The History of Christians Not Observing Christmas

Today, many Christians observe Christmas by treating the birthday of Jesus Christ as special or holy in comparison to other weekdays as a matter of faith. Often, Christians who do not observe Christmas are viewed as unfaithful or at least unusual. However, this was not always the case.

Early Christianity

There is no indication that Christians observed Jesus’ birthday for the first 300 years after Jesus’ birth. These early Christians had different views about which date was Jesus’ birthday. Yet, they did not observe Jesus’ birthday on any date.

In writings by early Christians before 300 CE, there are indications that Christians kept yearly feasts like Passover and Pentecost. Some Christians also kept a yearly feast to commemorate Jesus’ baptism. However, there is no mention of a yearly feast to commemorate Jesus’ birthday until after 300 CE.

Early Protestantism

During the 16th century CE, some Christian leaders in the Roman Catholic Church tried to reform their churches according to the Bible. Many of these Christian leaders were expelled from the Roman Catholic Church, and they became the first Protestants.

Many early Protestant groups continued to observe Christmas, like the Lutherans and the Anglicans. Yet, this was not unanimous. Many other Protestant Christian leaders taught against Christmas observance as part of their reformation efforts.

These non-Christmas Christians believed in the Regulative Principle of Worship, which is the idea that people should worship God only in the manner that God has commanded. They applied this Principle to “Christian holidays” like Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. They reasoned that since God did not command people to observe those holidays, then people should not observe those holidays.

Early Presbyterianism

One Protestant group which taught against Christmas observance was the early Presbyterians. In 1560 CE, Presbyterian leaders published the First Book of Discipline. In the first chapter, it is written:

By contrary Doctrine, we understand whatsoever men, by Laws, Councils, or Constitutions have imposed upon the consciences of men, without the expressed commandment of God’s word: such as… keeping of holy days of certain Saints commanded by men, such as be all those that the Papists have invented, as the Feasts (as they term them) of Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins, of Christmas, Circumcision, Epiphany, Purification, and other fond feasts of our Lady.

The early Presbyterians believed in the Regulative Principle of Worship. Here in the Book of Discipline, Christmas is explicitly listed as a feast that Christians should not observe, since it was not commanded by God in the Scriptures. Accordingly, the early Presbyterians did not observe Christmas in their churches.

Conclusion

The practice of observing Christmas was not always as popular among Christians as it is today. Throughout history, Christians felt free to disagree with Christmas observance.

Therefore, Christians should not judge other Christians who choose not to observe Christmas—especially since many of our forebearers themselves taught against Christmas observance.