Why is Christmas celebrated by some Protestants?

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Some Protestants have Christmas parties.

But I thought they avoid the celebration because it’s not in the Bible, it’s a Catholic tradition and of Pagan origin.
 
souldiver said:
Some Protestants have Christmas parties.

But I thought they avoid the celebration because it’s not in the Bible, it’s a Catholic tradition and of Pagan origin.
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The birth of Christ isn’t in the Bible?
 
I think all Mainline Protestants celebrate Christmas. There are some individuals that don’t. As far as modern groups who don’t celebrate Christmas the only sizable one that comes to mind is Seventh Day Adventists. This is not surprising since Adventism was born in the northeastern US. In the Massachusetts colony celebrating Christmas was once illegal. The puritans were typically against anything fun.
 
souldiver said:
I’m not sure, I just know that there are some. Most Protestants don’t say their actual sect’s name.
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There are some smaller sects that do not celebrate Christmas. I would suspect that those who do not celebrate it, do not have parties for it. It is also important not to confuse groups such as JW’s as Christian.
Regardless, they are small in number.
Most Protestants don’t say their actual sect’s name
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I, frankly, think this is inaccurate. The vast majority of western non-Catholic Christian communions do not self-identify as simply “protestant”, though there are some posters here that do so for some reason. They regularly self-identify by the communion’s name.

Jon
 
exnihilo said:
I think all Mainline Protestants celebrate Christmas. There are some individuals that don’t. As far as modern groups who don’t celebrate Christmas the only sizable one that comes to mind is Seventh Day Adventists. This is not surprising since Adventism was born in the northeastern US. In the Massachusetts colony celebrating Christmas was once illegal. The puritans were typically against anything fun.
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Some Church of Christ do not, and I believe that some small sects that have their roots in the “Worldwide Church of God” (Herbert W. and Garner Ted Armstrong) do not celebrate Christmas.

Jon
 
souldiver said:
Some Protestants have Christmas parties.

But I thought they avoid the celebration because it’s not in the Bible, it’s a Catholic tradition and of Pagan origin.
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Most Protestants celebrate Christmas because, like the Bible, it is a tradition they chose to retain. Same with advent.

Some fundamentalist don’t but they are a tiny minority.
 
In NA, Christmas has become a highly secular celebration. (Hence the “Mary’s Dream” article that gets reused every Advent in the Church bulletins.)

Most Protestants celebrate it, although there are minority groups who don’t, because it has become part of the secular culture.

We should also recognize that the secular and Protestant Christmas season (roughly the same as Advent, and ending on 12/26) is not the Church’s Christmastide.

ICXC NIKA
 
souldiver said:
But the Bible didn’t say that we should celebrate the birth of Jesus and the date December 25 isn’t the Bible.
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True.

So perhaps the question should be, Do you celebrate your birthday (or anniversary, if you’re married)?
 
GEddie said:
In NA, Christmas has become a highly secular celebration. (Hence the “Mary’s Dream” article that gets reused every Advent in the Church bulletins.)

Most Protestants celebrate it, although there are minority groups who don’t, because it has become part of the secular culture.

We should also recognize that the secular and Protestant Christmas season (roughly the same as Advent, and ending on 12/26) is not the Church’s Christmastide.

ICXC NIKA
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If I remember from my early Lutheran days, the Lutheran church recognizes Advent and Christmas as 2 distinct time periods, and the Christmas season lasts 12 days (from December 25th to January 5th).
 
exnihilo said:
I think all Mainline Protestants celebrate Christmas. There are some individuals that don’t. As far as modern groups who don’t celebrate Christmas the only sizable one that comes to mind is Seventh Day Adventists. This is not surprising since Adventism was born in the northeastern US. In the Massachusetts colony celebrating Christmas was once illegal. The puritans were typically against anything fun.
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If you don’t celebrate the Holy Eucharist, it may be difficult to find joy in anything.
 
exnihilo said:
I think all Mainline Protestants celebrate Christmas. There are some individuals that don’t. As far as modern groups who don’t celebrate Christmas the only sizable one that comes to mind is Seventh Day Adventists. This is not surprising since Adventism was born in the northeastern US. In the Massachusetts colony celebrating Christmas was once illegal. The puritans were typically against anything fun.
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I have many SDA friends who celebrate Christmas. 🤷

Rita
 
Christmas isn’t pagan anyway. Some elements of pagan celebrations have been repurposed to Christianity, but Christmas is Christian.
 
souldiver said:
Some Protestants have Christmas parties.

But I thought they avoid the celebration because it’s not in the Bible, it’s a Catholic tradition and of Pagan origin.
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Christs virgin birth is on Christmas , it’s attested by the Church fathers , it’s not pagan , saturnalia fll on dec 17-22 not dec 25
 
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