Every year, as the lights go up and carols fill the air, a familiar set of claims begin circulating once again: “Christmas is pagan.” You’ve heard them. Maybe you’ve been asked about them. Maybe you’ve even wondered about them yourself.
And as many apologists and defenders of the faith are going over right now, these claims simply don’t hold up—not historically, not biblically, and not logically. And the people of God should not feel pressured into guilt or fear over celebrating the birth of our Savior.
If anything, Christmas is a stunning example of how the gospel confronts culture, redeems symbols, and proclaims Christ as King.
So let’s walk through this with clarity and confidence.
1. The Myth of “Christmas Is Pagan”
The claim usually goes something like this:
“December 25 was a pagan holiday, so Christians just ‘borrowed’ it and slapped Jesus on top.”
But here’s the truth:
There is no historical evidence that Christians adopted December 25 to Christianize a pagan festival. In fact, the earliest Christians referenced this date before any pagan festival was associated with it. If anything, the pagan celebrations came after Christians were already honoring the birth of Christ around that time.
Even when a date overlaps something in the culture, that does not automatically make it pagan. If that were the case, every Christian who uses a wedding ring, names the days of the week, or looks at a calendar would be guilty of paganism.
Symbols do not belong to pagans.
Everything belongs to Christ. (Col. 1:16)
The early church did not steal anything—they proclaimed something.
2. Christians Chose the Date for Theological Reasons
So where did December 25 come from?
Not from paganism, but from early Christian reflection.
The early church believed Jesus was conceived around March 25 (connected to Passover and the idea that prophets died on the same date they were conceived). Nine months later? December 25.
You may not agree with their reasoning—but it was deeply Christ-centered, not culture-driven.
In other words:
Christians weren’t borrowing from pagans—they were proclaiming the Incarnation.
The focus wasn’t winter solstice, Roman gods, or seasonal festivals.
It was:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)
3. Christians Reclaim, Redeem, and Reorient—Because Jesus Is Lord
Here’s an important principle:
Christians throughout history have taken cultural practices and reoriented them toward Christ.
Why?
Because we believe in a gospel that reclaims what is broken, redeems what is dark, and reorients what is empty. This is the nature of God. If the early church had avoided anything that pagans ever touched, they would have lived in total silence and isolation. Instead, they confidently proclaimed: To think this way puts us in danger of adopting heretical belief like Docetism, Apollinarianism, or Pelagianism.
Consider this:
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
Trees, feasts, seasons, dates, rhythms—none of these belong to false gods. All of them belong to the King of kings. Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus are not participating in paganism. They are celebrating the moment when God stepped into history to redeem the world.
Conclusion: Celebrate Christmas with Boldness and Joy
So is Christmas pagan? No. It is Christian in origin, Christian in purpose, and Christian in practice. It announces the greatest truth in history: God Himself came to rescue us. The King of Glory took on flesh. Immanuel—God with us—was born. So put up the lights. Sing the carols. Read the gospel story with your family. Celebrate with joy and worship. Not because the season is so great or wonderful— but because our Savior is.
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