For a variety of reasons, Christmas is not celebrated by all faiths. Some Christian groups, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, and the United Church of God, reject Christmas. Since Jews do not believe that Jesus is divine, they also do not observe Christmas. The Quakers (or the members of the Religious Society of Friends) hold the belief that “every day is a holy day,” meaning that there is no need to celebrate on any particular day of the year, so they also reject Christmas. Atheists either celebrate some aspects of this holiday or ignore it. Political and religious organizations have also staged protests against the growing popularity of Christmas and Santa Claus in a number of other nations, including Turkey and Indonesia.
1. Judaism
Due to their rejection of Jesus as divine, Jews do not observe the Christmas holiday. The birth of Jesus of Nazareth is not a big deal in Judaism, and the teachings of Christianity go counter to those of Judaism, so there’s no use in having a celebration in his honor. In the triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) that Roman Catholics place their faith, Jews regard God to be one but do not endorse the notion of a Holy Trinity.
Consequently, Jews do not observe Christmas as a religious holiday. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that honors the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by lighting candles, hence the name “Festival of Lights.” Judaism as a whole does not partake in Christmas since the holiday is not central to their beliefs and because Jesus is not considered to be divine.
2. Islam
According to Islamic theology, Jesus is honored as a prophet but not as a god or divine entity. December 25 is not the day of Jesus’ birth, according to the Quran and the Bible. Muslims believe that in order to honor a prophet’s birthday, one must fully embrace the prophet’s teachings. The Islamic faith frowns upon the practice of commemorating the birthdays of any prophet, including Jesus. It is typically frowned upon in Islam to mimic nonbelievers and participate in their religious celebrations. Even though Jesus is revered as a prophet, Christmas is not a holiday celebrated in Islam.
3. Buddhism
Christmas is not historically celebrated in Buddhism because of the celebration’s lack of significance. Some Buddhists celebrate it, but they do it in a manner emphasizing the importance of sharing goodwill and joy. Some Buddhists see Jesus as a “High Bodhisattva,” a spiritual aspirant who exemplified the qualities of a Buddha, such as limitless compassion for all beings and a commitment to helping others achieve their potential. However, Buddhism emphasizes inward peace and enlightenment, which is at odds with the commercialization and materialism of Christmas.
4. Hinduism
Observing the Christian festival of Christmas, which honors the birth of Jesus Christ, is not a customary part of Hinduism. The Hindu religion does not recognize Christmas as a religious holiday, yet some Hindus celebrate the holiday for cultural reasons. Neither Jesus’s birth nor the commemoration of his birthday is mentioned in the ancient Vedas or the Late Vedic Upanishads, two key Hindu holy books. Hindus celebrate their own holidays, such as the Festival of Lights in November’s Diwali, which symbolizes the “victory of light over darkness, good over evil.” Some Hindus join in the Christmas festivities by incorporating elements of the December festival of Pancha Ganapati (December 21 to December 25), which does not violate their religious beliefs.
5. Sikhism
Founded in the Punjab area of South Asia around the tail end of the 15th century AD, Sikhism is both a religion and a philosophical system practiced by roughly 25-30 million believers. Sikhism does not usually observe Christmas. Sikhs reject the idea that Jesus is divine and also shun the worship of idols.
Despite their religious convictions, Sikhs may still enjoy Christmas with their friends and family in a secular manner. They are still discouraged from taking part in the festivities. Instead, Sikhs celebrate their own festivals, the most important of which is Vaisakhi, on which they pray to God to express their devotion on April 13.
6. Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. Although the Bible does not provide a date for Jesus’ birth, some people consider the day to be different from December 25. Many popular Christmas customs have pagan roots and are thus avoided by Jehovah’s Witnesses who have sworn to avoid associations with false doctrine. In addition, they think it is more important to celebrate Jesus’ death than his birth. Last but not least, they try to do what’s right in the eyes of God and man, which sometimes involves doing the unpopular thing in order to stay true to Bible values.
7. Shinto
Shinto, the Japanese people’s traditional faith, does not observe the Christmas holiday. The reason being, Christmas is at odds with Shinto’s emphasis on nature and reverence for one’s ancestors. Additionally, Shinto temples are particularly busy preparing for Hatsumōdë, the first Buddhist shrine visit of the New Year, around December 25th. Some also argue that a Shinto temple is not the proper place to celebrate Christmas since the holiday is not Japanese. Thus, Christmas is not celebrated as a religious holiday in Shinto.
8. Jainism
Christmas is not a practice followed by the members of the Digambara or Svetambara sects of Jainism, a religion that borrows heavily from Hinduism. The core belief of its adherents is that freedom can be attained through peaceful means alone. Jesus is not mentioned in any Jain scriptures (Agamas); hence, the idea of a holiday dedicated to his birth is foreign to the Jain worldview. Instead, Jina are people who have succeeded in overcoming their attachment to sensual pleasures. Consequently, Christmas is not acknowledged as a holy occasion in Jainism.
