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Are Christmas and Easter Pagan Celebrations?

Question:

My husband, a non-Catholic Christian, read in an Evangelical magazine that Easter and Christmas should not be celebrated because they are based on pagan rituals and worship. He says that Easter began with worship of the goddess of spring and that we should not have a Christmas tree because the Bible prohibits the worship of trees adorned with silver and gold. How can I assure my husband that these holidays celebrate only the birth and the resurrection of Our Lord?

Answer:

First of all, who do you know that worships Christmas trees? Nobody that I know; that’s for sure! Just as people can be Christianized, so can their customs and celebrations. Christianity is a powerful thing because it is the power of God on earth. Catholic Christians have always believed this. So they Christianized trees at Christmas and eggs at Easter. Who remembers the Christmas tree or Easter as pagan things? One has to dig deep to find pagan worship in them. It is better to rejoice that they have become vehicles for celebrating the love of Christ.

Suggested reading:

Why is Christmas on December 25?

Is Easter a pagan holiday?

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