Christmas Really Isn't about Christ - Why I'm not Celebrating Christmas Even Though I'm a Christian

Kirchhoff's Law ^ | 12-14-2013 | Mary C. Kirchhoff

[InHisService]

All right, before you get your freckles in an uproar by reading that title and making a quick, errant assumption about me, let me clarify a few things.

I’m a bible believing, spirit filled Christian. I am not an atheist sympathizer. I do not doubt my faith, nor do I have any doubts about the deity of Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior, and I believe the world is lost without Him.

For years I celebrated Christmas. But last year, I decided to stop celebrating it. Something awoke in me, and I just felt turned off by the whole thing.

As a kid, I was coddled just like most children. Every Christmas my brother and I unwrapped numerous presents, and always got what we wanted.

I remember a new bike one year, and an awesome stereo another. I never gave a thought about how hard my parents had to work to pay for the stuff, and I’m sure children these days don’t, either.

And, we did go to church. If fact, we weren’t the proverbial “once a year’ers;” we went weekly. But being a kid, naturally Christmas was all about the presents.

Raising my daughter, though I was a single mom, my daughter was never deprived at Christmas. And I enjoyed giving to her. She was not a spoiled child as she didn’t get much all year long, so Christmas was the time to indulge her.

Anyway, I’ve wanted to write this article for a while. It’s been niggling at me for quite some time. But I put it off because I didn’t want to appear as a snarky Grinch during the Christmas season. My position is a very unpopular one among Christians.

I believe the Holy Spirit has gotten a hold of me, and after seeing a video discussing a particular billboard American Atheists erected this season, I was compelled to write about my position.

One of the billboards, in New York City’s Times Square, reads, “Who Needs Christ During Christmas? Nobody.” The name of Christ is crossed out.

David Muscato, Public Relations Director at American Atheists had this to say about the billboard and about Christmas:

“Most people don’t care about any religious ties to the season because church and religion are not what Americans care about during this time of year—they care about family and friends and giving presents and food and having fun.”

And right he is. Christians can pretend they are honoring Christ this time of year, but they really aren’t. People are consumed with the retail aspect of it: spending.

Muscato goes on to say, “Many so-called ‘Christmas’ traditions celebrated by Americans have nothing to do with Christianity. For example, the North Pole and Santa traditions come from Nordic and Germanic pagan traditions, and caroling, Yule logs, mistletoe, holly wreaths all pre-date Christianity.”

He is absolutely correct in that statement. In fact, every single Christmas tradition we have was started by, and stolen, from the pagans.

That’s right, everything from the tree, to mistletoe to holly to gifts were all pagan traditions. (I’ve done a lot of research into the origins of Christmas; however, this article is not going to elaborate on it as it is very lengthy. An online search of “Pagan origins of Christmas” will yield a million and a half results. An excellent article on the topic can be seen here, True Origins of Christmas: http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html )

Said David Silverman, President of American Atheists, “We all love this time of year.

“Christianity has been trying to claim ownership of the season for hundreds of years. But the winter solstice came first and so did its traditions. The season belongs to everybody.”

Right again. How can Christian’s claim Christmas belongs to them when we stole it from non-believers? Additionally, there is nothing in the bible about celebrating Christmas. The fact that atheists celebrate what is supposed to be a Christian holy day is alarming. But celebrate it they do, minus anything Christ.

Not only that, Jesus could not have been, and was not born, on December 25th. Most biblical scholars believe he was born in the fall and the biblical account of his birth testifies to that. The date was selected because it coincided with the idolatrous pagan festival Saturnalia. So the date of Christmas was chosen as a sort of in-your-face way of saying, “We as Christians are stealing your date for ourselves! Take that.” Nice gesture on behalf of God, but it hasn’t turned out well. No wonder why.

Now, I don’t like the group American Atheists. In fact, I despise them. I can’t stand David Silverman, who regularly appears on Fox News and elsewhere to tout his anti-God beliefs. To me, they are bullying militant atheists bent on wiping out God and particularly Jesus Christ from the public square. And they have been very successful in a lot of ways.

So, I’m not agreeing with them for any other reason in this area, but they are right on.

(I have written about some of the atheist lawsuits and their attack on Christianity in an article last year on this blog, “It’s not just a War on Christmas, It’s a War on Christianity,” which can be seen here: http://www.maryckirchhoff.com/2012/12/its-not-just-war-on-christmas-its-war.html )

Christmas has become completely distorted and perverted and what is supposed to be a day to honor Jesus has become a two-month long season of out-of-control shopping and spending, overindulgence of food and drink, massive debt and spoiled children.

