I Don’t Celebrate Christmas, I’m Not “Old Scrooge”
The story of a Christmas Carol has been told and retold thousands of times since it was first published by Charles Dickens in 1843. It tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, old man who wants nothing to do with Christmas or anything associated with it, and who shows discontent to anyone who does.
Scrooge turns away from family, friends and those in need as he tries to keep focus on his own selfish greed. “If I could work my will,” says Scrooge, indignantly, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!”
After being visited by a series of ghosts who show him the value of the Christmas spirit, he reforms himself and vows to denounce his callous stinginess and honor Christmas wholeheartedly.
The story is so well known throughout the western world that anyone not embodying the “Christmas spirit,” that spirit of caring, generosity, thankfulness and love, is often referred to as an “old scrooge.”
For many Muslims in the United States, Christmas time creates something of a predicament. Do they go along with the traditions of Christmas, even if just outwardly, in an attempt to connect with non-Muslim neighbors and friends? Or do they forgo the lights, trees, stockings and gift exchanges and risk being viewed as old scrooges?
In this article, I hope to examine these questions, not only shedding light on why Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, but also explaining why the “Christmas spirit” is something Islam actually strongly encourages throughout the entire year.
Historic Origin
Christmas is a holiday celebrated by the majority of Christians on December 25th to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ (may God’s peace be upon him). Christmas time is associated with many traditions and symbols, both religious and secular—scenes of the nativity, decorated trees, gingerbread houses, peppermint sticks, wreaths of holly, colored lights, snowmen, and Santa Clause, the list goes on and on.
How are all these things related to the supposed birth of Jesus on December 25th? Well, it turns out they are not related as closely as one might think. Despite what popular culture tells us, historians and religious scholars agree that December 25th was not the actual birthday of Jesus. According to textual evidence, Jesus was most likely born in the spring or summer.
However, centuries before the birth of Jesus, the middle of winter was a time celebrated by many ancient religions around the world. Among these were the Norse people of Scandinavia who celebrated Yule at the time of the winter solstice, and the ancient Romans who celebrated a series of holidays at the end of December, starting with Saturnalia, in honor of the god Saturn, and a few weeks later, Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome.
The day of December 25th actually marked the day many Romans considered to be the most sacred day of the year—the birthday of the infant god Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun.
When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Church, specifically Pope Julius I, decided to replace the December 25th pre-Christian celebration of the birth of Mithra, with the celebration of the birth of who they claimed to be the son of God, Jesus.
Although the Church changed the purpose of the occasion, many of the traditions and practices found in pre-Christian Europe continued under the pretext of the Church’s new holiday and then spread to many other parts of the world. The history of Christmas includes a lot of broken links, interjections and even a few times in which the holiday was very outlawed.
However, much of that history, symbolism and all, comes together in the ways that Christmas is being celebrated today. And even though Christmas in the contemporary United States is often more secular than religious, its roots and religious significance still make it one holiday that most Muslims, including me, feel uncomfortable observing. Why?
Preserving Muslim Identity
Islam teaches that God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, is one, without father or son, and that there is nothing in His creation like unto Him. Thus, Muslims do not believe in the trinity or that Jesus is the son of God.
Furthermore, Muslims are very cautious to never associate anything with the one, true God, at the level of worship or otherwise. For that reason, Islam forbids any celebration associated with the worship of any other God.
And though I won’t be able to provide a thorough discussion here of the view of Jesus in Islam, one thing that must not be overlooked is the emphasis Islam places on believing, loving and respecting Jesus and his mother Mary.
Jesus is mentioned throughout the Qur’an and an entire chapter is devoted to Mary. Muslims believe that Jesus was one of the Prophets sent by God to teach humanity about the Oneness of God. They believe in his virgin birth, in his miracles, and that he is the Messiah who will someday return. However, they do not believe in his divinity or in his death on the cross as expiation for the sins of humanity.
To celebrate a day in honor of Jesus may seem harmless to some Muslims, but not when the roots of that celebration are a belief in his being the son of God and when many of the traditions involved in that celebration stem for the polytheistic practices of pagan Europe.
