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Thanks for your post! I have hesitated to post similarly because I don't want to step on toes. However, I think it’s important to remember that ‘Christmas’ comes from “Christ Mass” which Constantine declared to be an official ‘holy day’ (holiday) in the 4th century. The early Christians did not celebrate Christ's birth; such celebration only came into the church with the "Christianization" of pagan rites as Catholicism was made the state religion by Constantine in the fourth century A.D. It was not celebrated, commemorated, or observed, neither by the apostles nor in the apostolic church -- not for at least the first 300 years of church history!

History reveals that about 440 A.D., the Church at Jerusalem commenced the celebration of Christmas, following the lead of Roman Catholicism. Before that it was sufficient for the early Christians that Jesus, their Lord and Savior, had been born. They praised God that Jesus Christ had, indeed, come in the flesh. The day and the time of His birth had no relevance to them, because Jesus was no longer physically on earth.

I believe the only ritual we are to observe (as commanded by the New Testament) is that of the Lord's Supper. Just my thoughts; please forgive me if I have offended anyone. Not my intent.

Why Christians should NOT celebrate Christmas. Every year at this time, I get inundated with emails that read like 40 page doctrinal dissertations on why a Christian should NOT celebrate Christmas. They make very good arguments about the pagan celebrations at this time of year, the evils of the Christmas tree, lying to children about Santa Claus, how Jesus was not born on December 25th, and many other reasons why a Christian should not celebrate Christmas. To those people I have only one thing to say....BAH HUMBUG!

Please, don't send me emails why those who celebrate Christmas are following the devil. If you are led to not celebrate the birth of our Lord and want to miss that is up to you. Sadly, your misguided legalism has stolen your joy.

Listen, everyone understands that Jesus was not born on December 25th, but according to most scholars, sometime in September. I have yet to meet anyone that worshipped their Christmas tree, only decorated it. If you are old enough to be able to read this, you are old enough to know that there is no Santa Claus. And yes, there are many pagan celebrations that occur at this time of the year, and the Bible does not have the word Christmas in it. However, there is only ONE REASON that we celebrate Christmas and that is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Christians SHOULD celebrate the birth of Jesus! It is right and good that we take time each year to remember that blessed event. It was foretold by the prophets of old. It is a well documented historical event chronicled in the Gospels and supported by the historians of that day. After His death and resurrection, it is easily the GREATEST EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY!

Think about it. God Himself, the Creator of the heavens and earth, came to this earth as a mere man to live with His creation. He came as a baby, born of a virgin in a humble manger in an obscure little town. He would grow up to die on a cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Three days after His death, God would raise Him from the dead as a sign to this lost and unbelieving world that He was exactly who He claimed to be...the SON OF GOD! His life would literally transform the lives of every man, woman, and child for the rest of human history!!!

THAT is why we celebrate Christmas. THAT is why as Christians, we SHOULD celebrate Christmas!!!

I realize that people who say not to celebrate Christmas mean well, and are trying to live their lives in a way pleasing and acceptable to God. Sadly, they are missing the great joy of this time of year. I know they are well intentioned and many of the things they point out about Christmas are true, but they have missed the point of Christmas. Christmas is about only one thing, celebrating the birth of Jesus. It is one of those times of the year that we gather with family and friends and share our faith in Christ. That alone is a great reason we should be celebrating Christmas.

Christmas is also VERY BIBLICAL. Luke chapter 2 gives us the account of His birth. That was the very first Christmas. Of course Mary was there, as was Joseph. We also read about several shepherds that God spoke to who were part of that first Christmas. Now, some 2,000 years later, we will set aside time in the coming days to do what they did at that first Christmas...to celebrate the birth Jesus!

I pray today that you will never forget what Christmas is really about, and why we celebrate this holiday. Of course, anything that the world gets involved with becomes perverted. The world has taken this sacred time of the year and turned it into a time of commerce. We must never allow ourselves to get so caught up in the parties, the gifts, the food, and all of the other things associated with the Christmas season to forget what it is about....a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. THAT is what Christmas is really about, and THAT is why as Christians, we SHOULD celebrate this wonderful event!!!