How to celebrate Christmas as a christian family

As December approaches, the question often arises: how and if you want to celebrate Christmas as a Christian family? In this blog, I share reasons why Christians may or may not choose to celebrate Christmas time. Read along as I offer encouragement on how to focus on the Lord and God’s word during this special occasion. This is a perfect opportunity to make your personal decision about how to center the season on Christ and embrace what truly matters.

Should you celebrate Christmas as a christian family

If you’re reading this blog, you likely already have an opinion on celebrating Christmas as a Christian family. Over the years, I’ve seen some rather un-Christian debates on this topic that seem to divide people into two main groups. On one side, you have families with a Christmas tree, Santa, and dozens of gifts for each child. On the other side, there are those who reject Christmas, seeing the holiday as a pagan tradition and refusing to even visit homes with a Christmas tree.

Are there only two camps?

But it’s not as simple as choosing between two camps. When it comes to celebrating Christmas as a Christian family, there are many factors to consider. In and outside the church, you’ll find a wide range of opinions. It’s rare to find two Christian families who celebrate Christmas in exactly the same way.

Let’s first explore some reasons why certain Christians might choose not to celebrate Christmas. Then we’ll dive into why so many Christian families choose to celebrate it. As a quick disclaimer, our family celebrates Christmas in a way that honors the Lord (or at least, that’s our aim). Keep reading as I share some thoughts and tips on how to decide what works best for your own family when it comes to celebrating Christmas.

Every side has their reasons

Many families choose not to celebrate Christmas because they feel the holiday has lost its focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, becoming more about secular traditions. However, for many Christians, Christmas is a time of year to honor Christ’s birth. Christmas Eve, for instance, holds deep meaning as a chance to reflect on the miracle of Jesus’ arrival. For others, the traditions surrounding Christmas may feel disconnected from the true reason for the season, yet they still seek to celebrate in a way that reflects the love of Christ.

Ultimately, there are many paths to celebrating Christmas in a way that honors the Lord, and each family’s approach will look different. Whether you’re drawn to the sacred traditions or prefer to avoid certain customs, the key is making Christmas about what truly matters: the birth of Jesus Christ and the gift of His love to the world.

Reasons why you shouldn’t celebrate Christmas as a christian family

In the Bible, there’s no scripture that specifically tells us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It’s also worth noting that Jesus’ birth most likely didn’t happen in winter, and definitely not on December 25th. Many of the traditions we associate with Christmas, like the Christmas tree, ornaments, and other decorations, have origins in pagan customs that worshipped other gods. Given this, you might wonder: why celebrate this holiday at all?

Origin of Christmas 

There are many interesting articles about the origins of Christmas. Let me briefly summarize one article from History Cooperative. Christmas actually traces its roots back to ancient Roman traditions. The word “pagan” was used by early Christianity to describe the polytheistic beliefs of the Romans. One of the key Roman celebrations was Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to worshipping their god Saturn. This celebration took place around the time of the winter solstice, when days began to grow longer again (especially in the northern hemisphere). This shift was a significant reason to celebrate, not only for the Romans but also for Norse civilizations, who also observed ancient pagan rituals during this time.

Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree, for instance, was originally a symbol of eternal life in Roman beliefs. This is quite contradictory to Christian teachings, which emphasize that without Jesus’ salvation, humanity faces death (as mentioned in Genesis 2:17). The Romans would celebrate for several days during Saturnalia, exchanging gifts, feasting, and likely overindulging in food and drink as part of their worship of the god Saturn.

When Christians spread through Europe, they adapted these existing festivals, swapping Saturn for Jesus, in an effort to convert people to Christianity. So, looking at history, it’s clear that there is no true Christian origin behind many aspects of the Christmas celebration.

Santa, gifts and overeating

Even if we don’t consider the pagan origin of Christmas, there are still other important factors to think about. Raising children to believe in a God who is real but not visible can be challenging enough on its own. But when we tell them that Santa Claus is real (someone they can actually see), only for them to eventually find out that he isn’t, it can really hurt their trust. This could impact their understanding of truth, especially when they’re so young. It also raises the question of whether it’s really beneficial for our children to receive so many presents and eat so much during the holiday season.

One could argue that, in many ways, we’re actually celebrating Saturnalia instead of Christmas each year, bringing pagan symbols and un-Christian traditions into our homes. For example, the idea of children believing in Santa—who is tied to the magical stories of the North Pole—is a fun but complicated element of Christmas morning. However, I personally don’t think that’s the whole picture. Let me explain why.

Reasons why you should celebrate Christmas as a christian family

Even though the origin of Christmas is pagan, many people today associate it with Jesus and the Bible. I believe we would miss a beautiful opportunity to reach people who may not often think about Jesus, His life, and His mission if we ignore Christmas altogether. That’s one of the main reasons I think we should still embrace this season.

Imagine if our children came to view Christmas as a disappointing time, simply because everyone else was celebrating, but our family chose not to. We might choose to celebrate Christmas differently than others, but I want our children to remember it as a great time—a special season to look forward to. After all, it’s a chance for family gatherings and a chance to reflect on the past year, focusing on the story of Jesus and the many blessings in our lives.

Bringing nature into our homes throughout the year is such a blessing, and Christmas provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the winter season as something unique and special. During the Advent season, it’s a time to prepare our hearts, focus on the family’s focus, and make the special days meaningful. Merry Christmas is more than a greeting—it’s a chance to remind ourselves and others of God’s love and the beauty of this time of year.