9. Scientology
L. Ron Hubbard established Scientology in 1952, and the devout Scientologists do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, as Hubbard states in a 1968 lecture, “The man on the cross, there was no Christ.” Scientologists believe that all human beings are eternal spirits who have lost contact with themselves. Hubbard still respected the great religious figures of the past, including Jesus, for the knowledge they contributed to the world; however, they do not worship Jesus. Celebrating Christmas is not openly banned but it’s not encouraged either and it is mostly a cultural preference for the Scientologists. Some people believe that Christmas is cynically used by Scientology for advertising goals, just like when they celebrate the winter solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other holidays. Certain states do not recognize Scientology as a religion and others term it a cult.
10. Wicca
Wicca is a modern religious movement that is a branch of Western esotericism associated with the occult, and as such, its adherents do not observe Christmas. Wicca is an alternative religion that originated in the early 20th century in England and centers on the worship of the divine feminine and divine male, respectively represented by the mother goddess and the horned god. Some Wiccans celebrate Christmas, but they do it in a manner that is distinct from Christianity, emphasizing the importance of bringing goodwill and joy to others. Nonetheless, Wicca’s emphasis on nature worship and the devotion of deities is still at odds with the commercialization and materialism of Christmas.
11. Taoism
Christmas is not a celebrated holiday in Taoism, a religion that promotes a life in accordance with the Tao (the way). The ancient Chinese concept of Wu-Wei, which means non-activity or action without intention, is central to Taoism, as is the notion of living in accordance with the Tao. Some Taoists celebrate Christmas, but they do it in a non-religious fashion to emphasize the importance of goodwill. However, Taoism emphasizes harmony and balance, so they are actually at odds with the commercialization and materialism of Christmas.
12. Zoroastrianism
The ancient faith of Zoroastrianism, which is widely followed today, does not observe the Christmas holiday. Reason being, Christmas is a Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Zoroastrians do not acknowledge as divine. Zoroastrianism celebrates its own holidays that are linked to the Zoroastrian calendar. There are a total of six gahambars, or seasonal celebrations, celebrated throughout the year to honor the six “primordial creations” of Ahura Mazda (“god of the sky”). Zoroastrians do not celebrate Christmas as a religious day.
13. Rastafarianism
According to the Jamaican Abrahamic religion Rastafari, the birthday of Jesus Christ should be commemorated on January 7, not December 25. Ganna or Lidät, as it is called in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, is celebrated on this day, not at Christmas. Rastafarians start a 43-day fast on November 25 in preparation. They celebrate the Christmas liturgy, or gahad, on Christmas Eve. They celebrate in a way that is quite different from Western Christmas, focusing on their own religious practices and the teachings of Haile Selassie I, the god of the Rastafari movement. But they still acknowledge Jesus’ birth.
14. Confucianism
Christmas is not a holiday in Confucianism, the intellectual and ethical principles established by Confucius. The main reason for this is because Christmas is a Christian celebration celebrating the birth of Jesus, a person who does not appear in Confucian writings. Confucianism, on the other hand, stresses the value of ties to one’s family, elders, and the dead.
15. Paganism
Traditional Pagans do not celebrate the Christmas holiday since their beliefs are grounded in indigenous, earth-centered faiths. Yule is their winter solstice festival and is often observed within a week after Christmas. Since Christmas has its origins in both the Germanic Yule and the Roman Saturnalia, there are parallels between the two celebrations. Many of today’s Christmas customs have their roots in ancient pagan festivals honoring Yule.
16. Baha’i
Despite Christ’s importance being recognized in Baha’i beliefs, they do not celebrate Christmas. It is recommended that Baha’is only observe Baha’i Holy Days and not those of other religions. There is still no harm in Baha’is celebrating Christmas with their Christian family and friends, as declared by the Universal House of Justice, the Baha’i community’s governing body. Going to Christmas parties or other religious celebrations shouldn’t make life difficult for Baha’is; rather, it should serve as a teaching moment about respecting the beliefs of others and a motivation to expand the observance of Baha’i Holy Days and anniversaries. So, it’s a win-win situation.
17. Seventh-day Adventists
Since Christmas is not mentioned as a separate holy day in the Bible, Seventh-day Adventists do not feel compelled to celebrate this holiday. Therefore, the members are free to decide for themselves. Some Adventists opt not to celebrate it out of skepticism about its origins or because of the heightened temptations to materialism and pride that it provides. Honoring Christmas is not a requirement for membership in the Adventist church.
18. Quakers
Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends, do not celebrate Christmas or other “times and seasons”. According to their beliefs, every day is sacred and there is no distinction between holy days. The holiday is not regarded as sacred under the church’s canon. Quakers celebrate Jesus’ birthday, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection every day as a “holy day” to reflect on his teachings non-stop. But to be harmonious, many Quakers still participate in gift-giving, and some even join in a carol sing-along.
19. United Church of God
In general, members of the United Church of God do not partake in Christmas. It is their opinion that neither the date of Jesus’ birth nor the celebration of Christmas are mandated by the Bible for Christians. They also note that Christmas customs have heathen roots. They reject Christmas in favor of other biblical holidays such as Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. For them, the festivals that the early church celebrated are more in line with God’s guidelines.
20. The Churches of Christ
Churches of Christ adherents have always avoided Christmas. They believe that the Bible does not mandate the celebration of Christmas or specify a date for it. They shun the Christmas customs because they have pagan roots and it’s a man-made holiday. If one of their members is seen celebrating it, it’s only for tradition. They don’t decorate their houses with trees and exchange presents during Christmas.
