Short answer: The Bible does not command Christians to celebrate Christmas, and it does not give a date for Jesus' birth. It does tell the birth story in detail, and the incarnation is the center of the faith. Believers are free to celebrate the day, or to skip it, so long as they honor Christ and do not judge one another.
In This Article
Christmas sits in an odd place for Christians. It is the most widely kept Christian holiday on earth, yet you cannot find the word in your Bible, and you cannot find a verse that tells the church to keep it. That makes some sincere believers uneasy, and it makes some skeptics smug.
I want to give you a straight, unhurried look at what Scripture says, what it leaves unsaid, and how a Christian family can keep the season without losing the point.
Does The Bible Say To Celebrate Christmas?
No, not directly. The New Testament contains no instruction to mark the birth of Jesus with an annual feast. The apostles are never recorded celebrating his birthday. What the church was told to remember was his death and resurrection, in the Lord's Supper and on the first day of the week.
That does not make celebrating wrong. Scripture is full of occasions where God's people gathered to remember what he had done. Israel kept feasts. Later, the Jews added Purim and Hanukkah, which are not commanded in the Law, and Jesus himself was at the temple during the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22). A day set aside to thank God for sending his Son is well within what the Bible permits.
The key passage for how to treat such days is Paul's.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike.
Romans 14:5 (NIV)
He says each should be fully convinced in his own mind and that the one who observes a day does it for the Lord. So the rule is freedom with love. If you keep Christmas, do it to the Lord. If you do not, do not condemn those who do.
Was Jesus Born On December 25?
We do not know, and the Bible does not tell us. I think it is best to say that plainly rather than pretend to certainty in either direction.
Luke does give some clues. The shepherds were out in the fields at night.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Luke 2:8 (NIV)
Some argue that this points away from the cold of midwinter in the hills near Bethlehem. Others reply that flocks were sometimes kept out through much of the year, and that the argument proves less than people think. There is also the question of when a Roman census would have been held. These debates are interesting, but they stay in the realm of educated guesses, as you will see in any careful commentary.
The early church was not mainly concerned with the date. The first Christian writers did not give the birth of Jesus the weight they gave Easter. The December 25 date is attested by the fourth century in the church at Rome. Why that date was chosen is debated among historians: some link it to an existing Roman festival, while others point to early Christian reasoning about the date of Jesus' conception and death. I do not think anyone can settle that with certainty.
Here is the pastoral point. The date of a birthday does not change the truth of the birth. Christians do not celebrate Christmas because they are certain of the calendar day. They celebrate because the Son of God was born, whatever the day. That answers the common challenge, "Why celebrate Christmas if Jesus was not born then?" You are marking the event, not claiming the date.
Why Do Some Christians Not Celebrate Christmas?
There are several reasons, and it helps to hear them fairly.
| Concern | Common Response |
|---|---|
| The Bible never commands it | True, but it never forbids remembering the incarnation either; Romans 14 allows both |
| The date is not biblical | True; the celebration marks the event, not a proven date |
| Some customs have pagan roots | Origins are debated and often murky; what matters is what the practice means now |
| Commercialism and excess | A fair worry; it is a reason to simplify, not necessarily to abandon the day |
| Conscience, often from past experience | Paul says to honor a sincere conscience |
Christian history includes people on both sides. The Puritans of the seventeenth century discouraged Christmas because they felt it lacked biblical warrant, and some churches today still do not keep it. They are not worldly or unbelieving; they are trying to follow Scripture as they see it.
Tree customs come up here a lot. The passage people cite is Jeremiah 10:1-16. When you read the whole text, it describes carving a tree into an idol and decorating that idol so it can be worshiped. It is a passage against idolatry, not against decorating a tree in your home. I walk through this in detail in what the Bible says about Christmas trees. As for the claim that bells, candles, holly and gifts are all pagan, I would say the origins are often unclear, and many of these items have taken on plain Christian meanings: bells announcing good news, candles pointing to Christ the light, gifts recalling the gifts of the Magi and the gift of God's Son.
