I’ve never celebrated Christmas. A lot of people have the same question when they find this out. “Don’t you miss out? I mean, don’t you ever wish you kept Christmas?” It doesn’t bother me when people ask that. They’re usually well-meaning and just don’t understand how I can do without something that seems so good to them.

My answer is always the same. “Nope, I don’t miss out at all!” Here’s why.

1. Christmas doesn’t represent Jesus—Even though it bears the name of Christ, Christmas doesn’t represent His life, His death, or what He does for Christians today. There’s lots of info on UCG.org about what the holiday does represent, and it’s obvious that Jesus is not the reason for the season.

2. Christmas is all about get; a Christian’s life is all about give—It might be called “the season of giving,” but Christmas is an advertiser’s dream come true. It seems like, even when intentions are good, Christmas brings out the greedy side in otherwise good people. But Christians are all about giving. Giving their lives to God and serving Him fully is right in the Christian job description. Christmas can only gets in the way of that noble goal.

3. Christmas is a poor replacement for God’s Holy Days—God gave people a wonderful set of fun-filled, meaning-filled and giving-filled Holy Days. These festivals give us a picture of God’s plan for each person’s salvation—way more meaning than Christmas! What’s more, Jesus Himself celebrated the Holy Days, and He’s our ultimate example for how to live.

So why don’t I miss out by not celebrating Christmas? It’s because God’s way of life is so much richer and more rewarding. The Bible shows how I can live by showing me how Jesus Christ lived—and Christmas isn’t part of the equation.