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A young man who joined the Adventist Church recently enquired about the Adventist teaching on Christmas. He wanted to know the Adventist way with the festival. His enquiry is important.
There is a popular belief that Adventists do not celebrate Christmas because it is considered idolatry. We would assess to verify whether that belief is true or false.
What is Christmas?:
Christmas is the “Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus.”1 The day designated for the Christmas festival in many parts of the world is 25th December. “The precise origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear.” It is commonly believed that the Christian church chose this date to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival3 or Mithraism or sun worship.
Christmas is not a biblical mandate and the exact date of Christ’s birth is
unknown to Christians. The reception of Christmas among Christians across the world is not uniform. Some Christians avoid and condemn the festival because of the belief that Christmas has a link with some pagan festivals. The festival is
pioneered by the Roman Catholic Church and followed by many protestant Christian denominations.
Christmas celebration:
The festival has both religious and secular aspects. It is celebrated by both Christians and those who are not. The Christmas festive period starts from 20th December to the first week in January in some countries. 25th December is normally a public holiday. Christmas activities vary from country to
country but popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.
In some places, “Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.” Among Americans, it is a “family-cantered day of peace and nostalgia.”
Christmas and adventist identity:
The Adventist Church has not officially voted on any statement on whether Adventists are to celebrate or not to celebrate Christmas. The popular idea that Adventists do not celebrate Christmas may be inaccurate and misleading.
The Adventist Church is not officially for or against Christmas. The choice is left to members, local churches, and church institutions to decide on what to do. Since the Adventist Church left the issue to individuals to decide, members need to accept individual godly choices, that of local
churches and Church institutions regarding the Christmas festive season. Criticism that will create division or confusion should be avoided.
Ellen White and Christmas:
“The Bible does not give us the precise time. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, He would have spoken through His prophets and apostles that we might know all about the matter. But the silence of the Scriptures upon this point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes...This secrecy was to prevent idolatry.”
Ellen White:
argued that the birthday of Jesus is unknown because God Himself hid it to prevent some Christians from idolatry. She further argued that “Christ should be the supreme object; but as Christmas has been observed, the glory is turned from Him to mortal man”10 and young ones should not be left “to find their amusement in vanity and pleasure-seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality.”
According to her, Christmas can “be made to serve a very good purpose” by “devising ways and means to show true respect to Jesus by bringing to Him gifts and offerings,” and hanging them on the Christmas trees mounted in the meeting places. The essence of her argument is that the day should not be ignored
and on Christmas, Adventists are to “make special efforts to come before the Lord with gifts and grateful offerings for the gift of Jesus Christ as a Redeemer to the world.” Ellen White did not have problems with any Adventists celebrating Christmas to honour Jesus. Her counsels on the subject seem to
be suggestive.
Conclusion:
The popular belief in some territories that Adventists do not celebrate Christmas is a misrepresentation of Adventist's identity. The anti-Christmas sentiment was not and is not part of the official identity of the Adventist Church. On this matter, one’s opinion for or against Christmas is not a Church policy.
Even the godly opinion of Ellen White on the issue is not projected as a Church policy since that may be counterproductive. The posture of the Church is perfectly in line with what Paul said in Romans 14:6 (KJV), “he that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.”
Some Adventists see the festival as evil because of the belief that it has some pagan links and a Roman Catholic tag. Others see it as an opportunity for missions and can find mission opportunities, and other things with godly benefits in the festival.
I would like to say that since the festival is basically about Christ, both Christians and non-Christians may be open to Christian conversations. It is for one to take advantage to engage in missions. The primary goal of the Adventist Church is a mission, therefore, one’s choices regarding the Christmas festival should be mission-oriented.