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SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE DISCOURAGED FROM CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS PUBLICLY?

The short answer is , 'no'. However, my question is, 'why should it not be celebrated publicly?'. It has been around for a long time and it does no harm anyone, at least not the way it is celebrated in the United States of American in this day and time.

Before the Mayflower deposited its cargo at Plymouth Rock it is possible that Christmas was first celebrated on American soil as early as the year 1000 A.D. by Leif Ericson, who was Catholic, and his band of merry Vikings.

Late in 1492, before starting back to Spain in early 1493, Christopher Columbus established a settlement (in what is now the Dominican Republic) on the island he called Isla Hispaniola . He had a fort built which he named La Navidad where he probably celebrated Christmas.

Captain John Smith wrote of what was possibly the first Christmas celebration by the English Colonist. While on a journey of exploration extreme winter weather 'caused us to keep Christmas among the savages, where we were never more merry, nor fed on more plenty'.

Governor Bradford recorded in his diary that on 'the day called Christmas' in 1621 some of the people of Plymouth, saying it went against their conscience to do so on that day, refused to work and instead played games. The Puritans, however, did not recognize it as a holy day and were in, 1659, instrumental in getting a law enacted in Massachusetts whereby anyone celebrating Christmas was subject to a fine of five shillings. Some states continued to celebrate Christmas.

During the American Revolution Christmas was celebrated by both sides. Once independence was won Christmas was considered an 'English Custom' and, as such, the people of the United States wanted nothing to do with it. Christmas day 1789, the first Christmas under the American constitution, was a work day for Congress. It would be almost 100 years (June 26, 1870) before Christmas would become a federal holiday. Before that time several states had made it a legal holiday.

We have Washington Irving to thank for changing the way Christmas is celebrated. Prior to the publication of his book, 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon", Christmas resembled Mardi Gras. (This was only natural as it had it's roots in a pagan Roman holiday.) Influenced by the imaginary Christmas traditions illustrated in Irving's book the celebration became a time of peace and good-will.

Those who wish to celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Christ, both privately and publicly, should be free to do so. (Although we do not believe he was actually born on December 25th.) Those who wish to celebrate it as a festive occasion centered around Santa Claus should be free to do so. Those who wish to treat it as just another day should be free to do so. They can enjoy a holiday from work.

We can all be thankful that the custom of human sacrifice that was part of the Roman celebration is not part of Christmas today.

Learn more about this author, Jonnie Chastain.
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