"FROM YOUR VALENTINE"

 ON February 14 in the year 270 C.E., a young Roman named Valentine was beaten and beheaded because he would not renounce Christianity. To the little daughter of the jailer who had charge over him and who had befriended him, he left a note. He signed the note, “From your Valentine.” For centuries thereafter the phrase “from your Valentine” meant only friendship. But around the year 1400 it took on a new meaning.

Many centuries before this the early Greeks believed that the deity Pan was the god of the flocks and shepherds. Greek myth says that when Pan was born he was full grown, with horns, beard, goat’s feet and a tail. The arts picture him as a voluptuous, sensual, dancing creature. With the rise of the Roman Empire, Pan was adopted by Rome as their god Faunus, also called Lupercus. His wife Luperca, in the form of a she-wolf, was supposed to have nursed Romulus and Remus, the founders and builders of the ancient city of Rome.

The priests that served in the temple of this demon god were known as Luperci. Clothed only in goatskins, in mid-February these priests went about striking women with goatskin thongs, claiming it would promote fertility. Other mystic and sexual rites of this ancient spring love festival included the giving of young women to men by a sort of lottery. The names of girls were shaken up in a box and drawn by the men.

All of this went on, of course, many centuries before young Valentine signed his note to his little friend, “From your Valentine.” When the Catholic Church rose up and began taking over the control of Rome, it absorbed practically all the pre-Christian feasts of Greece and Rome, and included in these was this spring love festival of the Greek god Pan. And in keeping with the Catholic Church’s practice of giving Christian garb to cover over the pagan origins of such feasts, it dubbed this one St. Valentine’s Day.

Certain embellishments were added. The game was enlarged by letting girls, in turn, draw boys’ names out of the box. The one chosen became the Valentine for one year of the one choosing. During the Middle Ages Valentine’s eve and the day following, February 14, were celebrated with much the same sensual frolicking that characterized the original pagan festival. Cupid, the god of fertility pictured as a winged boy or youth, added his bow-and-arrow activities to the occasion. During the last century Valentine cards with their lace trimmings and sentimental verses were introduced to dress up the old mythologies.

So goes the travesty, the linking of young Valentine’s tender sentiments of friendship with a small child to the fertility rites of ancient demon gods and goddesses.

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BIBLICAL LIGHT ON BIRTHDAYS

  Even though the birth of a baby has always been a cause for much joy, the Bible makes no reference to a birthday celebration for a servant of God. (Psalm 127:3) Was this simply an oversight? No, for two birthday celebrations are mentioned—that of a Pharaoh of Egypt and that of Herod Antipas. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21-29) Both events, however, are presented in a bad light—especially the latter, which saw John the Baptizer beheaded.

  “The early Christians,” notes The World Book Encyclopedia, “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” The ancient Greeks, for instance, believed that each person had a protective spirit that attended the person’s birth and thereafter watched over him. That spirit “had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born,” says the book The Lore of Birthdays. Birthdays also have a long-standing and an intimate link with astrology and the horoscope.

  Besides rejecting birthday customs on account of pagan and spiritistic roots, God’s servants of old likely rejected them on principle as well. Why? These were humble, modest men and women who did not view their arrival in the world as so important that it should be celebrated. (Micah 6:8; Luke 9:48) Rather, they glorified Jehovah and thanked him for the precious gift of life.—Psalm 8:3, 4; 36:9; Revelation 4:11.

  At death, all integrity-keepers are safe in God’s memory, and their future life is guaranteed. (Job 14:14, 15) Says Ecclesiastes 7:1: “A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born.” Our “name” is the good reputation we have gained with God through faithful service. Significantly, the only commemoration commanded for Christians involves, not a birth, but a death—that of Jesus, whose excellent “name” is the key to our salvation.—Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 1:3, 4.

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ARE NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS FOR CHRISTIANS?

IN Chinese communities, firecrackers explode all night long. In Japan, gongs of Buddhist temples reverberate in the air 108 times. In the United States, bells, automobile horns, and whistles break forth at the stroke of midnight. All on New Year’s Eve.

Did you know that all this hullabaloo, though taking various forms, was originally done for one basic reason: to ward off demons and purify people for the coming year? Most people consider the din and racket of New Year’s Eve to be merriment accompanied by elaborate New Year’s celebrations. But what is your view of New Year’s celebrations? Does it agree with the Bible?

