The annual celebration of Christmas is widely embraced across the world by people of various beliefs, marked by glitzy lights, special foods, carols, parties, and gift-giving. However, there is a sense of oversaturation with the festive cheer and its trappings, leading to a desire for the season to end. Many customs and traditions associated with Christmas have origins that are not aligned with the biblical narrative. There is no command from God in Scripture to observe a festival for the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 or any other specific date. Instead, the emphasis is placed on commemorating His death through the observance of Passover. Some argue that celebrating Christmas is acceptable as it honors Christ, regardless of its historical or cultural roots. Others attempt to justify the date of December 25 by linking it to historical calculations, though these are often based on misinterpretations of priestly courses and holy day observances. Evidence suggests that the timing of Jesus Christ's conception and birth does not align with December 25, placing His birth more likely during the fall holy day season. The proximity of December 25 to ancient pagan festivals is acknowledged by some Christian scholars, who argue that the modern meaning of Christmas has overshadowed any past connotations, asserting that marking the birth of Christ is worthy of celebration despite historical inaccuracies.

Christmas is only days away following the winter solstice, which used to coincide with it. However, due to calendar inexactitude, the solstice has shifted forward over centuries. Some celebrate Christmas in the heat of summer for different reasons. Christmas-keeping Christians have been defending the holiday against atheists, agnostics, and others who push for the removal of religious elements from celebrations. These groups advocate for using "Holiday" instead of "Christmas" and prefer winter music over traditional Christmas carols. Legal battles have occurred over Christmas crèches on public property and the right to sing religious songs like "Silent Night" in school concerts. Ironically, Christians defend Christmas, which lacks biblical authority. The holiday's materialism and syncretism have helped secularize it. The only scriptural basis for Christmas is the birth of Jesus in Matthew and Luke, but these accounts do not support a winter birth. December marks the rainy season in Palestine, making it unlikely for shepherds to be in the fields at night. Most scholars suggest Jesus was born in the autumn, possibly near the fall festivals. Traditional Nativity scenes often inaccurately depict the events. The Gospels do not specify three wise men; this assumption comes from the three gifts mentioned. When the wise men arrived, Jesus was a young child in a house, not a newborn in a manger. The timing of the wise men's visit, possibly weeks or months after the birth, is often misrepresented in manger scenes alongside the shepherds' visit. None of the participants in the Nativity wore halos. The Bible's information on Christ's birth is limited to these few scenes. Neither Mark nor John add to Matthew and Luke's accounts, focusing instead on Jesus' baptism and later life. Jesus' birth is less significant than His ministry, death, and resurrection. The controversy over Christmas centers on its truthfulness, which the biblical facts refute. Celebrating a falsehood, even in dedication to Jesus, is still a lie and not honoring to Him. Keeping His commandments is more honoring than observing a false holiday.

Christmas is a bundle of contradictions, inanities, and outright lies. Most people are aware that Jesus could not have been born around the winter solstice. In the early fourth century, the Catholic Church combined the Roman winter solstice festival, the Saturnalia, with a celebration of Jesus' birth to help new converts adjust to Christianity. Keeping a celebration to Christ on a day that is not His birthday with customs and traditions that derive from paganism is from the evil one. It is a lie, and the Devil is the father of it. The phrase, "Let's put Christ back into Christmas!" is self-contradictory because Christ was never in it to begin with. The Bible does not command or suggest commemorating the Savior's birth. Christians around the world keep days and festivals never once enjoined on them in God's Word, yet ignore the ones God tells them to keep. The modern Santa Claus, based on the English Father Christmas, the German Kris Kringle, and the early Catholic Saint Nicholas, has no biblical basis and does not appear in the gospel narratives of Jesus' birth. The alternate name for the season, Yule, comes from a pagan midwinter festival. The Yule log hearkens back to the heathen practice of driving away evil spirits with bonfires on the night of the winter solstice. Christmas continues because human nature deceives itself into practicing things that are not right because they are enjoyable, allows people to justify self-contradictory things because they appear to benefit them, and if a religious significance can be attached to it, all the better.

