Some people will definitely call you a heathen for refusing to celebrate Christmas but I look at it celebrating Christmas as neither here nor there with an exception.
Even when you say the generic "Happy Holidays," to avoid offending those that don't celebrate Christmas, but most people will correct you and say "Merry Christmas," but do we really know what it means?
Let's look at the etymological origin of the word from Wikipedia....
"The English word Christmas is a shortened form of 'Christ's Mass'.[3] The word is recorded as Crīstesmæsse in 1038 and Cristes-messe in 1131.[4] Crīst (genitive Crīstes) is from the Greek Χριστός (Khrīstos, 'Christ'), a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ, 'Messiah'), meaning 'anointed';[5][6] and mæsse is from the Latin missa, the celebration of the Eucharist.[7]"
A lot of people, including me, would get offended and say "We shouldn't use "Xmas" because the world is trying to cross out Christ."
Then the Greek brings the correction....."is from the Greek Χριστός (Khrīstos, 'Christ')..."
"X" is another way to express "Christ."
I stood corrected.
Then what about the word "Mass?"
We all associate the word "mass" with catholicism but even Lutherans, Anglicans, and some Protestants use the word.
In general, it's just a word that notes a system of service or services. Like a "call to order or Liturgy."
Of course, different denominations and ministers will differ in definition and even be dogmatic about its use but people are people. We fuss over everything in pride to show that we're right and you're wrong.
It's obvious that the system of catholicism is rife with error and Protestant churches have very few errors when it comes to the accuracy of the Scriptures.
In every individual, there's the desire to worship something. Initially, it's our conscience, yearning for God but sinners refuse to recognize God and sadly, some believers don't have a clue as to the kind of worship that's acceptable to God (see John 4).
When the children of Israel were released from the bondage of the Egyptians, the Lord told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let My people go to serve me (see Exodus 8:20). After Israel was freed from the house of bondage by the Lord, the Lord commanded Israel to observe 7 Feasts as noted in Leviticus 23.
In September or October (Jewish Month Tishri), the final Feasts of the Lord for the nation of Israel to observe is Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and the Feast of Tabernacles, but there's a celebration that's not a part of the normal Feasts that's held in December (Jewish Month Kislev) called Hanukkah.
According to a dictionary, "Hahuchkah lasts for 8 days, commemorating the a lesser Jewish festival, lasting eight days from the 25th day of Kislev (in December) and commemorating the rededication of the Temple in 165 BC by the Maccabees after its desecration by the Syrians. It is marked by the successive kindling of eight lights."
It's also interesting to note that the despot Assad's regime in Syria has fallen. Go figure.
According to Wikipedia....The name "Hanukkah" derives from the Hebrew verb "חנך", meaning "to dedicate". On Hanukkah, the Maccabean Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple.[9][10]
It's also known as the "Festive of Lights."
Here's the background according to Wikipedia...
"The miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days is described in the Talmud, committed to writing about 600 years after the events described in the books of Maccabees.[33]
The Talmud says that after the forces of Antiochus IV had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day.
They used this, yet it burned for eight days (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready).[34]
The Talmud presents three options:[35]
The law requires only one light each night per household,
A better practice is to light one light each night for each member of the household
The most preferred practice is to vary the number of lights each night.
Hanukkah was not commanded by the Lord to be observed but Israel instituted it any way.
The Lord Jesus was at the Temple when Hanukkah was observed by the Jews.
"In the New Testament, John 10:22–23 says, "Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade" (NIV)."
The word "Feast" is given a note from Strong's Concordance.
"....dedication, consecration in particular the annual feast celebrated eight days beginning in the 25th of Chislev (middle of our December), instituted by Judas Maccabaeus [164 BC] in memory of the cleansing of the temple from the pollution of Antiochus Epiphanes."
If you know anything about Bible prophesy, Antiochus Epiphanes IV is a type of the Antichrist that stopped sacrifice and offering (see Daniel 11:29-39 and read the commentary of Jamison, Fausett, and Brown) just like the coming Antichrist will do in the final week of Daniel's 70th Week prophesy in Daniel 9.
In other words, Bible prophesy was told to the Jews of what would happen after they would come out of the Babylonian 70 Jewish calendar years of captivity (see Jeremiah 25:10-13, 29:10-14, and Daniel 9:2), and as the coming of the birth of Christ would come near.
Remember. The book of Isaiah was written prior to the Assyrian captivity and 200 years before the birth of Christ.
BTW, the Talmud is Jewish traditions.
Then you have Kwanza that's just another addition to the month of December to add to Christmas. This is the mode of satan, the adversary of Christ, or Antichrist.
Kwanza "....was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East, as well as Southeast Africa....American black separatist[3] Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 during the aftermath of the Watts riots[4] as a non-Christian,[5] specifically African-American, holiday.[6]
Karenga said his goal was to "give black people an alternative to the existing holiday of Christmas and give black people an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society...
According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits".[9] First fruits festivals exist in Southern Africa and are celebrated in December/January with the southern solstice....
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:[20]
Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
Kujichagulia (Self-determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle."
No. I don't celebrate Kwanza. This is just information provided to give you an understanding if you don't know what Kwanza means.
So in order, we have Hanukkah, then Christmas, then Kwanza but let's cut to the chase and answer the question.
Am I a heathen for not celebrating Christmas?
Again, some people will definitely call you a heathen for refusing to celebrate Christmas but I look at it as a neither here nor there with an exception.
The Lord never instituted Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanza. Man did.
I like Paul's response to honoring certain days.
Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV) "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike.
Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.
He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks."
But one thing's for sure, don't celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanza if you're inclined to celebrate Christmas.
One last thing. Notice that Hanukkah and Kwanza is celebrated with Christmas.
Strange. Isn't it?
Nonetheless, regardless of what day the Christ was born isn’t important.
The fact that He was born fulfilled Scripture.
Argue until you’re blue in the face about celebrating Christmas, the fact that He was born to be sin for Who knew no sin is more important.
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