“Should we have a Christmas Tree? Does the Christmas Tree have its origin in ancient pagan rituals?”……The modern custom of a Christmas tree does not come from any form of paganism. There is no evidence of any pagan religion decorating a special holiday tree for their mid-winter festivals, although the Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a festival called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. The first Christmas tree was decorated by Protestant Christians in 16th-century Germany. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early German traditions.…There is nothing in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees.

It has been falsely claimed by some that Jeremiah 10:1-16 prohibits the cutting down and decorating of trees in the same manner as we do at Christmas. However, even a cursory reading of the text makes it clear that the passage is one in which Jeremiah sets forth the prohibition against idols made of wood, plated with silver and gold, and worshipped.…

Jeremiah 10:1-16 …Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O Israel!2 This is what the Lord says:…"Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars.…Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them.…3 Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.…4 They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won't fall over.…5 Their gods are likehelpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!They cannot speak,…and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good."…6 Lord, there is no one like you!For you are great, and your name is full of power.…7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations? That title belongs to you alone!…Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world,…there is no one like you.…8 People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood!…9 They bring beaten sheets of silver from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz,and they give these materials to skillful craftsmen who make their idols. Then they dress these gods in royal blue and purple robesmade by expert tailors.…10 But the Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King!The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath.…11 Say this to those who worship other gods: "Your so-called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens."(The original text of this verse is in Aramaic.)…12 But God made the earth by his power,and he preserves it by his wisdom.…With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.…13 When he speaks in the thunder,the heavens roar with rain.He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rainand releases the wind from his storehouses.…14 The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge!The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make,for their carefully shaped works are a fraud.…These idols have no breath or power.…15 Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies!On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed.16 But the God of Israel(Hebrew the Portion of Jacob. See note on 5:20) is no idol!He is the Creator of everything that exists,including Israel, his own special possession. The Lord of Heaven's Armies is his name!

A similar idea appears in Isaiah 44, where Isaiah speaks of the silliness of the idol-worshippers who cut down a tree, burn part of it in the fire to warm themselves, and use the other part to fashion an idol, which they then bow down to. So unless we bow down before our Christmas tree, carve it into an idol, and pray to it, these passages cannot be applied to Christmas trees.……There is no spiritual significance to having or not having a Christmas tree. Whatever choice we make, the motive behind a believer's decision about this, as in all matters of conscience, must be to please the Lord.

Romans 14:5-6a…5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.

The Lord is grieved when Christians look down upon one another for either celebrating or not celebrating Christmas. This is spiritual pride. When we feel that somehow we have achieved a higher plain of spirituality by doing or not doing something about which the Bible is silent, we misuse our freedom in Christ, create divisions within His body, and thereby dishonor the Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:31

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

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