Overdrinking and Overeating

Mircea Eliade, an internationally known professor of religious history, describes the rite associated with New Year’s Eve as “an interlude of Carnival, Saturnalia, reversal of normal order, ‘orgy.’” So, in many lands, drunken revelries usually result.

In Japan, for example, businessmen use bonenkai (parties to forget the old year) as an excuse to overdrink. These are followed by shinnenkai (New Year’s parties) where more food and drink are served. As a result, “tigers” rage on the late trains during this time of the year. In Japanese, the expression “tigers” alludes to drunkards who are tolerated in this season.

Does not acting in such a manner or even tolerating such disgrace degrade human dignity? The apostle Paul admonished Christians in Rome: “As in the daytime let us walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts . . . But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:13, 14) Can you imagine Jesus organizing a party featuring overdrinking and overeating for his disciples? Hardly!

Perhaps Paul’s reference to “revelries and drunken bouts” included New Year’s festivities. Why? The book Christmas Traditions, by William M. Auld, states: “From the time of Julius Cæsar [46 B.C.E.] January 1 marked the beginning of the civil year and was a holiday season.” In addition, Auld reveals that “for at least three days feasting and merriment prevailed.”

Is It Greed?

In the Orient, people observe the custom of giving special monetary gifts to children during the New Year’s holiday. The Chinese use red packets of money. They believe that the color red will not only bring good luck and prosperity but also exorcise evil. The Japanese, though, use small white envelopes with auspicious signs on them. What do such practices promote?

“I used to look forward to the New Year’s holiday,” recalls a Japanese man, “and my main concern was how much otoshidama (New Year’s monetary gift) I would get that year.” Could this custom affect children? Yes, answers the column Vox Populi, Vox Dei in the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which states: “Children secretly rank adults in the order of the amount of ‘otoshidama’ received from them.” The amount of money given has kept going up, reaching about 20,000 yen ($130, U.S.) per child in 1985.

Would not this custom promote greed? The adults are eager to have more prestige and the children more money. This is precisely how Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words defines the word “greedy” found in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, namely, “(eager) to have more.”

What sort of parent would stir up greed in his offspring and let them cultivate “the love of money”? The Bible warns that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things.”—1 Timothy 6:10.

But there are even more reasons to be concerned about New Year’s celebrations.

Unsavory Origin?

Suppose you discover a creek with sparkling water, tempting you to drink of it. When you go up the stream, however, you find campers washing their dirty mess-tins and soiled clothes in that water. Would you still want to drink the water and risk contracting a disease? The same can be said of the customs of New Year’s celebrations. Though some celebrations may seem innocent to men, Jehovah, the God of the Bible, has seen their source.

Well, where do we find the earliest record of a New Year’s celebration? “The earliest description of a New Year festival known to us comes from ancient Mesopotamia,” answers Theodor Gaster in his book New Year—Its History, Customs and Superstitions. The clay tablets describing the New Year festival record “a program of ceremonies performed at Babylon since the remote days of the second millennium B.C.”

The Babylonian year started about the vernal equinox—in the month of March. The celebration lasted 11 days and was centered around the worship of Marduk, the city god of Babylon. The vestiges of the New Year festival of Babylon, such as mummers’ plays and fertility rites, are still observed during New Year’s celebrations around the world. The mummers’ parade in the city of Philadelphia (U.S.A.) on New Year’s Day and the fertility festival held in Akita City (Japan) on the 17th of January are but two examples of such relics.

God sees the religious practices originating in Babylon as polluted. He refers to the world empire of false religion, with its customs rooted in ancient Babylon, as “Babylon the Great” and warns: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:2, 4) Therefore, since the features of New Year’s celebrations betray their pagan origins, people wanting to heed the Bible will steer clear of such festivities.

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SHOULD CHRISTIANS SHARE IN NEW YEAR'S FESTIVITIES?

The Bible’s Viewpoint

 

“THE afternoon before New Year’s Eve is unusually calm,” says Fernando, a medical doctor in Brazil. “Then, about 11 o’clock, they start to arrive—a steady stream of patients with stab wounds or gunshot wounds, teenagers injured in automobile accidents, and battered wives. Alcohol is nearly always a factor.”

Considering the above, it is hardly surprising that one Brazilian journal referred to the first day of the year as international hangover day. A European news agency says that “New Year is for the lay hedonist,” adding that it is “one more round in the eternal battle of man pitched against alcohol.”