Christmas time, despite not being the historical time of Jesus’s birth, still seems like the perfect time to remind myself and others of the message Jesus brought to us, the miracle of his birth and the example we have in Mary as a symbol of piety.
Even though as a child, I marveled at all the decorations, lights, stories about Christmas, and I sometimes wanted very badly to partake in those traditions, and even may have wished that I could wear a Santa hat to school, I now appreciate why my family didn’t celebrate Christmas.
I appreciate why we never put up a tree or wreath or exchanged Christmas gifts. I appreciate the effort my parents made at signifying to us the importance of our holidays in Islam, `Eids—holidays which celebrate God’s blessings, mercy and forgiveness.
I appreciate that celebration is not just for the sake of celebration, or because everyone around me is doing it. Part of my being true to myself and my faith was being mindful about my activities and sincere about those things that truly made me, and more importantly my Creator, happy—and wearing a Santa hat just to fit in isn’t one of those things.
Lest it be understood that I am advocating the eradication of Christmas from American culture. I should make it clear that Islam protects freedom of religion for all members of society and as such, Muslims, even when living in a predominately-Muslim society, must allow others to express and celebrate their religious traditions.
Indeed, my not celebrating Christmas is not in emulation of old Ebenezer Scrooge. In fact, the values associated with the Christmas spirit, the spirit of thankfulness, selfless giving, kindness to strangers, and connecting with friends and family, are the same values that Islam teaches me to embody throughout my entire life.
Indeed, they are the very values that I try to instill in my own two daughters every day.
I Don’t Celebrate Christmas, I’m Not “Old Scrooge”
The story of a Christmas Carol has been told and retold thousands of times since it was first published by Charles Dickens in 1843. It tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, old man who wants nothing to do with Christmas or anything associated with it, and who shows discontent to anyone who does.
Scrooge turns away from family, friends and those in need as he tries to keep focus on his own selfish greed. “If I could work my will,” says Scrooge, indignantly, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!”
After being visited by a series of ghosts who show him the value of the Christmas spirit, he reforms himself and vows to denounce his callous stinginess and honor Christmas wholeheartedly.
The story is so well known throughout the western world that anyone not embodying the “Christmas spirit,” that spirit of caring, generosity, thankfulness and love, is often referred to as an “old scrooge.”
For many Muslims in the United States, Christmas time creates something of a predicament. Do they go along with the traditions of Christmas, even if just outwardly, in an attempt to connect with non-Muslim neighbors and friends? Or do they forgo the lights, trees, stockings and gift exchanges and risk being viewed as old scrooges?
In this article, I hope to examine these questions, not only shedding light on why Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, but also explaining why the “Christmas spirit” is something Islam actually strongly encourages throughout the entire year.
Historic Origin
Christmas is a holiday celebrated by the majority of Christians on December 25th to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ (may God’s peace be upon him). Christmas time is associated with many traditions and symbols, both religious and secular—scenes of the nativity, decorated trees, gingerbread houses, peppermint sticks, wreaths of holly, colored lights, snowmen, and Santa Clause, the list goes on and on.
How are all these things related to the supposed birth of Jesus on December 25th? Well, it turns out they are not related as closely as one might think. Despite what popular culture tells us, historians and religious scholars agree that December 25th was not the actual birthday of Jesus. According to textual evidence, Jesus was most likely born in the spring or summer.
However, centuries before the birth of Jesus, the middle of winter was a time celebrated by many ancient religions around the world. Among these were the Norse people of Scandinavia who celebrated Yule at the time of the winter solstice, and the ancient Romans who celebrated a series of holidays at the end of December, starting with Saturnalia, in honor of the god Saturn, and a few weeks later, Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome.
The day of December 25th actually marked the day many Romans considered to be the most sacred day of the year—the birthday of the infant god Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun.
When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Church, specifically Pope Julius I, decided to replace the December 25th pre-Christian celebration of the birth of Mithra, with the celebration of the birth of who they claimed to be the son of God, Jesus.
Although the Church changed the purpose of the occasion, many of the traditions and practices found in pre-Christian Europe continued under the pretext of the Church’s new holiday and then spread to many other parts of the world. The history of Christmas includes a lot of broken links, interjections and even a few times in which the holiday was very outlawed.