Christmas, often marked by greetings of seasonal cheer, reveals a stark contradiction as December emerges as the most depressing time of the year for many. Despite the overdone jollity, the holiday season is filled with angst, frustration, and disappointment, leading to negative emotions that many struggle to handle. The central focus of Christmas has shifted to gift-giving and receiving, with little emphasis on worshipping Christ. This practice often carries an element of obligation, causing apprehension, as the common motive for giving gifts is to ensure receiving them in return. The commercialization of Christmas further fuels selfish desires, as advertisements promise disappointment if these desires are not fulfilled. Additionally, the financial burden of purchasing gifts creates headaches and fears, with many maxing out credit cards and facing long-term debt. This season, rooted in earthly and sensual motives, fosters bitter envy and self-seeking, producing confusion and every evil thing. Beneath the thin veneer of cheer lies gloom, anxiety, and hopelessness, reflecting a holiday that does not align with godly principles.

The practice of using a Christmas tree, as we know it today, mirrors the carved idols described in Jeremiah's writings. This custom, linked to the signs of heaven much like the winter solstice, reflects a pagan origin despite modern unawareness of this connection. The scriptures in Jeremiah, primarily prophetic and relevant to our time, address common modern customs, including the use of a tree, which is labeled as the way of the Gentiles. We are instructed not to learn or follow such practices, as this passage clearly identifies using a tree in this manner as idolatry, violating the fundamental commandment against idolatry found in Exodus.

Many years ago, the subject of Christmas arose in conversations, revealing astonishment from others when I shared that I do not celebrate it. Neighbors, upon presenting Christmas gifts, were stunned to learn of our stance, questioning our belief in God when they noticed the absence of a Christmas tree and decorations in our home. The question remains, where is the truth in Christmas? What is the Christmas spirit, and where does it originate? Nowhere in God's Word is there a command to celebrate Jesus' birth, though He instructs us to commemorate His death. When asked why I do not celebrate Christmas, I often counter by asking why others do, pointing out the inconsistency of giving gifts to everyone but Him on what is considered His birthday, unlike the wise men who brought gifts directly to Him. Harper's Bible Dictionary notes that Christmas, celebrated on December 25 by most churches, commemorates Jesus' birth, though the actual date is unknown, and there is no evidence of its celebration before the third century. No scriptural support exists for a command to observe Christ's birth, nor is there proof of Him being born in December. In contrast, numerous scriptures detail the observance of God's feasts, specifying how and when to keep them, suggesting that the spirit behind Christmas does not align with God's. Traditional Christmas practices also raise concerns. The story of Santa Claus, with gifts made by elves at the North Pole and delivered by flying reindeer in one night, is a clear fabrication, even if adults dismiss it as harmless fun. The modern portrayal of Santa rewarding good children echoes a disregard for God's law and judgment. The evergreen tree, a central symbol of Christmas, has origins in pagan practices, with historical accounts linking it to wood spirits, pre-Christian symbols, and other non-biblical associations, lacking any authority from God's Word. God expresses disdain for human-instituted feast days, which can include holidays like Christmas, where worship of Him and Christ is mixed with pagan traditions. The notion to "Keep Christ in Christmas" is unfounded, as He was never part of it. The Bible warns against adding to its instructions, and Christmas, with its pagan roots, is not a biblical festival. Testing the spirit behind such practices against the truth of God's Word reveals that Christmas does not reflect His truth and thus cannot be a work of God. Not celebrating Christmas, when guided by truth, is far from crazy.

Christmas is a bundle of contradictions, inanities, and outright lies, a fact that many people are aware of yet often ignore. The celebration, commonly associated with December 25, is not the true date of Jesus Christ's birth, as He could not have been born around the winter solstice. In the early fourth century, the celebration was combined with the Roman winter solstice festival, the Saturnalia, to ease new converts into Christianity. Despite this, the contradictions persist, as keeping a celebration of Christ's birth on a day that is not His birthday, with customs derived from paganism, is considered a lie. The phrase "Let's put Christ back into Christmas!" is laughable, as there is no biblical command or suggestion to commemorate the Savior's birth. The alternate name for the season, Yule, also stems from a pagan midwinter festival, further highlighting the contradictions with practices like the Yule log, which hearkens back to heathen bonfires meant to drive away evil spirits. The pagan origins of Christmas are well-documented, raising questions about why Christians continue to celebrate a day that has been anti-God from the beginning. The celebration continues because human nature deceives itself into practicing enjoyable things that are not right, justifying self-contradictory actions for personal benefit or festivity, even when truth is disregarded. Additionally, many Christians feel different during this season for not celebrating Christmas, standing out as a minority without decorations or participation in holiday events, reflecting a calling to be set apart from worldly traditions.

