Is Christmas a Christian holiday?

Or is Christmas a Biblical holiday? Well, it depends on what you mean by that.

The root of what we celebrate, the Word made flesh, certainly is at the foundation of our Christian beliefs. But the holiday itself finds no basis in our Bible. In other words, we were never instructed to celebrate Jesus' birth. In fact, we were never even told when it was.

So then, should we celebrate Christmas? For help with this, let's go to our text.

Esther chapter 9 records these words:

Thus, because of everything written in this letter, and what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had come upon them, the Jews resolved and took upon themselves, ... that without fail they would observe these two days in accordance with what was written in and at the appointed time, every year;  ... and that these days of Purim would never cease among the Jews or their memory be lost by their descendants.

The Jews, who had multiple days and feasts that were mandated by God, added one of their own, Purim. They marked a time to remember what God had done for them so that it would not be lost on future generations.

Likewise, Christmas observes events in the relationship between God and man, that while not decreed by God, is a useful tool to remember and celebrate.

Let us then be free to claim this holiday, which bears our family name, to tell to future generations what God has done.