Answer: The
modern custom of a Christmas tree does not come from any form of paganism.
There is no evidence of any pagan religion decorating a special holiday tree
for their mid-winter festivals, although the Romans celebrated the winter
solstice with a festival called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of
agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged
gifts. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen
trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the
forthcoming spring. The first Christmas tree was decorated by Protestant
Christians in 16th-century Germany. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from
these early German traditions, and the custom most likely came to the United
States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or with German
immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio.
There is
nothing in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees. It has
been falsely claimed by some that Jeremiah 10:1-16 prohibits the
cutting down and decorating of trees in the same manner as we do at Christmas.
However, even a cursory reading of the text makes it clear that the passage is
one in which Jeremiah sets forth the prohibition against idols made of wood,
plated with silver and gold, and worshipped. A similar idea appears in Isaiah
44, where Isaiah speaks of the silliness of the idol-worshippers who cut down a
tree, burn part of it in the fire to warm themselves, and use the other part to
fashion an idol, which they then bow down to. So unless we bow down before our
Christmas tree, carve it into an idol, and pray to it, these passages cannot be
applied to Christmas trees.
There is
no spiritual significance to having or not having a Christmas tree. Whatever
choice we make, the motive behind a believer’s decision about this, as in all
matters of conscience, must be to please the Lord. Romans
14:5-6a sets out the principle in a passage about liberty: “One man
considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day
alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one
day as special, does so to the Lord.” The Lord is grieved when Christians look
down upon one another for either celebrating or not celebrating Christmas. This
is spiritual pride. When we feel that somehow we have achieved a higher plain
of spirituality by doing or not doing something about which the Bible is
silent, we misuse our freedom in Christ, create divisions within His body, and
thereby dishonor the Lord. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do
it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). .(courtesy: GotQuestions.org)