Christmas, as observed on December 25, does not align with the actual birth date of Jesus Christ. Clues in the Bible suggest His birth occurred in the second half of September, around the fall holy days, based on calculations related to John the Baptist's birth in late March. The Bible does not specify the exact day of His birth, and early Christians showed little concern for it, as evidenced by the earliest gospel beginning with His baptism as an adult. The origins of Christmas trace back to Saturnalia, a pagan Roman festival from December 17-25 marked by lawlessness, vandalism, and human sacrifice. Practices during this time included widespread drunkenness and other immoral behaviors. After Constantine's conversion, pagans were allowed to continue celebrating Saturnalia by reassigning December 25 as Jesus' birthday, replacing the worship of Sol Invictus, though the practices remained largely unchanged. Many Christmas traditions are rooted in paganism. Christmas trees stem from pagan tree worship, and mistletoe, used by ancient Druids for mystical purposes, blends Saturnalia's excesses with Druidic customs. Gift-giving, linked to an early bishop named Nicholas, evolved through syncretism with pagan figures like Woden, eventually forming the modern Santa Claus, further shaped by cultural and commercial influences. December 25 also marks the winter solstice, a day historically venerated by pagans for sun god worship across various ancient cultures, long before Jesus Christ entered the world. Additionally, Christmas heavily emphasizes commercialism, with significant spending on gifts despite financial struggles, and some view this commercial aspect as integral to the holiday's joy. Ultimately, the celebration of Christmas is seen as founded on falsehoods, from rebranding pagan sun worship to creating myths around Santa Claus, with no basis in righteousness.

Where did we get Christmas? It is a custom that has come to the world from the Roman Catholic Church, not from the Bible or the original apostles who were personally instructed by Christ. Historical authorities, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1911, reveal that Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church, with the first evidence of the feast appearing in Egypt, where pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to it. Encyclopaedia Britannica of 1946 confirms that Christmas was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, but was picked up from paganism in the fourth century. The Encyclopedia Americana of 1944 notes that a feast in memory of Christ's birth was established in the fourth century, and by the fifth century, the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol. Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first two or three hundred years. It entered the Western, or Roman, Church by the fourth century AD, and was not officially celebrated as a Christian festival until the fifth century. The date of December 25th aligns with the pagan festival of Brumalia, following the Saturnalia, celebrating the shortest day of the year and the 'new sun.' The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains that the pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too entrenched in popular custom to be set aside, leading Christians to continue the celebration with little change in spirit or manner, despite protests from some Christian preachers against the frivolity. The real origin of Christmas traces back to ancient Babylon, stemming from the Babylonish system founded by Nimrod. After Nimrod's death, his mother-wife Semiramis claimed an evergreen tree sprang from a dead stump, symbolizing Nimrod's new life, and on each anniversary of his birth, December 25th, he would visit the tree and leave gifts. This is the origin of the Christmas tree. Through generations, this idolatrous worship spread worldwide under various names, becoming popularized during the fourth and fifth centuries as pagans accepted Christianity, cloaking their old customs with new names. Customs like the holly wreath, mistletoe, and Yule log are relics of pre-Christian times, tied to pagan festivals of the winter solstice. Mistletoe was considered sacred to the sun for its supposed healing power, and holly berries were also sacred to the sun-god. The Yule log, meaning 'wheel,' is a pagan symbol of the sun. Even the lighting of fires and candles during Christmas continues the pagan custom of encouraging the waning sun-god. The Encyclopedia Americana states that these elements are remnants of paganism. The figure of Santa Claus, a corruption of St. Nicholas, a fifth-century Roman Catholic bishop, is tied to the custom of giving presents on the eve of St. Nicholas, later transferred to Christmas day, as noted in Encyclopaedia Britannica. This practice, too, has pagan roots and is not aligned with honoring Christ. The custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas does not stem from a biblical basis but from pagan traditions like the Saturnalia, as historical sources such as the Bibliotheca Sacra confirm. This practice focuses on trading gifts among friends and relatives rather than honoring Christ, often neglecting His cause during the season. Christmas has become a commercial season, driven by heavy retail advertising and the creation of a deceptive 'Christmas spirit' to sell merchandise, rather than to honor Christ. Billions of dollars are spent in this merchandising spree every year, while the cause of Christ suffers.

