If you celebrate Christmas you probably know the basics of the facts. Jesus lived, died and rose again to save us all. However, the way we celebrate Christmas and what we assume are Christmas facts may actually be nothing more than Christmas Myths. Wondering what’s true and what’s not? Here’s the truth about some common Christmas myths.
Christ Was Born On December 25th
If you think we celebrate Christmas on Christ’s birthday, you might want to think again. While Christmas day is indeed the celebration of Christ’s birth (and I know many who actually bake Him a birthday cake) it’s not really His birthday.
Christ was not born on the 25th of December as many people believe. What day was He born? That, my friends, is a question of much debate. Some say He was indeed born in December. Others insist it was June. No one really knows for sure, but December 25th is the day we celebrate His birth in the absence of a record of the true birth date.
The Christmas Tree is a Christian Tradition
Actually, the Christmas tree was a pagan tradition before it became a Christian tradition. On the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, the Druids would decorate a Christmas tree during a celebration. This was to honor the Sacred Grove of Trees that were worshiped by the Celtic priesthood.
Eventually, to win pagans over to the religion of Christianity, the decorating of a “Christmas Tree” was incorporated into the Christian tradition. Hence, the reason we decorate Christmas trees each and every Christmas season.
Santa is Fat and Jolly
The Santa Claus we know today is nothing like the man who actually existed. Santa Claus was a holy man. He did not believe in excess so obesity and fur-trimmed clothing probably wasn’t par for the course. In fact, early depictions of Saint Nick show him as a thin man (though he does indeed have a beard) in the robes of the church.
The Sad Part
Okay, so here we’ve discussed three Christmas myths that aren’t founded in fact. The sad thing is that some uneducated individuals try to tell others that none of Christianity can be trusted because of these myths.
What’s my answer to that? These myths were created by man. Not the Bible. The Bible doesn’t talk about decorating a tree, a man who rides in a sleigh or a December 25th birthday. The Bible, and Christianity as a whole, cannot be disclaimed because of these Christmas myths. To think otherwise, my friends, is to fall for ignorance.