5 tips on how to celebrate Christmas as a christian family

If you choose to celebrate Christmas as a Christian family, these 5 tips might help you stay focused on what really matters during the Christmas season. My tips are centered around the following 5 areas:

1. Gifts – How to give and receive in a way that reflects the true meaning of Christmas.
2. Pagan symbols – Understanding the origins and deciding how to approach them in your home.
3. Christmas season – Embracing this time as an opportunity to reflect on the story of Jesus and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.
4. Christmas day – Making the day itself special by centering it around your faith, family, and the love of Christ.
5. Your family’s environment – Creating an atmosphere that honors God and fosters meaningful family gatherings.

These tips will help you navigate the season while keeping your focus on Christ and the blessings of this special time.

1. Give gifts that matter

Sometimes, Christmas can shift from being a holiday where we remember the birth of Christ to a time when children look forward to it mainly because of the gifts. I can remember, after the school break, everyone would just talk about what they got for Christmas. But that can’t be the real meaning of Christmas.

Whether or not you choose to give gifts to your children, you can still use this time of year to teach the importance of generosity. For example, consider participating in Christmas presents programs for orphanages. How beautiful would it be if you and your children filled a box with items for someone else in need?

You can also bake cupcakes or Christmas cookies and give them out in your neighborhood, or craft special presents for grandparents. I believe any activity that encourages your family to give and be generous teaches the best gifts we can offer—love, kindness, and compassion—just as God gave us the gift of baby Jesus. In this dark season, what could be more meaningful than sharing that love with others?

2. What to do with the pagan Christmas tree

If you’re concerned about the pagan roots of some Christmas symbols, you can, of course, choose to celebrate simply without them. In our family, we choose to have a Christmas tree every year. Yes, I know that the tradition of bringing trees into our homes originates from the festival of Saturn, but honestly, I decorate our living room with greenery all year round. In the spring and summer, we have flowers in the house, and in the fall, we decorate with pine cones and dried leaves. I believe that the meaning you give to something is more important than the actual item. God often reminds us in the Bible that He doesn’t need us to repeat traditions to worship Him—He’s more interested in our hearts.

No matter your choice for or against the Christmas tree, let’s focus on what’s in our hearts rather than just the Christmas decorations. If you prefer to have winter décor without a tree, consider things like dried orange and apple rings, other evergreens, or paper snowflakes on the windows. These simple family traditions can still bring the beauty of the season into your home without compromising what truly matters.

3. How to center the advent time around Jesus

We love to sing Christian songs all year round, but every year, we especially look forward to playing Christmas carols. Take this most wonderful time of the year as a chance to learn poems, Bible verses, and songs that speak about Christ’s birth. It’s a great opportunity to speak with others about the Christmas story, and perhaps even share that He not only was born, but that He lives and will come again as the Prince of Peace!

Use the season to go to church regularly and connect with others in your community. Maybe you could make an advent calendar, where each day, you write a card to someone who could use encouragement. We make it a point each year to send our neighbors Christmas cards with a Bible verse and our good wishes, staying connected and sharing God’s word. You could also create an advent calendar with a new Bible verse each day.

There are so many beautiful things you can do in the Christmas season to center your family’s focus around Jesus and service to others. Perhaps something will become a special family tradition, helping bring you closer together. And don’t forget to enjoy your favorite Christmas hymns as you celebrate the joy of the season!

4. How to celebrate Christmas as a christian family

When it comes to the actual day of Christmas, there are a few things that can help make the holiday special and enjoyable for you as a Christian family. In our family, we spend the days around Christmas and even into New Year’s Eve together as an extended family. It’s a special time where we’re all together all day, playing games and enjoying each other’s company.

Every Christmas, we read the story in Luke 2 about the young couple who travels to Bethlehem and has their son, Jesus, there. I love hearing the Christmas story again and again each year. My grandmother also reads a story that’s centered around Christian values and the meaning of Christmas, and then we sing songs together. After those activities, we exchange gifts. Everyone gives one gift to another member of the family, and everyone receives one gift. It’s simple, with no big fuss over presents whatsoever.

When you’re together as a family, eating is a big part of the celebration. To make it easier on everyone, we provide a meal with plenty of healthy options at the dinner table. This helps keep us from overeating and feeling sluggish. As a family, we’ve made the personal choice not to drink alcohol together. We have some soda and juices and stay sober, which helps us stay present in the moment and feel well the following day. It’s a way for us to reflect God’s love by focusing on what truly matters—our time together.

5. Make the winter a fun time for kids

I hope to encourage and inspire you for this upcoming Holiday season. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong when it comes to what to do or not to do. If you’re unsure about something, ask God in prayer to guide you in making the personal decision that’s best for your family. Christmas time is a special occasion, and how you celebrate it is between you and God. If something doesn’t align with your values, it’s okay to skip it—especially if it feels more like worldly traditions than a meaningful celebration of Christ.

This is the perfect time to focus on what really matters and bring your family together for fun activities that reflect the true joy of the season. What is your experience with Christmas as a Christian family? Do you celebrate? And how do you teach your children about the birth of Jesus? I’d love to hear all about it, so leave a comment and share your thoughts! Every thing we do during this season can help deepen our faith and draw us closer to one another.bout it!