Why Halloween? And What About Christmas, Easter — or Even Birthdays?

Every October, the same question resurfaces among believers:

"Should Christians celebrate Halloween?"

But that question leads to others:

If we reject Halloween for its pagan roots, what about Christmas and Easter, which also have pre-Christian connections? And if those are off limits, should we go even further and reconsider birthdays, which also trace back to pagan customs?

This isn’t about argument; it’s about reflection.

For those who love the rhythms of the year and want to live faithfully, it’s worth asking:

Where did these celebrations come from—and how should we approach them as followers of Christ?

Let's start with Halloween:

When you trace the timeline, the Celtic festival of Samhain clearly came first.

Before Christianity (roughly 500 BC – 400 AD), the Celts of Ireland, Scotland, and Britain marked Samhain on October 31 – November 1 as the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. They believed the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest then. Bonfires were lit for protection, and disguises were worn to confuse or appease wandering spirits.

In 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to “All Martyrs,” celebrated on May 13. Then in 835 AD, Pope Gregory IV moved the Feast of All Saints to November 1, intentionally overlapping the same seasonal window as Samhain. The night before became All Hallows’ Eve, later shortened to “Halloween.”

During the Middle Ages, folk customs blended. Christians prayed for the departed while villagers still lit fires and dressed up. After the Reformation, Protestant regions abandoned prayers for the dead, but the folk customs remained and slowly evolved into the secular holiday we know today.

So yes—Samhain came first, and All Hallows’ Eve was the Church’s effort to redeem a pre-existing pagan festival by refocusing it on saints and resurrection hope.

The Church’s historical pattern was to transform rather than erase culture:

Where pagans feared darkness, Christians proclaimed light.

Where they appeased spirits, believers honored the victory of Christ over death.

Some see that as redemption; others as compromise.

Catholic view: October 31 is the vigil before All Saints Day. Participation is acceptable so long as it doesn’t glorify evil.

Mainline Protestant view: Often reframed as a fall or harvest celebration.

Evangelical and fundamentalist view: Usually avoided entirely because of occult imagery and pagan associations.

In the end, the question isn’t only where it came from—it’s what it represents today and whether it draws us closer to or farther from Christ.

Christmas

Early Christians didn’t celebrate Jesus’ birth. For the first few centuries, their focus was entirely on His death and resurrection.

The date December 25 (AD 336) first appeared in Roman records—not because Scripture commands it, but likely because believers wanted to proclaim Christ as “the light of the world” (John 8:12) at the darkest time of year.

Some historians note that this coincided with Roman winter festivals like Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) and Saturnalia, suggesting Christians intentionally declared, “The true Light has come.” Others believe the overlap was symbolic, not syncretic.

Winter greenery such as evergreens, holly, and mistletoe had pre-Christian meanings of life amid death. The Church reinterpreted them as reminders of eternal life through Christ.

Because early believers avoided celebrating human birthdays, the Feast of the Nativity was a later addition. But once adopted, it became a powerful declaration of the Incarnation—God made flesh to dwell among us.

Easter (Pascha):

Unlike Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s resurrection—called Pascha (Greek for Passover)—is extremely ancient.

By the second century, Christians were already marking an annual Pascha to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When Easter Falls Each Year:

The date is not random. In AD 325, the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter should be celebrated on:

“The first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.”

That rule means:

• Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25 in Western churches (using the Gregorian calendar).

• Eastern Orthodox churches, which still use the older Julian calendar, often celebrate one to five weeks later, sometimes even into May.

• The timing keeps it symbolically tied to the Jewish Passover, since Jesus died and rose during that festival (John 19:14).

The English word Easter likely came from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon spring goddess, but in most of the world the feast is still called Pascha. So while the word and season had pre-Christian roots, the event—Christ’s resurrection—is purely Christian.

Spring symbols like eggs and rabbits existed before Christianity but were adopted to represent new life and renewal.

Easter is the central feast of faith. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:14:

“If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

Whatever the decorations or customs, the meaning stands: life conquers death.

Birthdays:

Even birthday parties trace back to pagan religion.

• Egyptians marked the “birth” of pharaohs on coronation day—their divine rebirth (see Genesis 40:20-22).

• Greeks offered moon-shaped cakes to Artemis with candles reflecting her light.

• Romans held elaborate feasts with sacrifices to household gods and relied on horoscopes to determine fate.

Because of those associations, early Christians viewed birthdays as connected to idolatry and superstition.

Scriptural mentions: only two—both tied to unbelievers.

1. Pharaoh’s birthday (Genesis 40:20-22) ends in execution.

2. Herod’s birthday (Matthew 14:6-10; Mark 6:21-28) ends in the beheading of John the Baptist.

Early-Church stance: they avoided birthdays. Origen (3rd century) wrote:

“None of the saints can be found who ever held a feast or banquet on his birthday… it is only sinners who rejoice over this kind of day.”