Granted, not everyone celebrates the New Year by drinking heavily and committing acts of violence. In fact, many have fond memories of the occasion. “As children, we could hardly wait for New Year’s Eve,” says Fernando, quoted earlier. “There were always lots of games, food, and drink. At midnight we would embrace, kiss, and wish one another ‘Happy New Year!’”

Similarly, many today feel that they share in New Year’s festivities without going overboard. Still, Christians do well to examine the origin and significance of this popular celebration. Do New Year’s festivities conflict with Bible teachings?

Facts From the Past

New Year’s festivities are not new. Ancient inscriptions indicate that they were held in Babylon as early as the third millennium B.C.E. The celebration, which was observed in mid-March, was crucial. “At that time the god Marduk decided the destiny of the country for the coming year,” says The World Book Encyclopedia. The Babylonian new year celebration lasted 11 days and included sacrifices, processions, and fertility rites.

For a time, the Romans too began their year in the month of March. But in 46 B.C.E., Emperor Julius Caesar decreed that it should begin on the first of January. That day was already dedicated to Janus, the god of beginnings, and now it would also mark the first day of the Roman year. The date changed, but the carnival atmosphere persisted. On the first of January, people “gave themselves up to riotous excess,” says McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, “and various kinds of heathen superstition.”

Even today, superstitious rituals play a part in New Year’s festivities. For example, in some areas of South America, many welcome the New Year while standing on their right foot. Others sound horns and set off firecrackers. According to a Czech custom, New Year’s Eve is a time for eating lentil soup, while a Slovak tradition has people placing money or fish scales under the tablecloth. Such rituals, designed to ward off ill fortune and guarantee prosperity, merely perpetuate the ancient belief that the turn of the year is a time for deciding destinies.

The Bible’s View

The Bible admonishes Christians to “walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts.” (Romans 13:12-14; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3) Since New Year’s festivities are often characterized by the very excesses that the Bible condemns, Christians do not participate in them. This does not mean that Christians are killjoys. On the contrary, they know that the Bible repeatedly tells worshipers of the true God to rejoice—and that for a number of reasons. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 11; Psalm 32:11; Proverbs 5:15-19; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 11:9) The Bible also acknowledges that food and drink often accompany rejoicing.—Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7a.

As we have seen, however, New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” For good reason, Paul added: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Christians also realize that taking part in superstitious rituals does not guarantee happiness and prosperity—especially since participating in such festivities can result in God’s disfavor. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Isaiah 65:11, 12) Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Clearly, it would be improper for one who professes to follow Christ’s teachings to be part of a celebration that is characterized by riotous excess.

As eye-catching and appealing to the senses as New Year’s festivities may be, the Bible tells us to “quit touching the unclean thing” and to “cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” To those who comply, Jehovah extends the heartwarming guarantee: “I will take you in. . . . I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me.” (2 Corinthians 6:17b–7:1) Indeed, he promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to him.—Psalm 37:18, 28; Revelation 21:3, 4, 7.

[Footnote]

Paul’s reference to “revelries and drunken bouts” may have included those that took place during New Year’s festivities, since these were popular in Rome during the first century.

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VALENTINE DAY---WHERE DID IT COME FROM?

 

DID you ever send or receive a valentine, a card or a gift? In many countries it is the custom to send them out for February 14, Valentine Day. It is supposed to be a day celebrated by lovers. But how did the custom start?

Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says: “Valentine, St. A priest of Rome who was imprisoned for succouring persecuted Christians. He became a convert and, . . . he was clubbed to death. His day is 14 February. . .

“The ancient custom of choosing Valentines has only accidental relation to [the] saint, being essentially a relic of the old Roman Lupercalia . . . or from association with the mating season of birds. It was marked by the giving of presents and nowadays by the sending of a card on which cupids, transfixed hearts, etc., are depicted.”

And what does Cupid have to do with Valentine Day? The same source says: “Cupid (Lat[in] cupido, desire, love). The Roman god of love, identified with the Greek Eros. He is usually represented as a beautiful winged boy, blindfolded, and carrying a bow and arrows.”

The World Book Encyclopedia gives further information, offering various theories on the origin of Valentine Day practices. “According to one story, the Roman Emperor Claudius II in the A.D. 200’s forbade young men to marry. The emperor thought single men made better soldiers. A priest named Valentine disobeyed the emperor’s order and secretly married young couples. . . . Many stories say that Valentine was executed on February 14 about A.D. 269. In A.D. 496, Saint Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.”