Many people are well aware of the tainted origin and history of Christmas, yet this holiday flourishes in the materialistic Western world, spreading its revelry globally. Despite widespread information on the Internet, in magazines, newspapers, and newscasts revealing its non-Christian background, Christmas remains a quagmire of deceptive traditions, blending pagan rites with Christian themes. Historical sources indicate that Christmas was not observed by Christians from the time of Christ until about AD 300. During the 4th century, pagan celebrations like Saturnalia and Brumalia persisted among Romans, and it was only later that the winter solstice festival, originally honoring the sun god, was reframed as the birthday of the Son of God. Christmas is characterized by decadence, lying, greed, cavorting, drunkenness, gluttony, and even murder, offering no true worship of God and Jesus Christ. The practice of gift-giving during Christmas, often justified as mirroring the gifts given to Christ, is rooted in ancient pagan customs rather than historical accuracy, as the gifts to Him were given much later to honor a King, not to celebrate a birth. This holiday turns people's hearts away from God, encouraging self-gratification and covetousness, contrary to the spiritual growth fostered by God's commanded holy days. Christmas, with its many associated lies and ungodly practices, cannot produce the purity of character God desires, leading instead to sin and crime, and standing in stark contrast to the peace, joy, and hope of God's true feast days.

Here in America, Christmas is observed with dazzling lights, greenery, and jolly Santas on every corner, presenting a beautiful and enticing surface of harmless entertainment. However, the customs of using evergreens, such as putting up a Christmas tree, tacking a wreath on the door, or hanging mistletoe, carry deeper significance tied to ancient fears of darkness and evil spirits. The brilliant lights, often seen criss-crossing roofs and decorating neighborhoods, are embraced by satan as a means to misguide humanity, rather than repelling evil as once believed. Additionally, the tradition of giving dolls to children during Christmas, a practice inspired by heathen customs, has roots in ancient rituals and fairs, reflecting a deceptive allure crafted by satan. These elements—beautiful evergreen trees, islands of light, and cute little dolls—mask the true nature of the celebration, leading one away from God and towards conformity with the ways of an evil world. Even researchers recognize Christmas as a pagan festival, raising the question of whether its observance aligns with true integrity.

Christmas, as a widely celebrated holiday, reveals a striking contradiction in its observance across the globe. Despite claims of Judeo-Christian roots, the festival is nowhere mentioned in the Bible, except for the story of Jesus' birth in the book of Luke. Its origins are acknowledged as pagan by some clergy, yet they often dismiss this as inconsequential. The global appeal of Christmas is evident, extending beyond Christian or Israelite nations to places like Japan, where Shintoism predominates, and the holiday is marked by extravagant decorations and commercial fervor rather than religious significance. The inclusion of Christmas in worship raises questions about its legitimacy. God does not mention it in His Word, nor does He command its celebration. Instead, He warns against adding traditions of the heathen to His worship. The fruits of keeping Christmas have not glorified God or clarified spiritual life; rather, its introduction into Christianity was a strategic move to gain converts from paganism, leading people away from the truth. Scripture emphasizes not to add to or subtract from God's Word, indicating that celebrating Christmas is a form of syncretism that dilutes the purity of God-given religion. Ultimately, it makes a significant difference whether or not Christmas is observed. God's Word labels such additions as a snare and vanity, urging a careful adherence to what He has commanded. Continuing to celebrate Christmas, despite knowing its origins and lack of biblical support, risks straying from the path to God's Kingdom.

