I’m guessing you’ve either read or watched the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, so you know that Christmas isn’t about presents, decorations, or food.
If you’ve seen A Charlie Brown Christmas, you know Christmas isn’t about chasing the biggest, shiniest tree or pretending you’ve got it all together.
So why do we celebrate Christmas? Why did Christians begin this tradition long before any carol had been sung, or any red-nosed reindeer had flown across our screens?
Let’s talk about who we celebrate on Christmas (Jesus) and why we celebrate Him. You came for one sentence. Here it goes.
Why Do Christians Celebrate Christmas?
Christians celebrate Christmas because it’s when our all-powerful God humbled Himself and became human, showing His love in a way we could see, touch, and follow.
If you’re not a one-sentence type of person, let’s break down this sentence and explore why Christians celebrate this special day.
God Humbled Himself
From the beginning of the Bible, God is described as personal and relational.
The Bible begins with God creating people, caring for them, and walking with them. But something changed.
Humanity turned away from God, choosing to trust themselves over God’s good plan. This choice spiraled into the pain, violence, and death we see around us every day.
That choice created a kind of distance—not because God stopped loving people, but because He’s perfect and we’re not.
Even so, God never gave up on His creation. Throughout the Old Testament (the first major section of the Bible), He kept reaching out, rescuing, and restoring people. He spoke through prophets, sent leaders, and gave His people ways to remember His goodness. But there was still a longing for a way for people and God to be close again.
The Promise of a Savior
In that longing, a promise began to form.
Different prophets spoke of someone who would come to rescue God’s people, set things right, and bring lasting peace. The Hebrew Scriptures are full of these hopes: a Messiah, a chosen one who would bring God’s kingdom to earth.
Generations waited and prayed. Many pictured a powerful ruler or a military leader who would defeat their enemies and rebuild their nation. What they didn’t expect was that God Himself would be the one to come.
The God Who Became Human
When the time came, God didn’t enter history as a prince or a divine warrior. He came as a baby. Jesus was born to a young woman named Mary in a small town called Bethlehem, in simple surroundings among ordinary people.
It was a shocking beginning. The all-powerful God chose poverty over privilege and humility over honor.
Angels announced His birth not to kings or spiritual elites, but to shepherds working the night shift.
Jesus lived a fully human life so people could see what God’s love looks like up close.
Christians believe that in Jesus, God didn’t just visit the world; He joined it. He experienced hunger, laughter, exhaustion, and pain. Jesus lived a fully human life so people could see what God’s love looks like up close.
That’s what it means to say God became personal. The Creator of the universe stepped into His creation to walk among us and show us what He’s really like.
Showing God’s Love
Throughout His life, Jesus revealed God’s character through what He said, how He treated others, and the choices He made. He invited people to walk with Him, learn from Him, and follow His example of love.
Jesus taught, told stories, healed, and helped those in need. His love wasn’t reserved for those who had something to offer Him. In fact, it was usually the opposite. Jesus spent most of His time caring for the ordinary, often forgotten people who were struggling to get by.
Love You Can See
For centuries, people wondered what God was really like.
- Was He angry?
- Was He distant?
- Was He even paying attention?
When Jesus showed up, those questions started to fade. He touched the sick when no one else would. He listened to outcasts who’d been pushed aside. He treated women, children, foreigners, and “sinners” with dignity and kindness.
In Jesus, people saw that God’s love wasn’t theoretical or sentimental. It was visible in every act of kindness, healing, and truth.
Jesus didn’t avoid people’s mess or pain. He stepped into it and made time for people who were often ignored. In Jesus, people saw that God’s love wasn’t theoretical or sentimental. It was visible in every act of kindness, healing, and truth.
Love You Can Follow
Jesus didn’t just show love; He invited people to live it. He taught His followers to forgive others, to serve instead of seeking power, and to love their enemies.
His message wasn’t about earning God’s approval. It was about receiving His love and letting it shape how we treat others.
And when Jesus gave His life on the cross, He gave the ultimate example of God’s love. He sacrificed Himself to reconcile people to God, bridging the distance that sin created since the beginning of the Bible.
Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus showed that love isn’t weak or sentimental. It’s powerful enough to heal, forgive, and restore.
That’s what Christians celebrate at Christmas. It’s the arrival of love in human form. In Jesus, God made His love something the world could see, touch, and follow.
Celebrate Christmas
This year, celebrate Christmas by remembering the reason for it all. You can worship at your local church or join a service online at Life.Church Online. Let’s celebrate the moment our all-powerful God became personal, showing His love in a way we can see, touch, and follow.
A Prayer for Christmas
Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to be with us. You didn’t have to leave heaven, but You chose to. You became human so we could know Your heart and see Your love. This Christmas, help me slow down and remember what Your birth means. Fill me with Your peace, humility, and joy, and help me share Your love with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Common Questions About Christmas
Where in the Bible Does It Talk About Christmas?
You won’t find the word “Christmas” in the Bible, but you’ll find the story in the beginning of the books of Matthew and Luke. (Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2)
Why Is Christmas on December 25?
The Bible doesn’t give an exact date for Jesus’ birth. Early Christians chose December 25 to celebrate because it symbolized light coming into darkness during winter.
Some Eastern and Orthodox churches follow an older calendar called the Julian calendar. On that system, December 25 falls on the modern calendar’s January 7.
Was Jesus Really Born on December 25?
Probably not. Many scholars believe He was born at another time of year. But for Christians, the exact date isn’t the focus. What matters is that God kept His promise to send a Savior, and Christmas is the day set aside to celebrate!
What Does the Bible Say About Celebrating Christmas?
The Bible doesn’t command anyone to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but it encourages believers to remember what God has done. Christmas is one way Christians worship God and celebrate His love for us.
How Do Christians Celebrate Christmas Today?
Most Christians attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, sing Christmas carols, read the story of Jesus’ birth, share Christmas dinner with family and friends, and give gifts as a reminder of the greatest gift God has given.