Santa or No Santa? Christmas a pagan holiday?

Every year that Christmas time comes around I hear arguments on both sides on whether to have Santa or no Santa- I mean after all, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday that the Catholic church hijacked, right? (In my sarcastic voice)

Either way, millions of children get the blessing of having gifts under the tree each year that "Santa" has brought them when their family has no Christian roots and proudly proclaims with a loud voice I am Atheist, I am agnostic! Why is it that Christmas time of all times, a time when we celebrate the birth of our long and awaited King to arrive and restore Israel, that millions of people celebrate but not in the manner the church meant it to be celebrated and enjoyed? ("Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14)    (Immanuel means "God with us")

So why is it that a holiday which we celebrate the birth of our Christ is also celebrated by millions of people who do not know Him? Do these people also celebrate Haunaka? Ramadan? Yom Kippur? Why certainly not! So why Christmas? I hear the answer being more so often than not- Well, Christmas was actually a pagan holiday to begin with! So I decided to look into how Christmas started. Here were my findings:

In the harsh winter months many years before Christ was born people celebrated the winter solstice, celebrating the worst of the cold being gone and the arrival of the warm and more sunny months ahead. I also found that (In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun. Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year.) taken from history.com

In the 4th Century church officials decided to institute Christ birth as a holiday and Pope Julius chose December 25th to try and absorb the pagan holiday Saturnalia. So that is where the "Pagan" roots came from. So where does santa fit in? After I looked into this I found the following(http://www.history.com/topics/santa-claus) in this article I found that Santa Claus actually came from a saint born in about 280 A.D. who died December 6th. St. Nick was a very generous man. The traditions of celebrating his death did not come into play until the late 1800's in New York. 

Here is what the bible says about Christmas (i.e the birth of Christ) 

 Luke 1

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

37For nothing is impossible with God."

38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,

40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.

50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Matthew 1:

18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."

24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

So although Christmas day, was chosen to be celebrated the same day as a pagan holiday, Christmas is NOT pagan. And as for Santa Claus, he is no where near celebrated in the manner which he was originally celebrated however, we can honor the memory of the real St. Nick and his kind heart by being Christ like and showing mercy to those who do not believe and giving to the poor. 

I also have come to the conclusion that the people who celebrate Christmas today and are not Christians, do so out of family tradition which started in the 1800's here in America! Back in the 1800's most families here in America went to church every Sunday and proclaimed Christ. Therefore, when the tradition of Santa Claus came into play- As the years went by the traditions remained the same but the true meaning of Christmas was lost as American roots became more "liberal" in their thinking and the traditional American family morals were lost. So families in America who are not Christians yet celebrate Christmas do so in celebration of being with family.

So what now? Should we as Christians rebel against Santa Claus. Your conscience should be able to lead you in the direction you should go. 

My husband and I personally will not do Santa Claus. I personally believe it can be dangerous in celebrating a Santa Claus and Jesus at the same time because we are naturally fallen and sinful people and "stuff" can become more important than a saviour born to reconcile us with a precious and most merciful God! Every year I hear parents saying "be good or I will tell Santa and he will take your presents back to the North Pole" or Santa saying "My! You have been such a good girl!" When really our children should be taught that being obedient to their parents authority is good and pleasing to God and even though they fail many times during the year to obey their parents, God is still full of love and sent his Son to be our propitiation for sin. He is our true Christmas present! Even though we are undeserving of love, grace and gifts from God He still sent us one. Wether he was born of December 25th or not, he is still our Christmas gift and the reason for the season! We will still exchange gifts- but in the knowledge that Christ is our true and best Christmas gift of all and we will not let those material gifts become our "god". However, I also do not think that it is wrong if you decide to do "Santa" but I always encourage to honor the birth of our sweet Jesus!

So, should we shout to the top of our lungs that people who do not believe in Jesus shouldn't celebrate Christmas? I think not- Maybe by hearing sweet Christmas hymns they will understand the mercy and grace of God and come to believe. What a wonderful Christmas gift to have our friends and family come to believe!

Merry Christmas! 

Handels Mesiah click link the lyrics below:

Hallelujah Chorus lyrics by Handel's Messiah

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world

Is become the kingdom of our Lord,

And of His Christ, and of His Christ;

And He shall reign for ever and ever,

For ever and ever, forever and ever,

King of kings, and Lord of lords,

King of kings, and Lord of lords,

And Lord of lords,

And He shall reign,

And He shall reign forever and ever,

King of kings, forever and ever,

And Lord of lords,

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And He shall reign forever and ever,

King of kings! and Lord of lords!

And He shall reign forever and ever,

King of kings! and Lord of lords!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!