Next Wednesday is Christmas, a day often viewed through a religious lens, yet its roots trace back to pagan festivals. Over the years, I have addressed Christmas from various perspectives, and today I approach this holiday from a unique angle, focusing on its historical connections to sun worship. A common thread running through many religious festivals, including Christmas, is their origin in pagan traditions, often intertwined with themes of fertility and revelry. Satan has deceived the world into observing these pagan days under the guise of worshiping the Son of God, hiding in plain sight by tying them to sun worship. Christmas ties into the ancient worship of Nimrod, a mighty hunter who became a king, and his queen Semiramis, who, after his death, bore a son and convinced followers he was Nimrod reincarnated. This mother and child worship spread globally, with names changing across cultures, linking to sun deities like Tammuz, Adonis, and Bacchus, all associated with December 25, the winter solstice in the old Roman calendar. During the twelve days surrounding this solstice, societal rules were abandoned, leading to unrestrained celebrations. Historical accounts reveal that early Christian missionaries encountered societies already worshiping a mother and child, intertwined with sun worship, long before their arrival. Ancient texts and myths speak of celestial virgins impregnated by sunbeams, paralleling the origins of sun gods like Orion, another name for Nimrod, deified as a sun god. Satan, aware of prophecies about a Child to be born, preemptively inserted these pagan beliefs to cloud their origins and meld them with emerging Christian practices, giving holidays like Christmas an appealing cloak of legitimacy. By the third century, the church reemerging from historical obscurity had appropriated much of paganism, including celebrating the birth of a sun god on December 25, as seen in the practices of Mithra followers who held rituals strikingly similar to later Christian observances. Historical writings note that sun worshippers, converting to Christianity, likely carried remnants of their old beliefs, influencing the date and customs of Christmas, aligning it with the festival of a popular sun god in Rome. God's anger toward such syncretism is evident in scriptural accounts where Israel, seduced by pagan practices linked to sun gods like Baal of Peor, faced divine wrath, underscoring a stern warning against celebrating holidays with pagan roots like Christmas.

The celebration of Christmas is marked by a variety of terms and traditions that carry deep historical and cultural significance. Words like Yule, Yuletide, Noël, the Nativity, Advent, and the Feast of the Incarnation are commonly used during this season. Among these, Yule and Yuletide are derived from the Old English word géol, referring to a twelve-day winter festival of feasting, drinking, and sacrificing observed by Germanic peoples in northern Europe. Yule is tied to pagan origins, associated with the Norse god Odin, known as Yule Father or the Yule One, and includes traditions like the Yule log, eating ham as the Yule boar, and singing carols on Christmas. Yuletide denotes the season of Yule, linked to pagan practices such as the Wild Hunt and the Anglo-Saxon Modranicht, an all-female fertility rite on what is now Christmas Eve. Noël, derived from the Latin natalis meaning "of the birth," identifies both the day of Christmas and the preceding season, echoing Rome's winter festival, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the Day of the Birth of the Unconquered Sun, celebrated on the winter solstice. Advent, beginning the liturgical calendar on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, involves modern practices like keeping an Advent calendar, lighting a wreath, giving gifts, praying devotionals, setting up decorations, singing carols, and attending special services. Some observe a forty-day fast before Christmas, though the term Advent, from the Latin adventus meaning "coming," lacks a basis in biblical mandates for such a celebration. Christmas itself, derived from the Anglo-Saxon Cristes Maesse or Mass of Christ, carries connotations of a religious ceremony. The Feast of the Incarnation might be a more fitting name for the holiday, avoiding implications of repeated sacrifice tied to the term Christmas, and focusing instead on the commemoration of His coming in the flesh. The names and practices surrounding Christmas reveal a blend of historical, cultural, and seasonal elements that define the holiday's observance.

This time of solstice celebrations brings an ironic humor amidst the weariness for those called out of worldly paganism. The American Family Association launched a boycott against Target stores due to the absence of the word Christmas in their marketing, noting that this year marked a significant elimination of such references by major retailers. Yet, there is a contradiction in the clamor for a less commercial Christmas in past decades, now replaced by a push to reinforce the retail-religion connection. Christmas seems at risk of fading if not annually revived through seasonal advertising. An annual cultural altercation emerges during this period, possibly driven by hypersensitivity among mainstream groups tired of losing ground to secular influences, or a sense of events spiraling out of control. Questions abound on how Christmas should be observed—whether Santa Claus should share a scene with the infant Jesus, if gifts should be exchanged, and where the line lies between acceptable and shameful consumerism. Issues like displaying mistletoe or determining which era's traditional Christmas is more correct further complicate the matter. Without clear guidance from God, unlike His defined holy days, Christmas observance remains subject to personal interpretation and shifting cultural traditions. Lacking authentic biblical roots, there is no definitive way to describe how Christmas should be celebrated, leaving each person with a different reason for the season. The debate over Christmas is unlikely to resolve soon, and regardless of the outcome, the underlying focus remains on human preference rather than divine instruction. This season, with or without a religious veneer, reflects man's insistence on following his own way, disregarding truth.

