Should we celebrate Christmas in January?

No, I’m not confused about which issue I’m writing for. For some countries, Christmas may not yet have happened by the time you get this first magazine of 2026. This is because in the 16th century, when Western nations switched from the old Julian calendar to the new, more accurate Gregorian one, some Eastern Orthodox countries continued to use the old calendar, and so their Christmas fell on what was our 6th or 7th January. In other places, notably Belgium and the Netherlands, the main celebrations and gift-giving happen on 6th December, during the feast of St Nicholas (the original Santa Claus) who was renowned for his generosity (though confusingly, in Eastern Orthodox countries, this feast happens on 19th December!).

In my birth family, we followed the central European custom of having our main present giving on Christmas Eve, followed by a British Christmas meal on Christmas Day, when we also received any extra presents from outside the family. Hubby and I decided to keep the same pattern with our son, which means making two festive meals, but I don’t worry about that because hubby does all the cooking… Of course, in our family the Christmas season carries on till at least my birthday on 21st January, although in Church tradition it officially lasts till Candlemas on 2nd February.

Does any of it matter? 

Christmas on 25th December was chosen to replace a pagan solstice festival; historical research shows that Jesus was most likely born in March, and probably in about 4-6 BC, to fit in with the biblical records of who was ruling Judea at the time – which means we are now in at least AD 2029. Every faith celebrates the birth of its founder, it’s a natural thing to do, and it’s not that important when (or how) we do it. Paul didn’t seem that bothered when he wrote to the Romans (14:5-6): “Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God” (NRSV).

Every faith celebrates the birth of its founder; it’s not that important when (or how) we do it

My Christadelphian in-laws celebrated Christmas, but almost as a secular festival, “for the sake of the children”. Others don’t feel it’s really Christmas unless they’ve been to at least one carol service as well as midnight mass. Does it make any difference, provided we honour Jesus in our festivities? Just to complicate matters, the various churches disagreed from the earliest days about the date of Easter, which is why the notorious Synod of Whitby was held in AD 664 (and in my opinion, the wrong side won, so that the English Church thereafter followed Roman and not Celtic traditions). Also in my opinion, as a born Jew, what’s wrong with just attaching the date of Easter to the date of Passover, which is when the original events happened?

The importance of celebration

The bottom line is, most human beings like an excuse for a ‘bit of a do’, especially in the dark winter months when it feels like spring will never come. Your mileage may vary if you are a diehard introvert, or on the autism spectrum, but even then some find it nice to observe sparkly lights and decorations, provided the everyday routine isn’t interrupted too much (my son is autistic and loves Christmas!). Cromwell and the Puritans banned Christmas (too much excuse for alcohol consumption and gluttony, perhaps) but look how that went.

Some years ago I took part in a therapy group for the Second Generation, those whose parents had fled or survived the Holocaust. One participant, whose father had spent his childhood in a concentration camp, said his family never celebrated birthdays, because his father simply didn’t know how to have a good time. What a culturally and emotionally impoverished upbringing that must have been! To commemorate high points is human; it lifts our spirits, and it is not (this may be a revelation to some) a sin to enjoy yourself.

Did Jesus mark special dates with special observations? Birthdays weren’t really a thing then as far as I know, but his parents took him to be circumcised and dedicated at the temple on the prescribed date. We know they went up to Jerusalem for Passover every year, and many of Jesus’ most striking speeches were made on various feast days. It was at the Feast of Tabernacles, for instance, that he invited anyone who was thirsty to drink his living water (John 7:37). If special feast days were good enough for Jesus, who are we to look down on them?

Veronica writes as part of our UNSPOKEN column, where she and Kate Orson contribute their sometimes differing opinions on the same topic. Read Kate’s thoughts on this, HERE.