Holidays or Holy Days - Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?

Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?

Where did our holiday traditions come from? Do Christmas and Easter really honor Jesus Christ and please God, or is there more to the story?

Learn the truth about several of the world’s most popular holidays. Perhaps even more surprising is how they came to be connected with Jesus Christ and the Christianity. 

This guide explores: 

  • The questionable origins of Christmas and Easter, according to historians. 

  • The lure of profit that drives businesses to vigorously promote Christmas and other holidays, rather than true religious importance. 

  • What God tells us to celebrate through His Word and instructions. 

See what Jesus observed in the Bible, and why that still matters for us today. 

Table of Contents

A miniature Christmas scene of gathering a Christmas tree.

Crucial Questions

5 minutes
Why do we do some of the curious things we do? Why pretend that a jolly man in a red suit gives toys made by elves to children on one night a year Why...
A person dressed up as Santa Claus.

Christmas: The Untold Story

17 minutes
Christmas is one of the world’s most popular holidays, celebrated by people of many faiths. Yet the holiday has a strange and convoluted past, one...
A person holding a wrapped gift in front of a Christmas tree.

How Christmas Grew

2 minutes
In view of centuries of criticism of the commercialization of Christmas, it is interesting to note that the holiday's secular, not its religious...
Artist woodcut of three wise men.

Christmas vs. the Bible

2 minutes
How well do the customs and traditions of Christmas match the biblical account of Christ's birth?
A flock of sheep.

Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25

3 minutes
If Jesus Christ was not born on December 25, does the Bible indicate when He was born?
A rabbit in a basket.

Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth

20 minutes
Many millions of people believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday morning. But do the Scriptures tell a different story? And how did rabbits...
Astarte figurine

The Resurrection Connection

5 minutes
How did worship of an ancient god and goddess come to be associated with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
A rabbit.

Fertility Symbols: Beneath the Dignity of God

2 minutes
Have you ever wondered why eggs and rabbits--the popular hallmarks of Easter--were selected as symbols of fertility?
Chronology of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection

The Chronology of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection

2 minutes
What is the biblically accurate chronology of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection?
Jack-o-laterns

Halloween: A Celebration of Evil

5 minutes
Modern celebrations of Halloween may appear on the surface to be quite harmless, but the spiritual implications of dabbling with the spirit world are...
A silhouette of young man.

What About Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Purim?

2 minutes
Some believe we are free to add any religious holidays and celebrations of our own choosing. Is this true?
An audience listening.

God's Days of Worship

10 minutes
Many are surprised to learn that the Bible nowhere encourages us to celebrate Easter and Christmas. It does, however, show that God revealed a series...
A Bible opened to the book John.

God's Festivals in the New Testament

2 minutes
A listing of God's festivals - Holy Days - found in the New Testament of the Bible.
A person writing notes in a Bible.

Does It Matter to God?

14 minutes
History shows that religious authorities systematically set aside the Bible’s days of worship and substituted other practices and celebrations with...
A hot fire.

An Ancient Cultural Clash

2 minutes
The faith and faithfulness of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego remains an enduring example of respect for God.
Rosh Hanikra grottoes, Israel

The Delights of Obedience

2 minutes
A joy and peace of mind come from making right choices, from knowing you are conscientiously obeying God's instruction in the pages of the Bible.