The celebration of Christmas on December 25 is marked by widespread participation, yet it lacks a foundation in biblical instruction. There is no directive in either Testament to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ with an annual celebration. Instead, Jesus Himself emphasizes remembering His death rather than His birth. The date of December 25 is inaccurate for His birth, as shepherds in Palestine would have their flocks indoors by October due to the cold, rainy season of late fall and winter. Additionally, elements associated with Christmas, such as Santa Claus, who is based on the fourth-century Saint Nicholas of Myra, and other symbols like reindeer, mistletoe, Christmas trees, and Yule logs, stem from pre-Christian traditions and overactive imaginations rather than the true account of Jesus' birth. The biblical narrative of His birth has been merged into a non-Christian festival, obscured by an incorrect date and misleading depictions. Worshipping God through such inaccuracies raises concerns, as God is truth and abhors deceit, while human nature often resists His will and embraces deception.

Christmas in America has become a battleground, revealing the pagan origins of this esteemed tradition. The timing and trappings of this celebration, centered on December 25th, long predate Christianity and are tied to sun-worship across many millennia. These pagan roots are so well-documented that it raises the question of why Christians attempt to Christianize a practice that has been blatantly anti-God from its inception. Christmas, while not involving physical child-sacrifice, still carries the stench of idolatry by replacing the true worship of God with a false one. The Bible does not specify when Jesus Christ was born, nor does it provide instruction or example for celebrating His birth, indicating that such celebrations stem from paganism rather than divine guidance. This syncretism reflects a form of worship that draws near to God with words but remains far from Him in heart, prioritizing human tradition over divine commandment.

We are approaching the time of year when the world celebrates the supposed birth of Jesus Christ. Anywhere we go, Christmas cheer is inescapable. For most of us in the church of God, this is a season we struggle through, as we do not celebrate Christmas, often standing out in a crowd. This difference piques the curiosity of some, who may ask why we do not keep it. Christmas is founded on the premise that Jesus was born on December 25, yet a person striving to follow the Bible will see that this celebration is based upon falsehood. The Christmas season promotes a lie concerning the date of His birth. We need to do more than reject the world's explanation; we must study, know, prove, and follow what is true.

Members of God's church do not celebrate Christmas or New Year's Day due to the absence of a biblical command to do so and the divine command to avoid pagan practices, which these holidays embody in abundance. The Christmas season presents challenges for God's people, becoming both easier and harder each year as society and advertising amplify its promotion for profit. Local charities report declining donations, while businesses selling luxury items enjoy bumper Christmas seasons, raising questions about the true spirit of giving during this time. This season is particularly difficult for the young people in the church, who face a natural desire to belong among peers at school and in their neighborhoods. The pressure to conform during Christmas parties, plays, concerts, and crafts, or to feel different for not having Christmas lights on their homes, weighs heavily on them. Adults in the church recognize these struggles, understanding the allure that satan crafts to make his holidays attractive to children. Young people are encouraged to seek support from parents and church friends to combat feelings of isolation during this time. Despite not observing Christmas, God's church affirms the biblical record of Jesus Christ's human birth as true, though nowhere in Scripture is there a command to celebrate His birthday. Jesus, the apostles, and the early church kept the holy days commanded by God, not holidays like Christmas, which are absent from New Testament practice. God will richly bless the youth for rejecting these wrong holidays and enduring the trials of the Christmas season, standing firm in His truth and keeping His true holy days. The church supports one another through this challenging two-month period, looking forward to the joy of resuming God's feasts soon after.