However, much of that history, symbolism and all, comes together in the ways that Christmas is being celebrated today. And even though Christmas in the contemporary United States is often more secular than religious, its roots and religious significance still make it one holiday that most Muslims, including me, feel uncomfortable observing. Why?
Preserving Muslim Identity
Islam teaches that God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, is one, without father or son, and that there is nothing in His creation like unto Him. Thus, Muslims do not believe in the trinity or that Jesus is the son of God.
Furthermore, Muslims are very cautious to never associate anything with the one, true God, at the level of worship or otherwise. For that reason, Islam forbids any celebration associated with the worship of any other God.
And though I won’t be able to provide a thorough discussion here of the view of Jesus in Islam, one thing that must not be overlooked is the emphasis Islam places on believing, loving and respecting Jesus and his mother Mary.
Jesus is mentioned throughout the Qur’an and an entire chapter is devoted to Mary. Muslims believe that Jesus was one of the Prophets sent by God to teach humanity about the Oneness of God. They believe in his virgin birth, in his miracles, and that he is the Messiah who will someday return. However, they do not believe in his divinity or in his death on the cross as expiation for the sins of humanity.
To celebrate a day in honor of Jesus may seem harmless to some Muslims, but not when the roots of that celebration are a belief in his being the son of God and when many of the traditions involved in that celebration stem for the polytheistic practices of pagan Europe.
Christmas time, despite not being the historical time of Jesus’s birth, still seems like the perfect time to remind myself and others of the message Jesus brought to us, the miracle of his birth and the example we have in Mary as a symbol of piety.
Even though as a child, I marveled at all the decorations, lights, stories about Christmas, and I sometimes wanted very badly to partake in those traditions, and even may have wished that I could wear a Santa hat to school, I now appreciate why my family didn’t celebrate Christmas.
I appreciate why we never put up a tree or wreath or exchanged Christmas gifts. I appreciate the effort my parents made at signifying to us the importance of our holidays in Islam, `Eids—holidays which celebrate God’s blessings, mercy and forgiveness.
I appreciate that celebration is not just for the sake of celebration, or because everyone around me is doing it. Part of my being true to myself and my faith was being mindful about my activities and sincere about those things that truly made me, and more importantly my Creator, happy—and wearing a Santa hat just to fit in isn’t one of those things.
Lest it be understood that I am advocating the eradication of Christmas from American culture. I should make it clear that Islam protects freedom of religion for all members of society and as such, Muslims, even when living in a predominately-Muslim society, must allow others to express and celebrate their religious traditions.
Indeed, my not celebrating Christmas is not in emulation of old Ebenezer Scrooge. In fact, the values associated with the Christmas spirit, the spirit of thankfulness, selfless giving, kindness to strangers, and connecting with friends and family, are the same values that Islam teaches me to embody throughout my entire life.
Indeed, they are the very values that I try to instill in my own two daughters every day.
THE PAGAN ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS
Dictionary.com defines Christmas as the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus: celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and an occasion for exchanging gifts. It goes on to explain that Christmas time or the Christmas season extends from the December 24th to January 6th known in the liturgical (or church) calendar Twelfth Night or the Epiphany. The word Christmas, which is said to have originated before 1150 CE, comes from the Middle English cristmasse or in old English, the Mass of Christ.
The definition and the word origin give Christmas strong religious connotations. It is such a central part of the church calendar that one could be forgiven for thinking that even the apostles celebrated the birth of Jesus. However, that is not the case. In the early years, in the first two centuries, during the establishment of Christianity, Easter was the main celebration and the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. It was not until the fourth century (300CE) that church leadership decided to make the birth of Jesus a holiday, or cause for celebration.
The actual birthdate of Jesus is unknown. Many people have asserted that it was probably in March or early spring because the Bible tells us that when Jesus was born the shepherds were watching their flocks by night. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke2:8) Shepherds are certainly not abiding in the fields with their sheep during the long cold winters. However, there is no real definitive evidence for this and Jesus’ date of birth is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible, nor is the celebration of birthdays in general. Historically, it is more likely that the people would have celebrated a death rather than a birth, thus we have the Christian Easter celebration.
