Do Jehovah Witnesses Celebrate Christmas?

Jehovah's Witnesses refrain from celebrating Christmas because they believe it is not supported by Scripture.

While Jesus Christ is central to their faith, they note that the Bible does not command Christians to celebrate his birth. Instead, the Bible emphasizes his death and resurrection as essential to salvation.

The Witnesses also reject Christmas due to its pagan origin. The holiday has ties to the Roman winter solstice festival and other pagan worship practices.

Symbols like the Christmas tree and even the December 25 date are considered by Jehovah's Witnesses to have roots in pagan traditions, not true Christian worship.

Jehovah's Witnesses consult literature published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society for spiritual guidance. This organization teaches that Christmas and other national holidays promote values contrary to those in the Bible, including materialism, nationalism, and false religious traditions.

The Watch Tower Society traces its history to the Bible Student movement led by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century. The name Jehovah's Witnesses was adopted later to reflect their mission of bearing witness to God’s name and purpose.

Jehovah's Witnesses avoid birthday celebrations, national holidays like Veterans Day, and religious festivals including saints' days, which they see as honoring mere humans.

They also avoid practices like heavy drinking, national flag salutes, and involvement in armed forces—all viewed as incompatible with God's kingdom.

Jehovah's Witnesses do commemorate the death of Jesus, which they call the Memorial of Christ's Death. This annual observance is based on the Last Supper and is seen as the only "holy day" the Bible explicitly instructs Christians to remember.

They also emphasize daily worship, Bible study, and expressing gratitude in personal ways that don’t align with worldly customs or national celebrations. Their worship services (held in Kingdom Halls) focus on scriptural teaching rather than ritual or seasonal traditions.

While Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas, they still value family and community. They may share meals, express love and appreciation, and give gifts throughout the year without tying these actions to specific dates.

However, their strict rules sometimes create tension with family members who are not Witnesses, particularly around major holidays.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.