Christmas, without a doubt, belongs to retailers, not to Jesus. The season begins around late October, and is in full swing right before Thanksgiving, and goes on til New Years.

So let’s be honest here: during this extended period we call Christmastime or the more politically correct Holiday Season, are we talking about Jesus and his birth? Are we marveling that God sent His Son to Earth to save man from his sins? Are we on our knees praying and thanking God for his provision in our life?

More than likely, if we are a believer we are praying that God will provide the finances to overindulge our children so they can open numerous gifts on that “magical” morning.

What really gets me is many of us in this country can’t afford to purchase unnecessary and over-the-top gifts for our kids. Millions of people either get heavily into debt or skip paying necessary bills so they can impress and coddle their kids. Not giving gifts is simply unheard of.

Kids must go to school upon the return of the break and brag about what they got. And what, pray tell, does this have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ? Absolutely nothing.

The wise men gave gifts to Jesus, you say? That happened when He was a toddler, not at His birth. Saint Nick? Another misconception about giving at Christmas.

While parties and gift giving and receiving is fun, for the majority of people, financial stress is increased at this time of year. Holiday parties (oops, can’t call them Christmas parties anymore) require bringing dishes or purchasing elaborate foods. The shopping, the parties, the drinking, the get-togethers, they are all supposed to be part of the merrymaking. Again, where is Christ in this? Decidedly MIA for most people.

When’s the last time you went to a (I’ll be a rebel here) Christmas party and people were excitedly talking about God? Were they marveling about Jesus being born 2,000 years ago, talking about what a gift it was for God to send His Son?

The only gift I’ll guarantee they were speaking of was most likely their Black Friday conquest where they acquired the latest and greatest gadgetry for their kids that they couldn’t afford and will be paying off for months to come.

Is this what God wants for us at Christmas? Or are we deluding ourselves saying “Keep Christ in Christmas.”? I believe so.

The truth is, Christmas is a great lie. Satan is laughing; being the great deceiver, he has really gotten away with a whopper here. Christ never was in Christmas. The entire Christmas season has millions of Christians deceived. It has been bought lock, stock and barrel by believers. The fact that atheists celebrate it should be a giant clue that it has nothing to do with Christ.

Sure, we can sing beautiful Christmas themed hymns, set up a manger and go to church. That will satisfy the God requirement of the holiday, will it not?

Church on Christmas Eve or Day is about the only time you’ll get an hour or so of pure God. A sermon, some singing, some well-wishing among peers. A couple hours of God stuff for over two months of the so-called “Christmas Season.”

I’m not a math person, but that amounts to a microscopic amount of time dedicated to the Birth of Jesus.

Frankly, Christmas is farce, and I’m betting the whole thing makes God very angry.

Below, the link for the aforementioned Atheist Billboard Targeting Christians:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2933104645001/atheist-billboard-targeting-christians/?playlist_id=930909812001

[Alberta's Child]

The Gospels kind of do mention when Jesus was born. He was born while Mary and Joseph were traveling to their home town during a census that had been decreed by Caesar Augustus, right?

The actual dates of these events may have vanished into antiquity, but one of the things to keep in mind about the Gospels is that their message is supposed to transcend time.

[CatherineofAragon]

I’m looking at my tree and my decorated mantel right now....they’re beautiful. I really doubt the Lord is angered by these harmless, pretty things.

[Alberta's Child]

I hate the overt commercialization, but I always had one exception to this when I was a kid. In late October I always looked for the first sign of Christmas on television every year, and I still remember it to this day: It was a series of TV ads from a record label for various Christmas albums featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the New York Philharmonic, and others.

It always made sense that the TV ads first began appearing every year before Halloween. This was back in the day before online shopping and overnight deliveries, and at the end of the ad the announcer always said: "Allow four to six weeks for delivery." LOL.

[JimSp]

I find it interesting that you seem to use the testimony of atheists to build your case. Seems rather incongruent for a Christian to do that.

[Raycpa]

Early Christians developed the idea of a calendar that holds up the life of Christ through out each year. This calendar is a teaching and worship tool for communicating the gospel to an illiterate peoples.

[JSDude1]

PARTY POOP!

[Conspiracy Guy]

My only reason for posting is that you are trying so hard to be controversial. You aren’t. I feel I need to let you know that. The Birth of Christ and the Rebirth of Christ should be celebrated by anyone claiming to be a Christian. Believe it or not, but many of us do not fall for the secular invasion of the season through retail specials. You have a right to your opinion. But prefacing your post with the assumption that people will flame you for it was really silly. Sort of like a train wreck, I can’t look away

[Bryanw92]

>>I know I’m very opinionated, I don’t hide that fact in my writing. People will be offended. I will be lambasted. That’s the way it goes!

