I am deeply grateful to see that this Christmas season has been far less marked by attempts to disparage those who celebrate Christmas or have a Christmas tree in their homes. Just a few years ago, there seemed to be an abundance of online "Christmas warriors" seeking to shame anyone who enjoyed the season by bringing up the so-called pagan roots of Christmas. Some even went so far as to question the salvation of those who celebrated this holiday, which I found both baffling and concerning.
Others took to social media or even launched personal tirades against those who put up Christmas trees. In response, I did some research and discovered that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, is credited with adding lighted candles to a tree. According to tradition, Luther was inspired one winter evening as he walked home, awed by the sight of stars twinkling amidst the evergreen trees. To share this moment with his family, he brought a tree into their home and decorated its branches with lit candles.
Some critics have argued that Jeremiah 10:1-5 refers to what we today know as Christmas trees, implying that Christians should not have them in their homes. However, a closer examination of the text reveals that it specifically denounces the practice of idol worship. This passage describes a tree being cut down, shaped by a craftsman, and adorned with silver and gold to create an idol for worship. The context is clear: this is about the futility and absurdity of idolatry, not the modern cultural tradition of Christmas trees.
As Matthew Henry explains in his commentary, Jeremiah 10:1-5 critiques the creation and worship of idols. Henry describes the process of fashioning a tree into an idol and emphasizes its lifelessness—these idols cannot speak, move, or take any action, good or evil. He further cautions against adopting the ways of heathen nations, highlighting the emptiness of idolatry.
If anyone were bowing down to a Christmas tree and worshiping it, I would wholeheartedly denounce such actions as idolatry. However, in our modern context, Christmas trees are not associated with pagan worship but are instead a cultural tradition. To those who do not want to celebrate Christmas or put up a Christmas tree, I would simply say, don't. Likewise, to those who do wish to celebrate, enjoy the holiday and the traditions that come with it.
The best way to approach this, I believe, is guided by the wisdom of Romans 14:5-6:
“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.”
Let us approach this season with grace, allowing others the freedom to observe or not observe traditions as they see fit, all while honoring the Lord in their decisions. My prayer is that this perspective helps bring clarity and peace to everyone, regardless of which side of the debate they find themselves on.
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