Nearly every year for the past 15 or so I run into some religious legal zealot who insists that anyone who celebrates Christmas, with the traditional decor, is indulging in pagan practices. So let's look at the root of these claims. First it's pretty obvious that Jesus was not born in December, that issue has been around for a very long time. Shepherds were in the fields and they would not be in December. There are typically two different holidays associated with the December celebrations. Saturnalia, a Roman holiday to the god Saturn, or the birth of Nimrod. Some believe that Nimrod is also the person recorded in the epic of Gilgamesh.
History is not clear but many believe that Nimrod may have been king or a king during the construction of Babel. It really does not matter. I will accept that the "original" celebration in December had nothing to do with God. But God is almighty and He has a very interesting sense of humor.
In East Berlin, shortly after the Soviet Union took control, the Soviets constructed a huge TV tower with a giant ball on the top. Exactly who is responsible for the design of this ball is unclear, I have heard any number of stories, several while I was living in Germany. The interesting thing about this tower is that when sunlight hits the tower, the windows make a huge cross. The West Germans called the tower "The Pope's Revenge". The Russian government tried several different methods to stop the phenomenon with no luck. What else is interesting is that this tower was built at the same time that the Soviets were removing all crosses from religious houses. God got the last laugh.
Let me propose another idea. Suppose you were an orphan with no idea when you were born. Technically you can choose any day of the year, it's actually been done, and celebrate that day as your birthday.
So now let's go back to Christmas. Did the early "church" try to corrupt worship by bringing in pagan practices? Maybe, but it's my opinion that God hijacked the idea. Maybe God Himself inspired someone to choose this day. If you ask 100 people on the street what a Christmas tree means, I seriously doubt that anyone would say Nimrod or Saturn. (Although some fans of Big Bang Theory might know of Saturnalia. Sheldon spoke about it in an episode). Over the years people have forgotten about Nimrod, except for the legal zealots.
The first recorded December celebration was in 336 AD, most historians put the fall of Rome around 450 AD. So in the last 2000 years how many Roman pagans have celebrated the festival to Saturn and how many Christians have celebrated the birth of Christ?
The reality is that it's all a matter of the heart. If you feel convicted by the traditional celebration, then don't do it. But don't pass judgment on people who feel differently. Paul discusses this with the issue of meat offered to idols. It's still just meat, but if it bothers you, don't eat it. So I contend that although Christmas may have began as a pagan ritual, God has redeemed it, just as He has redeemed me, and today Christmas is all about Christ. So if you have any self righteous friends who believe otherwise, send them here.