If your conscience tells you to leave Christmas aside, Paul gives you room. And if you celebrate, he gives you the same room. What he forbids is the contempt each group is tempted to feel for the other. Read Colossians 2:16 for the same spirit.
What Bible Passages Tell The Christmas Story?
The accounts of the birth are in Matthew and Luke. Reading them straight through, rather than skimming a favorite verse, is the best way to celebrate with the Bible.
- The prophecy. Isaiah 7:14 promises a sign, a virgin who bears a son called Immanuel, and Micah 5:2 names Bethlehem as the place.
- The announcement to Mary. Luke 1:26-38.
- Joseph's story. Matthew 1:18-25.
- The birth and the shepherds. Luke 2:1-20.
- The Magi. Matthew 2:1-12.
- The meaning behind it all. John 1:1-18 and John 3:16.
Notice what the angel says to Joseph about the child's name.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
That is the whole reason for Christmas in one sentence. The baby was born to deal with sin. If you want to know what sin is and why it needs saving, what the Bible says about sin is a good place to begin.
One note on the Magi, because the nativity scenes get it wrong. Matthew does not say there were three of them. He says they brought three gifts, and he describes them visiting a house, not a stable (Matthew 2:11). It is fine to keep the traditional scene on your mantel, but it helps to know what the text actually says.
How Can A Family Keep Christ In Christmas?
Every family I know of struggles with this, because the culture pulls the other direction. Here are some habits that work without turning the day into a lecture.
- Read Luke 2 aloud. Before gifts, before breakfast chaos, read it slowly. Let a child read the angel's lines.
- Give with purpose. God's greatest gift is the reason we give. Include something for someone in need, which echoes 2 Corinthians 9:15.
- Explain your decorations. If you light candles or set a nativity, tell the story behind them.
- Go to church together. Gather with believers to sing about the incarnation.
- Cut something. If the season is frantic, remove a commitment. A rested family is a more attentive one.
Passing the faith on at home is a pattern Scripture itself lays out in Deuteronomy 6:6-7. Christmas is simply one more occasion for it. You can find ideas on this in my posts on family and on children.
Finally, remember that Christmas gives a chance to speak about Jesus to neighbors who rarely hear about him. Use it kindly. A warm invitation will do more than an argument about the date.
Key Bible Verses About Christmas
- Isaiah 7:14: the sign of a virgin bearing a son named Immanuel
- Micah 5:2: Bethlehem named as the place of the ruler's birth
- Matthew 1:21: the child is named Jesus because he will save his people from their sins
- Luke 2:10-11: the angel announces a Savior born in the town of David
- John 1:14: the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us
- John 3:16: God's gift of his one and only Son
- Romans 14:5-6: freedom to observe or not observe days, done for the Lord
- 2 Corinthians 9:15: thanks to God for his indescribable gift
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bible say to celebrate Christmas?
No. The New Testament has no command to keep Jesus' birthday, but it also does not forbid remembering his birth. Romans 14 lets believers observe or not observe special days, as long as it is done for the Lord.
Why do Christians celebrate Christmas if Jesus wasn't born then?
Because the celebration marks the event, not a proven date. Scripture does not give the day. Christians keep the festival to thank God that the Son became flesh, and that remains true whatever the calendar says.
Does the Bible say "don't put up a Christmas tree"?
No. The verse people cite, Jeremiah 10, describes carving and worshiping an idol. It does not mention bringing a tree into the home. See my article on Christmas trees for the full reading.
Why do some Christians not celebrate Christmas?
Usually because Scripture never commands it, the date is uncertain, or they are uneasy about the roots of certain customs. Others object to commercialism. Paul would tell both groups to act from conviction and not to look down on each other.
Which Bible chapters tell the Christmas story?
Matthew 1 and 2 give Joseph's side and the visit of the Magi, and Luke 1 and 2 give Mary's side, the birth and the shepherds. John 1 explains who the child is. Reading all of them together gives the full picture.
