Christmas: Debunking the Pagan Myth

 

IS CHRISTMAS A PAGAN HOLIDAY?

Every year, the debate resurfaces: Did Christians “borrow” December 25th and its traditions from ancient pagan festivals?

Surprisingly, history says otherwise.

Let’s walk through the evidence and separate myth from reality.

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1. THE DATE: DECEMBER 25TH

The Claim

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th because early Christians copied pagan festivals like Sol Invictus, Saturnalia, or the Winter Solstice.

The Reality

Sol Invictus

• The festival wasn’t tied to December 25th until AD 354, and even then, the calendar doesn’t describe a sun festival that day.
• Earlier Roman inscriptions list sun festivals on:
• August 8, 9, 28
• December 11
• Possibly October 19
• Emperor Aurelian celebrated the sun through chariot races October 19–22.

Winter Solstice

• Ancient Romans did not treat the Winter Solstice as a major festival.
• No celebratory traditions existed.
• Even the solstice date was debated:
• Julian Calendar: December 25
• Pliny the Elder: December 26
• Columella: December 23

Saturnalia

• Saturnalia never fell on December 25.
• Macrobius records it beginning on December 17, lasting three days.
• Some calendars extended it to December 24—but never the 25th.

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2. SANTA CLAUS: FROM SAINT TO SYMBOL

The Origins of “Santa”

• Santa Claus grew from Dutch immigrants in 1800s New York.
• Based on Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas), whose feast was December 6th.
• Later merged with December 25th to shape Christmas as a family holiday.
• Newspapers promoted gift-giving on Christmas instead of New Year’s.
• Sinterklaas evolved from a bishop into a red-suited Dutchman.
• The tradition spread globally, taking on regional adaptations.
• Stockings originated from Clement C. Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”
• In 1927, Finland’s Markus Rautio reshaped the pagan figure Joulupukki into a Santa-like image.

Father Christmas

• Older than Santa, but not pagan.
• A medieval symbol of the season.
• First referenced by Richard Smart of Plymtree, who described him as a herald of Christmas.

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3. CHRISTMAS TREES: NOT A PAGAN PRACTICE

The Claim

Christmas trees stem from druidic or pagan rituals involving evergreen trees.

The Reality

• Christmas trees trace back only to the 16th century.
• The earliest known reference appears in an Alsace ordinance.
• Early pagans did not link pine trees to December festivities.
• Germanic tribes viewed the oak, not pine, as sacred.
• Maximus of Tyre wrote:
  “The Celts indeed worship Zeus, but they honour Him in the form of a lofty oak.”

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4. MISTLETOE: A MODERN TRADITION

Despite assumptions, mistletoe’s Christmas use is not pagan.

• First appears in Robert Herrick’s Hesperides (poems 892, 980).
• William Coles mentioned it in The Art of Simpling (1600s).
• Kissing under mistletoe arose in Britain during the late 18th century.

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CONCLUSION

The popular claim that Christmas is a pagan holiday simply does not align with historical facts.

The traditions we associate with Christmas developed through Christian practice, cultural influence, and centuries of celebration—not pagan rituals.

From the date itself to Santa, Christmas trees, and mistletoe, the evidence points to a rich Christian heritage that evolved over time.

Endnotes:

This article is based on Wesley Huff’s infographic, available in the “Holidays” section of his website: https://www.wesleyhuff.com/infographics

The Origins of December 25: A Christian Tradition, Not a Pagan Appropriation

 

🎄 The Origins of December 25: A Christian Tradition, Not a Pagan Appropriation

Every year, debates pop up about whether Christmas on December 25 was “borrowed” from pagan festivals. You’ve probably heard claims that Christians simply took over Saturnalia or Sol Invictus. But when we dig into the writings of early Christian thinkers, a different picture emerges. The evidence suggests that believers genuinely thought Jesus was born on December 25—and they had theological reasons for it.

✝️ Tertullian and the Death/Birth Connection (AD 160–240)

Tertullian introduced a fascinating idea: holy people often died on the same day they were conceived or born. He argued that Jesus suffered on March 25, the date of Passover that year. If that was also the day of His conception, then nine months later would naturally place His birth on December 25. For early Christians, this wasn’t about pagan festivals—it was about theological symmetry.

📖 Sextus Julius Africanus: Calculating the Timeline (c. AD 160–240)

Around the same time, historian Sextus Julius Africanus wrote Chronographiai, a sweeping history of the world. Using Gospel accounts, he concluded that Jesus was conceived on March 25. Counting forward nine months, he landed on December 25 as the birthdate. His calculations reinforced the growing tradition.

📜 Hippolytus of Rome: An Early Witness (AD 170–235)

In the early third century, Hippolytus of Rome wrote a commentary on the Book of Daniel. He stated that Jesus was born “eight days before the Calends of January,” which translates to December 24 or 25. That’s one of the earliest direct references to the date.

🕊 Augustine of Hippo: Tradition Confirmed (AD 354–430)

By the fourth century, Augustine affirmed the December 25 tradition. He noted that Jesus was believed to have been conceived on March 25—the same day He later suffered. Augustine drew a symbolic parallel: the Virgin’s womb, untouched by man, mirrored the tomb where Jesus was laid, also untouched before or after Him.

🌟 So, Was It Pagan?

The writings of Hippolytus, Tertullian, Africanus, and Augustine show that December 25 wasn’t chosen to replace pagan holidays. Instead, it came from theological reflection and historical calculation. For early Christians, the date carried deep meaning long before it became a global celebration.

✨ Takeaway: December 25 as Christmas wasn’t about borrowing—it was about belief. Early Christians saw profound connections between Jesus’ conception, death, and birth, and December 25 fit perfectly into that sacred timeline.

 Endnotes:

For a detailed presentation, visit: Wesley Huff  https://t.co/dkroIyq6H9

Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.23.1

Tertullian, Adversus Judaeos, Ch. VIII

Sextus Julius Africanus, Chronographiai Volume 1

Augustine of Hippo, On the Trinity, cited in McGowen, “December 25th”