After the Reformation, the Church of Scotland discouraged Christmas as a church festival. Its leaders believed worship should include only what Scripture commands, and the Bible does not give a date or command to keep Christmas. Scotland did not make Christmas a public holiday until 1958. Today most Presbyterians, including the PCEA, celebrate the birth of Christ gladly and rightly.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
— Luke 2:11
Here is a surprise to share at your next Christmas gathering: for hundreds of years, many Presbyterians in Scotland did not celebrate Christmas. Why? And why do we sing carols today? The answer says a lot about how Presbyterians think about worship.
What Actually Happened
After the Scottish Reformation of 1560, the Church of Scotland removed many festivals from its calendar, including Christmas and Easter, as holy days. In 1640 the Scottish Parliament passed an act against keeping Christmas as a holiday, and for centuries it remained an ordinary working day in Scotland. It only became a public holiday there in 1958. (In England, Parliament banned Christmas festivities in 1647 under the Puritans, but this was reversed after the monarchy returned in 1660.)
Why Did They Do It?
- The Bible gives no date. The Gospels never say when Jesus was born, and nothing commands us to keep it as a feast.
- The “regulative principle.” Reformed churches held that worship should include only what God has commanded in Scripture, which led them to remove many holy days.
- Excess. The reformers saw a feast of drinking and misrule that had little to do with Christ.
They were not against Jesus’ birth. They loved it. They simply feared adding human customs to worship.
Why We Celebrate It Now
Over time, most Presbyterian churches changed. They saw that the birth of Christ is the heart of the gospel (“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,” John 1:14), and that the Bible itself celebrates it. Angels sing, shepherds rejoice, Mary praises God and Magi worship (Luke 1-2; Matthew 2). Remembering it is not an addition to the Gospel but a response to it. Our Christmas story retold follows those Gospel accounts.
The Lesson That Remains
The old Scots had one good point worth keeping: the day can drift from its meaning. If Christmas turns into spending, stress and showing off, we have lost what the reformers feared losing. Read Christmas without consumerism for ways to keep it simple and generous. Presbyterians also preserve their old caution in how they keep the day: services centred on Scripture reading, preaching and praise, rather than ceremony.
Keeping Christmas Christ-Centred
- Read Luke 2 aloud before the meal.
- Give a gift to someone who cannot repay you (Luke 14:13-14).
- Attend worship, not only the party.
- Keep it simple. Joy does not need a big bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Presbyterians really ban Christmas?
Early Scottish Presbyterians discouraged it, and the Scottish Parliament legislated against it in 1640. It became a public holiday there in 1958.
Do Presbyterians celebrate Christmas today?
Yes. Presbyterian churches around the world, including the PCEA, mark the birth of Christ.
Is Christmas in the Bible?
The birth of Jesus is, in Matthew and Luke. The date and the festival are not specified.
What is the regulative principle?
The Reformed conviction that public worship should include only what God has commanded in Scripture.
Final Thoughts
The reformers asked a hard question: are we worshipping God as he asks, or as we please? It is a good question to ask even at Christmas. Keep the feast, keep it simple and keep your eyes on the child in the manger.
Historical facts: the Scottish Reformation (1560), the 1640 Act of the Scottish Parliament against Christmas and its status as a public holiday in Scotland from 1958, and the English Parliament’s 1647 ban, are standard historical record. Checked against the PCEA doctrine standard. Compiled by the Editorial Desk.