(Homilies on Leviticus 8:3)

Instead, Christians honored the day of a saint’s death—their “heavenly birthday” into eternal life. That’s why saints’ feast days still mark death dates.

Over time, as Christianity spread through Rome, customs softened. Birthdays became a way to thank God for life, not to invoke spirits.

Today most believers celebrate with gratitude, echoing 1 Corinthians 10:31:

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Legalism, Discernment, and Unintentional Sin:

Still, it’s dangerous to assume everything can be “redeemed.” Some practices—like witchcraft, divination, or necromancy—can never be made holy because God forbids them outright.

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” — Ephesians 5:11

“Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations.” — Deuteronomy 18:9-12

We don’t Christianize witchcraft or “white magic.” We flee from them.

But time markers, seasons, and neutral customs can sometimes be reclaimed for God’s glory. The line is discernment.

The Bible’s Warning About Unintentional Sin

Leviticus 5:17 says:

“If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible.”

Ignorance doesn’t make wrongdoing righteous—it only shows our need for grace and for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Under the New Covenant, that guidance comes through conscience and faith.

Paul writes in Romans 14:23:

“Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

That means:

If your conscience troubles you about a certain holiday or custom, don’t ignore it. For you, participating would be sin.

If your conscience is clear and your intent is purely to honor Christ, you can walk in freedom.

Both require humility and discernment.

We live in a world overflowing with traditions—some beautiful, some empty, some dark.

Every generation of Christians has had to decide what to keep, what to redeem, and what to leave behind.

So the question isn’t merely Should we celebrate? But Can this act truly glorify God?

Maybe it means choosing not to participate in Halloween because it glorifies darkness. Maybe it means keeping Christmas and Easter but stripping away the excess and focusing on Christ Himself. Maybe it means treating birthdays not as self-centered indulgence but as thanksgiving for the breath of life He’s given.

Whatever the case, the heart posture matters most.

“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.” — Romans 14:5-6

In the End . . .

• Samhain came first.

• All Hallows Eve redeemed it.

• Christmas and Easter borrowed cultural symbols but proclaimed Christ.

• Birthdays began in pagan temples yet can now glorify the Giver of Life.

• Pascha (Easter) follows the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, typically between March 22 and April 25 in Western tradition or later under the Orthodox reckoning.

The real issue isn’t if we celebrate but why and whom we celebrate. If it honors Christ and flows from faith, it is worship. If it distracts, compromises, or violates conscience, it is sin.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31

My Personal Reflection:

As for me, I no longer celebrate Halloween.

Where I live, we don’t get trick-or-treaters anyway, because of how remote our location is, but if I did live in a larger town or city, I think I’d probably hand out healthy treats with Bible tracts to each child that came to my door for a couple of hours. Without costumes or decorations.

When it comes to birthdays, we don’t really celebrate those anymore either—not intentionally, but we’ve fallen away from the habit. It first started when I began taking our daughter on a big birthday trip every year instead of throwing her a party, so parties naturally didn’t happen with this new tradition. We still acknowledge the day we were born and say happy birthday to one another, but we no longer throw parties or make a big deal of it. The only exception is for our daughter; we still give her a gift and make her her favorite meal and dessert on that day. Last year she only wanted one family friend over for a meal and to paint together. So the 4 of us did just that.

Christmas has always been a topic of debate in our home. I grew up knowing Santa Claus wasn’t real, with a beautiful nativity scene where we’d place infant Jesus on Christmas Eve and open a few gifts. My husband, on the other hand, grew up without practicing faith — with multiple trees, belief in Santa, and more gifts than most children could imagine.

Each year, my husband and daughter ask for a Christmas tree. But this year, my daughter asked if we could put up a nativity instead. We’ll still exchange a few small gifts, but the focus will be on Christ.

Easter is the one celebration we always keep. When my daughter was young, we held Easter egg hunts and gave baskets filled with faith-based books, new Bibles, and candy. But now, knowing more, If I had a young child, I would skip the egg hunt and baskets and stick to only what Easter is meant to celebrate—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Two years ago, I celebrated Easter in Israel, attending a church service and exploring the Holy Land. Last year, I was in Italy and tried to attend Easter Mass at the Vatican, though I couldn’t get tickets. This coming year, I’ll likely celebrate quietly at my local church, worshiping and sharing a meal with my family—keeping the focus entirely on Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

That’s what each of these reflections has led me to: not judgment of others, but personal conviction. Not superstition, but Scripture.

Not tradition for its own sake, but truth for Christ’s sake.

These questions aren’t meant to divide us—they’re meant to refine us.

What we choose to celebrate (or not celebrate) reveals what we worship and why.

And while convictions may look different from home to home, the goal remains the same: that in everything, our hearts would honor Him.

What about you?

What convictions has God placed on your heart about these traditions—and how do you walk them out in your home and family life?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31