Many aspects of modern celebrations of Christmas have no connection to Jesus’ first coming. Going into a store or passing houses in the neighborhood, a person can see decorations of Santa Claus and elves, presents, stockings, snowmen, and snowflakes.
The same is true of holiday movies. We have a wealth of films and TV specials that show Santa Claus delivering toys to children on Christmas Eve, but not as many well-known movies about the birth of Christ and the significance of His advent into the world.
People from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs celebrate Christmas, but not all of them are celebrating Christ. They enjoy the festivities, gift-giving, and spirit of the season. However, their Christmas is devoid of any hope of Jesus or understanding of why He came at all.
So, is Christmas a religious holiday, or is it now only a cultural phenomenon? How can believers celebrate the day in a way that tells the world that they are followers of Christ, and in what ways can they invite others to learn about the real reason for the season?
A Religious Holiday?
Christmas is a holiday meant to celebrate Jesus’ birth into the world. God the Son added humanity to His divinity and was born as a baby to a virgin.
The first Christmas was a significant event because Jesus identified Himself with us by becoming a human. As John wrote in his Gospel, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
Christ came to save us from our sins. On the day He came into the world, the angel announced Jesus’ arrival with the proclamation that the Savior had been born, who was the long-promised Messiah of Israel (Luke 2:11). Christmas reminds us that Jesus did not leave us in our sinfulness but became human to save us.
However, not everyone celebrates Christmas in honor of the Savior’s birth. As much as Christians try to celebrate the day to the glory of Christ, we must admit that for many people, it is only a cultural holiday.
According to a 2017 study by Pew Research, 90% of people in America celebrate Christmas. Despite this percentage, the number of those who observe it as a religious holiday is declining.
These individuals have taken a day that is significant in Christianity and made it into a day of merrymaking without any mention or acknowledgment of Jesus.
They have taken Christ out of Christmas. Thus, we can say that for many people in America and other places in the world, December 25th is not a religious holiday.
We should mourn this reality because countless people take delight in the holiday season yet do not know the true joy and hope that is found in Jesus Christ, the real reason for Christmas.
Help Others Pull Away the Trappings of Secular Christmas Celebrations
As much as we should take time to grieve for those who do not know Christ, we also need to recognize the opportunities to use the Christmas holiday as a bridge to non-Christians.
They have festivities and gift-giving but no real basis for their celebration. In contrast, believers know why Christmas is a time of joy and generosity – the God of all creation sent His Son into the world to save us.
I enjoy how C. S. Lewis uses a cultural Christmas icon in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to prepare the readers for the true hero of Narnia, who symbolizes Jesus.
Father Christmas arrives in Narnia to end the cycle of always being “winter and never Christmas,” but he only does so because Aslan is on the move.
The Pevensie children and readers recognize the familiar figure of Father Christmas, though his appearance is not the main event. He serves as an introduction to the joy and wonder found in Aslan.
Believers can do the same with all the trappings of Christmas. We can acknowledge how many of those things are enjoyable, but they often leave a person longing for something greater.
The new toy that a child receives on Christmas morning will eventually lose its luster. Festivities and warm gatherings will end. The once vibrantly decorated tree sits unadorned and dark on the street a week after the holiday is over.
Celebrations on December 25 will last a day, but what Jesus did by coming into the world affected human history and continues to impact people today.
If we push past all the wrappings and decorations, we find the Lord God who humbled Himself and became an infant wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger (Luke 2:12; Philippians 2:5-8).
Jesus is the true gift of Christmas, the One who can give lasting hope that will not fade even when the holiday season ends.
Show the World that Our Celebration Is Different
Believers are set apart from the world and are meant to shine their light for the glory of God. We do so by living out our faith daily as a testimony to those who do not know Christ (Matthew 5:16). Therefore, a central way to pull back the trappings of cultural celebrations of Christmas is to celebrate differently.
One of the reasons that Christmas has become secularized is that Christians have also bought into the increasing materialism of the holiday season.
There is nothing wrong with decorating, baking treats, or buying gifts, but how are we following Christ in these activities? Are our celebrations focused on Him? Thinking carefully about these questions can help us reevaluate how we approach the holiday to honor Jesus.
For example, maybe we will decide not to buy as many gifts in order to keep the focus on Jesus. We may also choose to use the money we would have otherwise spent on gifts to give to those in need and to organizations that spread the gospel and make disciples.
If others ask us why we did not buy as much, it will open a conversation about how Jesus came to give us eternal life, which is why we cannot help but give from our resources to help those less fortunate.
Or maybe we will simplify our decorations and set up a nativity scene or advent wreath. When friends and family visit, we can then talk to them about the meaning of these decorations and why Christmas is important to us.
The non-Christians in our lives will see the example of our actions and hear our testimony about Jesus, which is a powerful combination. Not only are we proclaiming what we believe, but we are living it out.
Through our actions, we show them that Christmas is much more than opening presents around a tree. It is a day that celebrates our Savior, who came to give His life so that we can receive the gift of salvation.
Why Does This Matter?
The holiday season has become increasingly secularized. Numerous people celebrate Christmas but do not recognize the reason for the day. Although individuals may now view Christmas as a cultural holiday, they cannot change the fact that the history of the day is deeply rooted in the Christian faith.
Gratefully, there is common ground since often both non-Christians and Christians cherish Christmas. We can use the common themes and activities of the holiday season to point people to Jesus. He is the greatest gift of Christmas.
For further reading:
5 Ways to Stay Focused on the Reason for the Season
5 Ways to Stay Focused on Jesus This Christmas
3 Ways to Keep Jesus at the Center of Your Christmas This Year
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Bogdan Kurylo
Sophia Bricker is a freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on biblical and theological topics. In addition to contributing articles about biblical questions as a contract writer, she has also written for Unlocked devotional. She holds a BA in Ministry, a MA in Ministry, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing to develop her writing craft. As someone who is passionate about the Bible and faith in Jesus, her mission is to help others learn about Christ and glorify Him in her writing. When she isn’t busy studying or writing, Sophia enjoys spending time with family, reading, drawing, and gardening.
