My friend told me that Christmas is pagan. Is that true?
Here's the answer:
Christmas may have some pagan, or non-Christian, roots, but it is not a pagan holiday. At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus' birth!
The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the Savior into the world. Jesus is also known as Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). This helps us to know that God left heaven to be with us and redeem our souls. This is what we are celebrating on Christmas: the birth of our Savior and Lord. Without His coming into the world, we would be lost in our sins.
Those who say Christmas is a pagan holiday might be thinking about its connections to the winter solstice and the pagan holiday of Saturnalia. While there is some connection to symbols in the non-Christian holidays, the holiday Christmas is not the same as the pagan worship of the winter solstice or Saturnalia. These were pagan holidays that occurred around modern-day Christmas, but they are not the same as what we are celebrating today.
As Christians, we are celebrating the anniversary of Jesus’birth in the world. When your friend tells you that Christmas is a pagan holiday, you have the chance to tell them the truth about the holiday, as well as the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 3:16–17).
Bible Truth
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
"A child will be born to us. A son will be given to us. He will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