Regardless of the true origin of the practice, it is evident that it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs and in Christendom’s listing of so-called “saints.” Valentine Day is also another excuse for commercial exploitation of an often uninformed public.—2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

THE celebration of birthdays is regarded by most people today as merely an innocent custom. But the Bible does not paint a positive picture of this tradition. For one thing, the Scriptures contain no indication that any of God’s faithful servants celebrated birthdays.

The only two birthdays the Bible does mention were for rulers who were enemies of God. Each celebration included an execution, so that the guests could gloat over the death of one who had displeased the king. In the first instance, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, executed his chief baker. (Genesis 40:2, 3, 20, 22) The Egyptian ruler did so during the feast because he had grown indignant with his servant. In the second instance, Herod, the immoral ruler of Galilee, beheaded John the Baptizer as a favor to a girl whose dancing at the party had pleased him. What repulsive scenes!—Matthew 14:6-11.

Yet has not the Bible focused on two very exceptional birthdays? Not really. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus reveals that these incidents were not unique. He records other instances of the practice of birthday executions for entertainment.

For example, some occurred after Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 C.E., when 1,000,000 Jews perished and 97,000 survived to be taken prisoner. En route to Rome, Roman general Titus took his Jewish captives to the nearby seaport of Caesarea.

Josephus writes: “While Titus remained at Caesarea, he celebrated his brother Domitian’s birthday with great splendor, putting over 2,500 prisoners to death in games with beasts and flames. After this he moved to Berytus [Beirut], a Roman colony in Phoenicia, where he celebrated his father’s birthday by killing many more captives at elaborate exhibitions.”—The Jewish War, VII, 37, translated by Paul L. Maier in Josephus: The Essential Writings.

It is no wonder that The Imperial Bible-Dictionary comments: “The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birth-days as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days.”

Faithful first-century Christians would not have felt like joining in a custom so darkly presented in the Bible and so gruesomely celebrated by the Romans. Today, sincere Christians realize that the Bible accounts about birthdays were among the things written for their instruction. (Romans 15:4) They avoid celebrating birthdays because such observances bestow undue importance on the individual. More significant, Jehovah’s servants wisely take into account the unfavorable presentation of birthdays in the Bible.

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A BIRTH TO BE REMEMBERED

‘Unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’—Luke 2:11, “King James Version.”

SOME two thousand years ago, a woman in the town of Bethlehem gave birth to a male child. Few local residents realized the significance of this birth. But some shepherds, who were spending the night with their flocks in the field, saw a multitude of angels and heard them sing: “Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill.”—Luke 2:8-14.

The shepherds then located Mary and her husband, Joseph, in a stable, just as the angels had indicated they would. Mary, who named the child Jesus, had laid him in a manger, or feeding trough, in the stable. (Luke 1:31; 2:12) Now, two thousand years later, about a third of all mankind professes to follow Jesus Christ. And the events surrounding his birth form the basis of a story that has likely been told more often than any other in human history.

Spain, a country with a strong Catholic tradition and a flair for traditional fiestas, has developed many ways to commemorate that unique night in Bethlehem.

The Spanish Christmas

Since the 13th century, the Nativity scene has been one of the most familiar aspects of Spanish celebrations. Many families make a small representation of the manger in which Jesus was laid. Clay figures depict the shepherds and the Magi (or “three kings”), as well as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Larger Nativity scenes with almost life-size figures are often set up near town halls during the Christmas period. Francis of Assisi apparently initiated this custom in Italy to direct people’s attention to the Gospel account of Jesus’ birth. Franciscan monks later popularized it in Spain and many other countries.

The Magi play a prominent role in Spanish Christmas celebrations, much like Santa Claus in other countries. The Magi supposedly give presents to Spanish children on January 6, Día de Reyes (Day of the Kings), as the Magi, according to popular belief, brought presents to the newborn Jesus. Few people are aware, however, that the Gospel account does not mention how many Magi visited Jesus. Rather than being kings, they are more accurately identified as astrologers. Moreover, after the visit of the Magi, Herod killed all boys in Bethlehem “from two years of age and under” in his attempt to murder Jesus. That implies that their visit took place quite a while after Jesus’ birth.—Matthew 2:11, 16.