Early Christian traveler and chronologist Sextus Julius Africanis was the first person to identify December 25th as the date of Jesus’ birth and it became uniformly accepted. However, December 25th was also around the time of the winter solstice; midwinter, the shortest day of the year. As Christianity was beginning to be widely accepted, the most popular celebration in the Roman, and thus pagan, world was Saturnalia, the festival honoring the Roman god of agriculture Saturn. It was sometimes celebrated as early as December 17th and at times lasted for three to seven days. However, December 25th became the date of the celebration known as solis invicti nati (day of the birth of the unconquered sun). It was a popular holiday celebrating the winter solstice and incorporating even older rites from the midwinter festivals.
History.com tells us that work and business came to a halt. Schools and courts of law closed, and the normal social patterns were suspended. People decorated their homes with wreaths and other greenery. Slaves did not have to work during Saturnalia, were allowed to participate in the festivities, and sometimes sat at the head of the table while their masters served them. Saturnalia was a time of gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, socializing and giving each other gifts.
There are two reasons that have been suggested as to why the early church leaders choose December 25th as the day of Christmas. One is that Christianity was for some time an outlawed sect, thus celebrating Christ’s birth during Saturnalia allowed them to draw less attention to themselves. The other and the one considered more likely, is that church leaders chose December 25th as a way to increase the popularity of the new Christian celebration. For quite some time pagan rites and Christianity existed together, sometimes overlapping, and the incorporation of pagan rituals into Christmas rites was inevitable. Thus, by the end of the fourth century many Saturnalia rituals (giving gifts, singing, lighting candles, feasting) had become part of Christmas and they are still visible today.
By the Middle Ages Christianity had, for the most part replaced paganism and Christmas had become a religious celebration beginning with the celebrations of Christ’s Mass and followed up by revelry and mayhem similar to the Mardi Gras celebrations today or the Saturnalia festivals. In some parts of the Christian world, Christmas had become a secular holiday characterized by fun with family and friends. While the Catholic Church gradually came to embrace Christmas and its pagan rituals, the Protestant Reformation did not. Christmas was actually banned in some parts of the world. In Boston Massachusetts in 1659 those demonstrating "Christmas spirit" were fined 5 shillings.
Christmas is celebrated differently in different parts of the world; however, most celebrations contain elements of paganism. The Christmas tree is a 17th-century German invention that is derived from the pagan practice of bringing greenery indoors. The ornaments hung on the Christmas trees have their origins in Saturnalia when the Romans hung ornaments outside on trees. They typically represented either Saturn or beloved deities and idols. Early Germanic tribes decorated trees with fruit and candles in honor of Odin. The fruitcake is a big Christmas tradition, but its origin is actually in Ancient Egypt. It is said that that the Egyptians placed cakes made of fermented fruit and honey on the tombs of their deceased loved ones. While Christians say that the red berries of the Holly bush represent the blood of Jesus Christ, in pre-Christian cultures Holly was known as the plant that would drive off evil spirits.
While the Dutch are credited with bringing Santa (Sinter Klaus) to New York City in the 17thcentury, the current depiction is based in images drawn by cartoonist Thomas Nast in 1863, that were in turn based on the illustrations in The Night before Christmas published in 1823. The image was further defined in a Coca-Cola company advertisement in 1931. Although Santa Claus as we know him today is a product of some very clever 19th century marketing, characters like Santa have existed for centuries. For example, the belief that Santa enters the house through the chimney developed from an Old Norse legend. They believed that the goddess Hertha appeared in the fireplace and brought good luck into the home.
The Christmas celebrations continue to change. It some places in the Christian world it is little more than a family get together or an occasion to give and receive gifts. In other places, such as some countries in Asia, marketing Christmas is so successful that people incorporate it into their lives having little or no understanding of either its pagan or Christian origins. Even taking Jesus out of the celebration does little to separate Christmas from its pagan origins. This is happening in the Muslim world too.
There is no harm in putting up a tree and hanging ornaments many say. However, the harm comes from the forgetting. Muslims and Christians alike forget that the Roman god Saturn and the Norse god Odin feature heavily in Christmas celebrations. Forgetting the origins of Christmas could be likened to what happened when the people of Noah forgot why they built statues that then became idols. That time ended very badly for those who forgot.