Christmas, as a Christian holiday, is surrounded by falsehoods and deceptions that obscure its true meaning in relation to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Elements such as evergreen trees, Yule logs, holly wreaths, mistletoe, and Santa Claus bear no connection to our spiritual bond with Him. This holiday, flourishing in the materialistic Western world, is a syncretistic blend of pagan rites and Christian themes, which is abhorrent to God. Its origins trace back to Babylon with figures like Nimrod and Semiramis, where beliefs in Nimrod's deification and the symbolism of an evergreen tree tied to his rebirth on the winter solstice laid the foundation for December celebrations. Pagan festivals like Saturnalia, marked by riotous feasting and orgies, further shaped these traditions. Historically, Christmas was not observed by Christians until around AD 300. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity facilitated the merging of the pagan winter solstice festival on December 25 with the celebration of the Son of God, renaming the day of the sun god's birth as Christmas. By the fifth century, the Roman Catholic Church officially designated December 25 as the day to observe Christ's birth, aligning it with the old Roman feast of Sol. In England, pre-Christian festivals on December 25 and pagan practices were blended into Christmas, despite opposition during the Reformation and Puritan bans in the 1600s. Its popularity later resurged in the nineteenth century with royal endorsements of Christmas trees. In America, Christmas faced resistance from Puritans in the seventeenth century, but German and Dutch settlers introduced customs like the Christmas tree and St. Nicholas. By 1836, it became a legal holiday in Alabama, eventually spreading nationwide as a festival of gift-giving and unrestrained feasting, echoing ancient pagan celebrations. The history and traditions of Christmas, rooted in paganism, stand in contrast to the purity and spiritual growth God desires, turning hearts away from Him through self-gratification and revelry.

Bobby's condition declined noticeably after Christmas, when his parents gave him a gun as a gift, disturbingly the same one his brother Stuart had used to commit suicide. This thoughtless act by his parents, showing no regard for whether the gift was fitting or well-received, mirrors a broader issue of self-centeredness. Similarly, little thought is given to whether God views the celebration of Christmas as acceptable worship. Professing Christians have celebrated Christmas since the fourth century, assuming it pleases God because it pleases men. However, Christmas contains no truth beyond the fact that the Son of God was born of a woman, and it did not occur in the dead of winter when shepherds would have deserted the fields. There is no example of the early church celebrating the birth date of Jesus Christ, nor divine instruction to do so. Instead, the Bible instructs Christians to commemorate His death at Passover, which many avoid. Despite the well-known pagan origins of Christmas and its alignment with solstice celebrations, there remains belligerence and defensiveness when its appropriateness is questioned. Defenders assume that since it is done to honor God, He must feel honored, yet the Son is not well-pleased with these gestures rooted in falsehood. Like Bobby's tragic gift, the celebration of Christmas carries an unwritten imperative of self-centeredness, adding insult to injury by repeating it yearly.

This present world system has attempted to change God's Sabbath and holy days, syncretizing them into corrupt worship and establishing their own counterfeit holidays. Though the Bible makes no direct references to Christmas, the origins of such pagan holidays are mentioned as being abominations to God. It matters that most of this world's holidays are based on fables, myths, and lies, and a true Christian does not associate with lies but seeks after truth in all aspects of life. The Bible is clear that we should avoid, flee, or turn away from the ways of this world, including its celebrations, and beware of their entry into the church of God. If everyone obeyed God by refusing to keep pagan holidays, one of satan's ploys to obscure God's plan for mankind would be thwarted.

Despite the secularization of society, curiosity about the historical basis for Jesus Christ's life peaks during Christmas, a time when He is considered the central figure of the celebration. The vast majority of mainstream Christians observe Christmas on December 25 or January 6, depending on denominational ties, though many acknowledge that evidence for this early winter date is limited. Few regard the specific date as crucial, focusing instead on commemorating the advent of the Son of God into the world. In the lead-up to Christmas, media often highlight the holiday's inconsistencies, noting that traditions like Christmas trees, yule logs, mistletoe, and decorative lights lack biblical roots and stem from pagan practices. Santa Claus, a blend of Saint Nicolas and old Germanic and Scandinavian traditions, further illustrates these non-biblical origins. More serious discussions focus on the date and historical sources of Jesus' birth, with scholars like Andrew McGowan concluding that the origin of December 25 as Christmas remains uncertain. Historical records show that Christian leaders did not celebrate Christ's birth until well into the late-third century, and earlier dates proposed for the Nativity often fell in spring, not winter. By the fourth century, December 25 in the Roman West and January 6 in the East emerged as recognized dates for Jesus' birth. Theories about the choice of December 25 include its connection to Roman pagan festivals like Saturnalia and the feast of Sol Invictus, established on that date in 274 C.E. Though some scholars question intentional blending of pagan and Christian elements before the mid-fourth century, evidence suggests Christians later adapted pagan festivals. Another theory ties the date to ancient beliefs about divine symmetry, linking Jesus' conception and death to March 25, exactly nine months before December 25.