Since the 12th century, some Spanish towns have put on a live theatrical representation of Jesus’ birth, including the visit of the shepherds to Bethlehem and later that of the Magi. Nowadays, most Spanish cities host a cabalgata, or parade, every January 5, during which the “three kings” ride on elaborate floats through the city center, distributing candies to onlookers. Traditional Christmas decorations and villancicos (carols) serve to enliven the festive occasion.

Most Spanish families like to have a special supper on Christmas Eve (December 24). The traditional food includes such items as turrón (sweets made from almond and honey), marzipan, dried fruits, roast lamb, and seafood. Family members, even those who live far away, may make a special effort to come together for this occasion. During another traditional meal, on January 6, the family eats a roscón de reyes, a ring-shaped cake of “the Kings” that has a sorpresa (small figure) hidden inside. A similar custom in Roman times enabled a slave whose portion contained the hidden item to be “king” for a day.

“The Happiest and Busiest Time of the Year”

Whatever local customs have developed, Christmas has now become the world’s principal festive occasion. The World Book Encyclopedia describes Christmas as “the happiest and busiest time of the year for millions of Christians and some non-Christians throughout the world.” Is that a good thing?

Clearly, the birth of Christ was a historic event. The fact that angels heralded it as a harbinger of “peace among men of goodwill” clearly testifies to its significance.

Nevertheless, “in the early days of Christianity, the Nativity was not celebrated as a festival,” points out Spanish journalist Juan Arias. If this is the case, where did the Christmas celebration come from? What is the best way to remember the birth and life of Jesus? In the following article, you will find the answers to those questions.

[Footnote]

La Sagrada Escritura—Texto y comentario por profesores de la Compañía de Jesús (The Holy Scripture—Text and Commentary by Professors of the Company of Jesus) explains that “among the Persians, Medes, and Chaldeans, the Magi formed a priestly class that promoted occult sciences, astrology, and medicine.” Nevertheless, by the Middle Ages, the group of Magi who went to see the young Jesus had been canonized and given the names Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar. Their remains are allegedly housed in the cathedral of Cologne, Germany.

 

How Should Jesus Christ Be Remembered?

Jesus Christ “was certainly one of the most influential people who ever lived.”—“The World Book Encyclopedia.”

GREAT men are usually remembered for what they did. So why do many remember Jesus for his birth rather than for his deeds? Throughout Christendom, most people can recount the events surrounding his birth. How many recall and strive to apply his superlative teaching as found in the Sermon on the Mount?

Granted, Jesus’ birth was remarkable, but his early disciples attached much more importance to what he did and to what he taught. Surely God never intended Christ’s birth to eclipse his life as a mature man. Yet, Christmas has succeeded in obscuring the person of Christ in a mire of Nativity legends and folklore.

Another disturbing question arises with regard to the nature of Christmas celebrations. If Jesus returned to the earth today, what would he think about the rank commercialism of Christmas? Two thousand years ago, Jesus visited the temple in Jerusalem. He was outraged by money changers and vendors who were taking advantage of a Jewish religious festival to make money. “Take these things away from here!” he said. “Stop making the house of my Father a house of merchandise!” (John 2:13-16) Clearly, Jesus did not approve of mixing commerce and religion.

Many sincere Spanish Catholics express concern about the growing commercial nature of Christmas. Yet, such a trend toward commercialism is probably inevitable in view of the roots of many Christmas practices. Journalist Juan Arias points out: “Those who, within Christianity, criticize the way Christmas has become ‘paganized’ and more devoted to jollity and consumerism than to religion, are generally unaware that even in its origin the Nativity . . . already incorporated many of the features of the Roman pagan festival [of the sun].”—El País, December 24, 2001.

In recent years, many Spanish journalists and encyclopedias have commented on the pagan origins of traditional Christmas festivities, as well as their commercial overtones. Regarding the date for Christmas celebrations, the Enciclopedia de la Religión Católica frankly states: “The reason that the Roman Church decided to assign this date to the festival seems to be its tendency to replace pagan festivals with Christian ones. . . . We know that in Rome at that time, the pagans consecrated December 25 as the celebration of natalis invicti, the birth of the ‘invincible sun.’”

The Enciclopedia Hispánica likewise notes: “The date of December 25 for the celebration of Christmas is not the result of a strict chronological anniversary but, rather, of the Christianization of the festivals of the winter solstice that were celebrated in Rome.” How did the Romans celebrate the rise of the sun in the winter sky? By feasting, revelry, and the exchanging of presents. Since church authorities were loath to abolish such a popular festival, they “Christianized” it by calling it the birth of Jesus instead of the birth of the sun.

