27). The incarnation displays God’s grace and love for all people (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-7). And those who believe can become adopted children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17).
Commemorating the Nativity of Christ
Christmas marks the joyous advent celebrating Jesus coming humbly as a babe over 2000 years ago. Observing centuries-old customs and traditions allows Christians to glorify God for the birth of the Savior. Meaningful reflections on the incredible gift of Jesus aid preparation of people’s hearts just as Advent readies the faithful for the coming Messiah.
Centuries of additional practices not found in Scripture can enhance enjoyment of the season. But commercialism often obscures the divine implications of the Nativity today. Keeping a godly focus draws attention back to God’s promise that achieved fulfillment on that first Christmas morn.
The biblical Christmas story provides spiritual truth and inspiration. The accounts of angelic proclamations concerning the Christ child give glimpses of heaven’s overflowing joy. Examples of obedient faith in divine revelations through Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds model virtues for believers to emulate. And exultant glorifying and praising God for this gift of the ages reinforces proper responses of awe, gratitude, and wonder.
Conclusion
Christ’s birth introduced the light that overcomes the darkness. His lowly arrival marks the promise of redemption and hope fulfilled. Through God’s incredible self-giving, those who believe can experience rebirth and abundant life in Christ. The babe born in Bethlehem came as God’s answer to humanity’s deepest needs and the long-awaited Savior. Christmas celebrates this gift of divine love that inspires charity, gratitude, and goodwill toward others all year long. The tradition of Christmas has enduring meaning because at its heart it glorifies God’s loving plan to rescue people through the incarnation of Jesus. While cultural traditions often shift, these eternal truths anchored in the Nativity account remain worthy of remembering and celebrating.