Holiday? Holyday? Does It Matter?

Billed as "the season of giving," Christmas is widely viewed as the main time of year for family festivities, including sumptuous meals, decorating homes and exchanging gifts. In the marketplace are the ubiquitous Santa Clauses and the incessant ringing of bells by volunteers collecting donations for the Salvation Army. Christmas songs dominate the airwaves and heartwarming Christmas movies abound on television. Could anyone find fault with such enjoyable traditions?

"A familiar Christmas song captures "the spirit of Christmas"—that warm, fuzzy feeling that is promoted in virtually every segment of Western culture this time of year:City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style. In the air there's a feeling of Christmas. Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile. And on every Street corner you'll hear Silver Bells, Silver Bells. It's Christmas time in the city."

Billed as "the season of giving," Christmas is widely viewed as the main time of year for family festivities, including sumptuous meals, decorating homes and exchanging gifts. In the marketplace are the ubiquitous Santa Clauses and the incessant ringing of bells by volunteers collecting donations for the Salvation Army. Christmas songs dominate the airwaves and heartwarming Christmas movies abound on television.

Could anyone find fault with such enjoyable traditions?

Of course, all of us see the obvious downside of this occasion: traffic jams, long lines at shopping malls, increased domestic violence and, of course, the financial hangover in January when the credit card bills come due.

But there are more notable reasons why even Christians decline celebrating Christmas. For example, the very first settlers of the United States, known as Puritans for their desire to "purify" the Church of England, "... disapproved of Christmas and Easter on the grounds that these holidays were invented by man and not prescribed by the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ., and as such could not be Holy…The Puritans particularly had trouble with the 'date' of Christ's birth, noting that the early Church fathers had simply co-opted the mid-winter celebrations of several pagan societies, which was … true" ( www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/History/The_Puritans.htm ).

Many today might consider these Puritan objections as extremist. Yet a growing number of objections to Christmas celebrations in schools have recently made the news. Some schools even canceled Christmas programs.

I am always happy to assist others in learning the biblical reasons for opting not to observe Christmas that my family and I have learned. We understand that, from a biblical perspective, there is nothing wrong with giving gifts or having family get-togethers. It's just too bad that these family occasions so often are associated with non-Christian traditions.

But that is destined to change. The coming Kingdom of God will be ruled by Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords (John 18:36-37 [36] Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
[37] Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

See All...; RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
See All...). Once His rule is established, true biblical teachings will become the way of life that the whole world will follow. “Many nations will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord ... He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
See All..., New International Version).

The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. outlines seven annual Festivals and Holy Days with traditions and customs designed to teach us about Christ's coming Kingdom and other important truths related to the plan of God.

An example that illustrates why human traditions often are unreliable is the Christmas nativity scene that portrays "the wise men" giving gifts to Christ in honor of His birth. But that was not their reason. The Expositors BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. Commentary points out, " Bringing gifts was particularly important in the ancient East when approaching a superior (cf. Gen 43:11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
See All...; 1Sam 9:7-8; 1 Kings 10:2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
See All...)". These gifts were given, not to celebrate Jesus' birth, but in recognition of His destiny to be a King (Matthew 2:1-2 [1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
[2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

See All..., 11, Luke 1:31-33 [31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father DavidKing of Israel, killed the giant Goliath with a sling and stones, a man after God's own heart, only turned from God in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5), had an affair with Bathsheba, Messiah would come from line of David, main author of Psalms and highly musical.:
[33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

See All...).

As Jesus told Pilate, "You say that I am a king, and you are right, I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true" (John 18:37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
See All..., New Living Translation, emphasis added).

The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. never tells us to celebrate Christ's birth. That the shepherds were still in the fields at the time of His birth (Luke 2:8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
See All...) also indicates that He was born in the fall, not the dead of winter when Christmas is celebrated.

Some speculate that Jesus may have been born on or near the biblical Feast of Tabernacles. That is possible since this biblical festival offers a foretaste of the happy conditions on earth during the millennial rule of Jesus Christ.

It may surprise you, but many Christians still celebrate this annual biblical festival with family get-togethers, special meals and the giving of gifts. It is a joyous family time; but more importantly, it is a time for learning BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. truths by participating in these and other BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ.-based customs. The same can be said for all of the Holy Days of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ..