The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prohibition against celebrating birthdays and Christmas represents one of their most distinctive—and most problematic—departures from historic Christianity. While their arguments may initially appear to have biblical merit, a thorough examination reveals that their position rests on flawed exegesis, selective historical analysis, and theological presuppositions that contradict the very gospel they claim to proclaim. I find their reasoning particularly troubling because it transforms Christian liberty into legalistic bondage and misrepresents both Scripture and church history in the service of sectarian distinctives.
The Fundamental Theological Error: Adding to Scripture
Before addressing specific arguments about birthdays and Christmas, we must confront the central methodological flaw in the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ approach: the imposition of prohibitions where Scripture offers none. This represents a fundamental violation of the principle of sola scriptura and echoes the legalism Paul confronted in his epistles.
The apostle Paul warned the Colossian church about those who would impose human regulations as binding Christian doctrine: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17). He continued even more forcefully: “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—’Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’… These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:20-23).
Paul’s critique precisely applies to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ position. They have created a “self-made religion” through regulations that Scripture never mandates. Where the Bible is silent about prohibiting birthday celebrations or commemorating Christ’s incarnation, the Watchtower organization speaks with certainty. This represents not biblical fidelity but rather the very legalism that Scripture condemns.
The Birthday Argument: A Case Study in Eisegesis
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ argument against birthdays demonstrates textbook eisegesis—reading into the text what one wishes to find rather than drawing out what is actually there. Let us examine their specific claims.
The “Tragic Birthdays” Fallacy
The Witnesses point to two birthday celebrations in Scripture—Pharaoh’s (Genesis 40:20-22) and Herod’s (Matthew 14:6-11)—both of which ended in executions, claiming this represents divine disapproval of birthday celebrations. This argument fails on multiple levels.
First, the logical fallacy is immediately apparent. The Bible also records many instances where meals, religious gatherings, and even worship services ended tragically, yet Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t prohibit eating together or gathering for worship. Cain and Abel brought offerings to God, and one brother murdered the other (Genesis 4:3-8). Should we therefore avoid bringing offerings to God? Ananias and Sapphira died during a church service (Acts 5:1-11). Should Christians avoid corporate worship? The reasoning simply doesn’t follow.
Second, Scripture never presents these accounts as moral lessons about birthdays. The biblical narratives focus on entirely different themes: Pharaoh’s account emphasizes God’s sovereignty in Joseph’s life and the fulfillment of prophetic dreams, while Herod’s birthday feast serves as the backdrop for exploring themes of political corruption, immoral vows, and the martyrdom of John the Baptist. To extract from these passages a prohibition against birthday celebrations requires reading into the text a meaning the original authors never intended.
Third, this hermeneutical approach is inconsistent with how Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret Scripture elsewhere. They don’t prohibit marriages because Samson’s wedding feast led to conflict (Judges 14), nor do they forbid wine because Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21). The selective application of this “guilt by association” principle reveals that the prohibition against birthdays stems not from consistent biblical interpretation but from organizational distinctives.
The Argument from Silence
The Witnesses claim that since Jesus and the apostles didn’t celebrate birthdays, Christians shouldn’t either. This argument from silence demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of biblical authority and Christian liberty.
Scripture also never records Jesus celebrating Hanukkah, yet we know He observed it (John 10:22-23). The Bible doesn’t record the apostles celebrating wedding anniversaries, yet no one claims these are prohibited. Paul tells us that “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). This principle establishes Christian liberty—anything not explicitly prohibited by Scripture and done to God’s glory is permissible.
Moreover, Job appears to have celebrated his children’s birthdays or at least annual feast days associated with their births: “His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them” (Job 1:4). The phrase “on his day” (בְּיוֹמוֹ, beyomo) most naturally refers to each son’s birthday or birth anniversary. Far from condemning this practice, Job is presented as “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). If celebrating birth anniversaries were inherently sinful or displeasing to God, we would expect Scripture to indicate Job’s failure in this regard. Instead, God Himself testifies to Job’s righteousness.
Pagan Associations and Christian Freedom
The Witnesses’ claim that birthdays have pagan origins and therefore must be avoided represents another category error. By this logic, Christians should abandon wedding rings (pagan origin), days of the week named after pagan gods (Thursday = Thor’s day, etc.), and even the names of months (January = Janus, March = Mars). The New Testament clearly teaches that Christians can redeem cultural practices by infusing them with Christian meaning.
Paul explicitly addressed this issue when discussing meat offered to idols—a controversy with far more direct pagan connection than birthday celebrations. His conclusion? “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof'” (1 Corinthians 10:25-26). Paul affirmed that Christians could participate in cultural practices without adopting pagan theology, provided they maintained a clear conscience and didn’t cause weaker believers to stumble.
The early church applied this principle consistently. Christians adopted and transformed numerous cultural forms, recognizing that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Birthday celebrations, rightly understood, acknowledge God as the author of life and provide opportunity for gratitude, family bonding, and recognition of God’s sustaining grace through another year.
The Christmas Controversy: History, Theology, and Christian Liberty
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rejection of Christmas reveals even more significant theological and historical problems than their birthday prohibition. Their arguments are based on historical oversimplifications, theological confusion, and a fundamental misunderstanding of the significance of the Incarnation.
The Historical Reality of Christmas Origins
Yes, December 25th was chosen partly because of existing winter solstice festivals. But the Witnesses’ presentation of this history is misleading and incomplete. The early church didn’t simply adopt pagan festivals wholesale; rather, they engaged in what missiologists call “redemptive analogy”—taking existing cultural forms and infusing them with Christian meaning.
The historical evidence suggests multiple factors influenced the December 25th date. One early tradition calculated Jesus’ conception on the spring equinox (March 25, the date later associated with the Annunciation), which would place His birth nine months later in late December. Additionally, early Christian writers explicitly contrasted Christ as the “Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) with pagan sun worship, deliberately choosing this date to proclaim Christ’s supremacy over false gods.
The fourth-century church father John Chrysostom explained: “But Our Lord, too, is born in December… the eight before the calends of January [25 December]… But they call it the ‘Birthday of the Unconquered’. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord…? Or, if they say that it is the birthday of the Sun, He is the Sun of Justice.” Far from accommodating paganism, early Christians were actively confronting and converting pagan culture.
This process of cultural transformation is entirely biblical. When Paul preached at Mars Hill, he quoted Greek poets and used Greek philosophical concepts to communicate gospel truth (Acts 17:22-31). He didn’t avoid engaging with pagan culture; he transformed it by subjecting it to Christ’s lordship. The incarnation itself demonstrates God’s pattern of entering into human culture to redeem it from within.
The Theological Significance of the Incarnation
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prohibition against Christmas inadvertently diminishes the theological importance of the Incarnation—the event where “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). While they correctly note that the Bible doesn’t command celebrating Jesus’ birth, they fail to recognize that the biblical narrative itself places enormous emphasis on this event.
Matthew and Luke dedicate significant portions of their gospels to birth narratives, carefully establishing Jesus’ identity, genealogy, and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy through the circumstances of His birth. The angels announced His birth with unprecedented fanfare: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14). If heaven itself celebrated the Incarnation with such glory, how can it be wrong for Christians to commemorate this event annually?
The theological importance of Christ’s birth extends throughout Scripture:
• Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
• Philippians 2:6-7: “[Christ Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
• Hebrews 2:14: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Each of these passages emphasizes that Jesus’ taking on human nature—His birth as a human being—was essential to our redemption. Christmas provides an annual opportunity to reflect on this profound mystery, teach it to our children, and worship the God who loved us enough to become one of us.
The “Jesus’ Unknown Birth Date” Red Herring
The Witnesses argue that since we don’t know Jesus’ exact birth date, we shouldn’t celebrate it. This reasoning is puzzling. We don’t know the exact dates of most biblical events, yet Christians appropriately commemorate them. We don’t know the precise day of Jesus’ resurrection (Easter varies annually), yet celebrating Christ’s victory over death remains central to Christian faith.
The date selection is irrelevant to the theological significance of the event being commemorated. The early church chose December 25th not because they believed it was the historically accurate date, but because they wanted to set aside time annually to focus on the Incarnation. The specific calendar date matters far less than the opportunity to worship Christ and proclaim the gospel message of God becoming man for our salvation.
Furthermore, biblical Judaism established this pattern of annual commemoration. God instituted Passover (Exodus 12) to be celebrated annually, not on the exact anniversary of the Exodus, but at a designated time to remember and teach God’s deliverance. The principle of setting aside specific times for remembrance and worship is thoroughly biblical.
The “False Teachings” Accusation
The Witnesses claim Christmas represents a corruption of Christianity adopted after the apostles died. This argument reveals their theological bias and misrepresents church history. The apostolic fathers and early church leaders—many of whom were taught directly by the apostles or their immediate disciples—wrote extensively about Christ’s incarnation and its theological significance.
Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35-108 AD), who knew the Apostle John personally, wrote: “There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible, even Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ignatius clearly emphasized the Incarnation’s importance, and the church he led would have naturally commemorated this event.
By the second century, Christians were discussing Jesus’ birth date, and by the fourth century, Western Christianity had largely settled on December 25th. This development represents organic growth in Christian practice, not apostasy. The Witnesses’ argument assumes that anything not explicitly commanded in the first century constitutes false teaching—a standard they don’t apply consistently to their own practices, such as their governing body structure, Kingdom Halls, or Watchtower publications.
Christmas and “Worldliness”
The Witnesses argue that Christmas promotes worldly values and focuses on materialism rather than God. While commercialization of Christmas certainly presents challenges, the solution isn’t abolishing the celebration but rather reforming how Christians observe it.
The same logic could condemn church buildings (expensive and potentially prideful), Christian publishing (profitable businesses), or any Christian practice that could be corrupted by human sinfulness. The presence of abuse doesn’t negate proper use. Paul’s instruction remains relevant: “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Many Christians celebrate Christmas in deeply spiritual ways: reading the biblical nativity accounts with family, singing hymns that proclaim Christ’s deity and saving work, giving gifts that reflect God’s generosity, and serving the poor in Christ’s name. These practices align perfectly with biblical commands to remember God’s works, teach our children, practice hospitality, and love our neighbors.
The Liberty Gospel Proclaims vs. The Legalism the Watchtower Imposes
The fundamental issue underlying both the birthday and Christmas prohibitions is the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ failure to understand Christian liberty—a cornerstone of New Testament teaching that Paul defended vigorously.
Paul wrote to the Galatians: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). He was addressing those who wanted to impose Jewish ceremonial law on Gentile Christians, but the principle applies equally to any organization that creates rules beyond Scripture’s explicit commands.
The Watchtower organization has created exactly the kind of “yoke of slavery” Paul condemned. They have bound consciences where God has left them free, turning disputable matters into tests of faith and organizational loyalty. This represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel itself.
Paul established clear principles for handling matters of Christian liberty:
Principle 1: What Scripture doesn’t prohibit, Christians are free to practice. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Paul affirmed broad Christian freedom, limiting it only by concerns for edification and avoiding enslavement to anything other than Christ.
Principle 2: Cultural practices become Christian when done for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The motivation and ultimate direction of our actions matter more than the cultural form they take.
Principle 3: We must not judge others on disputable matters. “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls” (Romans 14:4). Paul insisted that Christians must not impose their personal convictions about disputable matters on others.
Principle 4: Love should guide our exercise of liberty. While defending Christian freedom, Paul also taught that love for weaker believers should guide how we exercise that freedom (Romans 14:13-23, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13). However, this principle applies to individual conscience decisions, not organizational prohibitions imposed on all members.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses violate all these principles by creating binding rules where Scripture offers liberty. They judge those who celebrate birthdays and Christmas, failing to recognize that such celebrations can be—and for millions of Christians are—genuine expressions of faith, gratitude, and worship.
The Biblical Pattern: Celebration and Commemoration
Far from avoiding celebrations, Scripture presents God as one who institutes, approves, and participates in celebration. The biblical calendar was full of festivals, feasts, and commemorations:
• Passover celebrated God’s deliverance from Egypt
• Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Law
• Tabernacles remembered God’s provision in the wilderness
• Purim celebrated as deliverance from Haman’s plot
• Hanukkah (though not commanded in Torah) commemorated the temple’s rededication
Jesus Himself attended wedding feasts (John 2:1-11) and performed His first miracle to ensure the celebration could continue. He was accused of being “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:19)—a charge that, while false, suggests Jesus participated freely in cultural celebrations rather than adopting the austere separatism of John the Baptist.
The early church established its own commemorations. The Lord’s Supper became a regular remembrance of Christ’s death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The weekly gathering on Sunday (the first day of the week) celebrated Christ’s resurrection (Acts 20:71On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight., 1 Corinthians 16:22On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.). The pattern is clear: God’s people appropriately commemorate significant events in salvation history.
If celebrating God’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery merits an annual feast, how much more does celebrating God’s deliverance of all humanity through the Incarnation merit commemoration? If remembering God’s provision of manna in the wilderness justifies a week-long festival, how much more does remembering God’s gift of the Bread of Life warrant celebration?
Practical Implications and Pastoral Concerns
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prohibitions create significant practical and pastoral problems that reveal the unbiblical nature of these rules.
Family Division: These prohibitions often separate Jehovah’s Witnesses from family members who celebrate these occasions, creating unnecessary conflict and isolation. While Jesus did warn that following Him might cause family division (Matthew 10:34-37), that division comes from commitment to Christ Himself and core gospel truths, not from adherence to organizational regulations about cultural celebrations.
Childhood Impact: Children of Jehovah’s Witnesses often feel excluded and different from their peers, missing out on normal childhood joys without a clear biblical justification. While Christians should raise children to be distinctively faithful, that distinctiveness should center on Christ-like character, not arbitrary cultural prohibitions.
Missed Evangelistic Opportunities: Birthday and Christmas celebrations provide natural opportunities for gospel conversations, expressions of love and generosity, and demonstrations of Christian community. The Witnesses’ refusal to participate eliminates these opportunities for witness.
Inconsistent Application: The Watchtower organization’s selective application of these principles reveals their arbitrary nature. They prohibit birthday celebrations but allow wedding anniversary celebrations. They reject Christmas but accept many other cultural practices with pagan origins. This inconsistency suggests the prohibitions serve organizational distinctiveness rather than biblical fidelity.
Conclusion: Freedom in Christ
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prohibitions against birthdays and Christmas represent legalism masquerading as biblical fidelity. Their arguments rest on flawed exegesis, selective history, and violations of the Christian liberty that the New Testament so clearly proclaims. While appearing to promote devotion to God, these prohibitions actually diminish the gospel’s freedom and miss opportunities for genuine worship, family bonding, and cultural engagement.
Christians celebrate birthdays not as pagan rituals but as acknowledgments of God’s gift of life and His sustaining grace. We celebrate Christmas not to accommodate paganism but to worship the God who loved us enough to take on human flesh, to be born in a manger, and ultimately to die on a cross for our redemption.
Paul’s words to the Colossians remain the final answer to those who would impose such regulations: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).
Christ has set us free. We need not—indeed, we must not—submit again to a yoke of slavery created by human tradition and organizational control. Whether we celebrate birthdays and Christmas or abstain from them, let us do so as free people in Christ, motivated by love, guided by Scripture, and focused always on the glory of the God who gave us both physical life and eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.