Then, your purpose is to offend and think that you are becoming a martyr for Christ. You are 50% successful.

[InHisService]

Actually, I didn’t try very hard at all to be controversial. I wrote what has been in my heart and my mind for the past few months. I hope people will realize what Christmas has become.

[SamAdams76]

All you say about Christmas is true. It is rooted in pagan tradition. But who cares about that? Christians have co-opted it for their own purposes and pagans can go on celebrating the solstice if they like.

[JSDude1]

Why not instead use this season to (open up) the opportunity to share the Gospel with people, when they (may) already be more open to the true meaning of Christmas??

I will continue to celebrate it, and believe that (though there are a minority of Christians who do ~not~ celebrate Christmas), I am reminded more about my savior and the life He gives when I hear Christians “Carols”!

I think it’s silly to “not celebrate” Christmas, but then again I know that a saved-born again Christian celebrates Christmas, and our Savior’s death and resurrection; His Grace, everyday of the year!!! Merry Christmas!

[xzins]

I don’t base by understanding of the bible on what children do or don’t understand. It is my job to teach them. One thing I’d teach them is that the gospel recount the incarnation and birth of the 2nd person of the Trinity.

[theBuckwheat]

I don’t celebrate Xmas either. When I review Scripture, history and current custom, what I find is a syncretic holiday even if you put aside the fact that Jesus was born in the fall of the year and not near the winter Solstice.

Of course people are free to do what they want and to justify it on any grounds, but that does not make it right. Jesus Himself rejected religiosity that was based on human traditions, and many Xmas traditions predate the birth of Our Savior.

I will not teach my children syncretism when I can teach them the truth.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thanks for pointing it out, without you we would be lost. Most of us only realized that in our teens or younger. I’ll be 60 in January. My family and I celebrate His birth not the specials at Macy’s or Walmart. We celebrate His resurrection not candy and Bunnies. The past few months indeed. Do not let others define Christmas for you. That is your fault not theirs.

[Verginius Rufus]

The early Christians took a pagan holiday (the birthday of the Sun—December 25 was the time of the winter solstice at that time) and gave it a Christian meaning, just like they later converted some of the pagan temples into Christian churches (such as the Parthenon in Athens, the Pantheon in Rome, and the temple of Athena in Syracuse).

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“The shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night. This wouldn’t have happened in the dead of winter. Also, tax collection time wouldn’t have been then, either.”

Actually, it happened outside Jerusalem every day of the year. Sacrifices were happening continually and sheep and lambs were necessary.

You are sounding like a cultic “Jehovah’s Witness”.

[stilloftyhenight]

I celebrate the whole of Christmas! It blows me away! His advent into this world is so overwhelming, that there are no words to describe this wonderful event!

Please do not take the great joy from our hearts! There is enough stress and sadness. Let love be your aim.

[A child of Yah]

You are not alone in all this. Many of us have stepped outside the box of this world and have started to take a good look at what we do here, and why do we do it.

I have questioned many things over my lifetime as to where did all these traditions and rituals came from as they approached each season, whether it be the spring, the fall, or the winter.

It soon becomes a personal revelation that you wish to share with others. But some others will take it so personal that they will revile and attack your character, your lifestyle, and even your upbringing. It comes with the territory, so to speak.

Many have asked me, what the heck is wrong with you. It’s for the kids, can’t the kids have some fun for “Gods sake”?

Then I ask, what is “Gods sake”?
Is it to put His New Wine into this old wineskin of the world, or is it to separate ourselves from the ways of this world?

Many have made up their minds on what they are going to do, and no matter how hard you try to open up another little window in their mind to perhaps look at these things in another light, they will still insist that it is you that has the problem.

But keep in mind, that we can sing and bring good tidings of joy and goodwill towards mankind everyday of the year, and most of my favorite carols are sung throughout the whole year ... smiles

Best wishes to you all, and may everyday be sacred and holy as you rise for the occasion.

[wonkowasright]

Remember. Keep the MASS in Christ Mass

[Rashputin]

I've been thinking about the annual posts by "Christians" who have a problem with celebrating the birth of Christ for long enough to reach a conclusion.

I conclude that whether it's celebrating the birth of Christ or wearing a cross where it is visible to others, if the Humanist pagans want to banish some acknowledgment of Christ from society there are always "Christians" around who can explain how their retreating without a fight is proof they're much more Holy than others.