Hardly anything more clearly illustrates the self-deceived perverseness of human nature than its presumptuous additions of the observation of Christmas to the worship of the God of the Bible. That Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea is indisputable, but among other things, He was not born on December 25, nor did anybody exchange gifts on that date. Scripture nowhere says there were three wise men, and they clearly gave gifts only to Christ as King. The addition of Christmas to Christianity happened so long ago that most accept it as part of the Christian religion, and people celebrate it without thought. Beyond what has been mentioned regarding this day, where in God's Word does He command us to believe and do these commonly accepted practices? Men have presumptuously taken them upon themselves. Nevertheless, adding to so-called Christian beliefs has not ended; in fact, it is still happening.

The world around us celebrates Advent, a month-long buildup to Christmas, which some treat as a time of intense prayer and fasting, though most nominal Christians merely erect a Christmas tree and decorate with traditional greenery. Manger scenes appear at churches and in yards, competing with glowing Santa Clauses, animatronic reindeer, candy canes, and colorful lights, while Christmas carols extolling this glorious Child and telling the story of His birth are heard everywhere. Despite efforts to revive Advent among Protestants to put Christ back in Christmas, the venture seems futile, as many who call themselves Christians only attend church on Christmas Eve and Easter, if at all, while still engaging in festive traditions like decorating, gift-giving, singing carols, and watching seasonal films. The Bible nowhere commands or hints at celebrating the day of His birth, and Jesus' birth did not occur on December 25, nor can history or scholarship pinpoint an exact day. Had God wanted us to observe Jesus' birth, He would have made His birthday plain in Scripture. Instead, Scripture directs us to consider fruits and accomplishments, emphasizing that while Jesus' coming as a human was essential, His birth was merely a beginning, with His real work and finished mission yet to come.

As the holiday season approaches, it stirs deep memories and emotions tied to what many were taught was the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. For those who grew up in traditional Christianity, this time is not just about decorations or music, but about family, belonging, and nostalgia. However, upon reading God's word for themselves, many began to notice a disconnect between the traditions they knew and what Scripture reveals. The practices associated with this season, often embraced with sincere intent, do not align with God's instructions. The issue extends beyond mere celebration to the broader concept of worship foreign to God. Scripture warns against adopting practices not commanded by Him, labeling them as strange or profane. Such worship, even if well-intentioned, is unauthorized and disregards God's clear directives. Modern Christianity often blends ancient customs with new names, presenting them as acceptable, yet God has consistently condemned such mixtures, insisting on worship according to His defined way. This season serves as a reminder of the deeper issue within systems of belief that prioritize human tradition over God's authority. It is not merely about specific holidays, but about an entire framework of worship that has become unrecognizable to God. The call is to return to worship as He designed it, rejecting foreign customs and embracing obedience to His commands. The trappings of the season, with their warm nostalgic emotions, can be a subtle pull away from God's truth, urging a constant focus on living according to His will and authority.

The Christmas season extends over twelve days, culminating on January 6, which is observed by some as Christmas Day but more commonly as the Feast of Epiphany. This day commemorates the visit of the wise men, often called magi, to the infant Jesus at Bethlehem, an event detailed in Matthew 2. The account raises questions about the identity of these magi, their origins, and the nature of the star that guided them. The magi, coming from a distant land in the East, were likely not pagan astrologers, as they knew in advance whom they would visit and intended to worship Him. The star that led them was of miraculous origin, able to move and stand over the specific place where the young Child was, suggesting it might have been an angel rather than a physical star. Historical and biblical evidence points to these magi as God-fearing descendants of the exiled house of Israel, led miraculously to Bethlehem and divinely warned to return to their homeland after their visit.