7 Interesting Facts About Christmas

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, December 24, 2017

Some Churches Refuse to Celebrate

People take photos near a Christmas tree outside a mall at the shopping district of Orchard Road in Singapore December 21, 2017. | (Photo: REUTERS/Edgar Su)

While known as a Christian holiday, through the ages and up to the present time, many churches have refused for various reasons to observe Christmas.

"Not every church goes overboard in observing Dec. 25, however, and some skip special events on that day altogether," reported Deseret News in 2014.

"Reasons range from the belief that 'every day is a holy day,' as promoted by some Quakers, to a desire to observe those days the Bible emphasizes, such as the Old Testament holy days, while others, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, suggest any birthday, even that of Jesus, shouldn't be celebrated."

In 1659, the Puritans of New England opted to ban Christmas, believing that the observance was problematic for religious discipline and had too many connections to pagan practices.