At the outset, in the fourth and fifth centuries, attachment to sun worship and its customs died hard. Catholic “Saint” Augustine (354-430 C.E.) felt obliged to exhort fellow believers not to celebrate December 25 as the pagans did in honor of the sun. Even today, the ancient Roman festivities seem to have the upper hand.

The Ideal Festival for Merrymaking and Marketing

Over the centuries, several factors have played a decisive role in molding Christmas into the most popular, international celebration for merrymaking and marketing. Also, the customs of other winter festivals, especially those celebrated in northern Europe, were gradually incorporated into the Roman model. And in the 20th century, salesmen and marketing specialists enthusiastically promoted any custom that could generate hefty profits.

What has been the result? The celebration of Christ’s birth rather than the significance of it has become of paramount importance. In many cases, even the mention of Christ has practically disappeared from the traditional Christmas. “[Christmas] is a world festival, of a family nature, and everyone celebrates what he or she sees in it,” observes the Spanish newspaper El País.

This comment reflects a growing tendency in Spain and many other countries throughout the world. While Christmas celebrations become ever more extravagant, knowledge of Christ diminishes. In essence, Christmas festivities have largely reverted to what they originally were in Roman times—revelry, feasting, and the exchanging of presents.

A Child Has Been Born to Us

If traditional Christmas has little to do with Christ, how should true Christians remember the birth and life of Christ? Seven centuries before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah prophesied about him: “There has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder.” (Isaiah 9:6) Why did Isaiah indicate that Jesus’ birth and subsequent role would be so significant? Because Jesus would become a mighty ruler. He would be called Prince of Peace, and there would be no end to peace or to his princely rule. Furthermore, Jesus’ rulership would be sustained “by means of justice and by means of righteousness.”—Isaiah 9:7.

The angel Gabriel echoed Isaiah’s proclamation when he announced Jesus’ coming birth to Mary. “This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,” he predicted. “And Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.” (Luke 1:32, 33) Clearly, the main significance of Jesus’ birth lay in the work that Christ would accomplish as the appointed King of God’s Kingdom. Christ’s rule can benefit all, including you and your loved ones. In fact, the angels indicated that his birth would bring “peace on earth to those with whom [God] is pleased.”—Luke 2:14, Today’s English Version.

Who does not long to live in a world of peace and justice? But to enjoy the peace that Christ’s rule will bring, we need to please God and have a good relationship with him. Jesus said that the first step to such a relationship is to learn about God and Christ. “This means everlasting life,” Jesus said, “their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:3.

Once we know Jesus well, we need no longer wonder how he would like us to remember him. Would it be by eating, drinking, and exchanging presents on the same date as an ancient pagan festival? That seems unlikely. The night before he died, Jesus told his disciples what he preferred. “He that has my commandments and observes them, that one is he who loves me. In turn he that loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him.”—John 14:21.

 

[Footnote]

The Christmas tree and the figure of Santa Claus are two striking examples.

 

Does the Bible Discourage Feasting and the Giving of Gifts?

The Giving of Gifts

  The Bible approves of the giving of presents, Jehovah himself being called the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present.” (James 1:17) Jesus indicated that good parents would give gifts to their children. (Luke 11:11-13) Job’s friends and family members gave Job gifts when he recovered his health. (Job 42:11) None of such giving, however, required specific feast days. It stemmed from the heart.—2 Corinthians 9:7.

Family Gatherings

  Family gatherings can do much to unite family members, especially if they no longer live in the same house. Jesus and his disciples attended a wedding feast in Cana, doubtless a large gathering of family and friends. (John 2:1-10) And in Jesus’ illustration of the prodigal son, the father celebrated his son’s return with a family banquet, which included music and dancing.—Luke 15:21-25.

Enjoying a Good Meal

  The Bible frequently speaks of God’s servants as enjoying good food with family, friends, or fellow worshipers. When three angels visited Abraham, he prepared a feast for them that included beef, milk, butter, and round cakes. (Genesis 18:6-8) Solomon described ‘eating, drinking, and rejoicing’ as a gift from God.—Ecclesiastes 3:13; 8:15.

  Clearly, God wants us to enjoy good food in the company of friends and family, and he approves of the giving of gifts. We have ample opportunity to do that at any time throughout the year.

 

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