Christmas is one of the most popular and widely celebrated holidays around the world. For Christians, Christmas is a time to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be the son of God. However, not all religions and cultures celebrate Christmas. Here is an overview of some of the major religions that do not observe Christmas.
Judaism
Judaism does not have a holiday equivalent to Christmas. According to Jewish belief, Jesus is not the son of God, so his birth is not observed or celebrated in Judaism. In addition, Christmas falls around the same time as Hanukkah, an important Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. So instead of celebrating Christmas, those of the Jewish faith focus their attention on observing Hanukkah.
When is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is an eight-day festival that typically falls in either November or December. Here are the dates for recent and upcoming Hanukkah observances:
| Year | Hanukkah Dates |
|---|---|
| 2019 | December 22 – December 30 |
| 2020 | December 10 – December 18 |
| 2021 | November 28 – December 6 |
| 2022 | December 18 – December 26 |
| 2023 | December 7 – December 15 |
As you can see, Hanukkah sometimes coincides with the Christmas season. But those of the Jewish faith focus their celebrations on Hanukkah traditions, not Christmas.
Islam
Islam does not observe or celebrate Christmas either. In the Islamic faith, Jesus is considered to be a prophet, but not divine like Christians believe. And Christmas is not a holiday in Islamic tradition. However, there are some secular celebrations in December that are observed in some Muslim cultures.
Muslim Holidays in December
Here are some Muslim observances that take place in December:
- Mawlid an-Nabi – A holiday honoring the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. It takes place in the third month of the Islamic calendar.
- Ashura – A day of fasting that commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.
- Eid Milad ul-Nabi – A holiday marking the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. It is celebrated on the 12th day of the 3rd month of the Islamic calendar.
But these holidays focus on Islamic traditions and history, not Christmas. People of the Muslim faith do not decorate trees, exchange gifts or celebrate on December 25th.
Hinduism
Christmas is not an observed holiday or holy day in Hinduism. Since Hinduism is not an Abrahamic religion, it does not recognize Jesus Christ or his birth. However, some Hindu cultural organizations and societies in India celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. Often referred to as “secular Christmas,” it is mainly celebrated in urban areas and involves things like exchanging gifts, decorating, and parties.
Popular Hindu Holidays
Here are some of the major Hindu holy days and festivals:
- Diwali – Festival of Lights
- Holi – Festival of Colors
- Navaratri – Nine Nights Festival
- Ganesh Chaturthi – Celebrates the birth of Ganesh
- Raksha Bandhan – Celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters
- Janmashtami – Celebrates the birth of Krishna
As you can see, none of these center around Christmas themes or Jesus Christ. The focus is on other Hindu deities and traditions.
Buddhism
Buddhism does not celebrate Christmas or recognize it as a holiday. Buddhists instead follow their own spiritual teachings and traditions. And the birthday of Buddha is celebrated at Buddha Day or Vesak, not Christmas. However, some Buddhists, especially in the West, do celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday.
Major Buddhist Holidays
- Buddha Day/Vesak – Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha
- Magha Puja Day – Commemorates Buddha’s first sermon
- Uposatha – Recites the monastic code and confession of sins
- Asalha Puja Day – Celebrates Buddha’s first teaching
- Abhidhamma Day – Commemorates the last sermon of Buddha
So followers of Buddhism focus on Buddhist teachings, not those of Christianity. Their spiritual leaders and guiding principles come from Buddha, not Jesus Christ.
Secular Groups
In addition to non-Christian religions, there are some secular groups that do not celebrate Christmas:
- Many atheist individuals and families do not observe Christmas, since it is tied to religious beliefs they don’t follow.
- Some agnostic individuals don’t outright reject Christmas, but are often indifferent to celebrating it as a religious holiday.
- Certain new religious movements, like Raëlism, may reject Christmas traditions and theology.
However, members of these secular groups may still celebrate a secularized version of Christmas as a cultural holiday by exchanging gifts, spending time with family, and enjoying holiday traditions without the religious aspect.
Other Religions
There are a few more religions that do not celebrate Christmas:
- Chinese Traditional Religion – Does not have Christmas celebrations, focus is on Lunar New Year and other traditional Chinese holidays.
- Taoism – Does not observe Christian-based holidays like Christmas.
- Shinto – Indigenous Japanese folk religion that does not include Christmas.
- Wicca – Modern pagan religion that sees Christmas as a Christian co-opting of older winter solstice celebrations.
Conclusion
Christmas is primarily a Christian religious observance of Jesus Christ’s birth, so religions that do not follow Christ or believe he is divine generally do not celebrate Christmas. Some of the key religions that do not celebrate Christmas include Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. While some individuals from these faiths, especially in Western cultures, may commemorate Christmas as a secular holiday, the religions themselves have their own traditions and holy days that do not align with Christmas on December 25th. Other smaller religions and secular groups like atheism also generally do not partake in Christmas religious observances. So when it comes to celebrating Christmas as a spiritual tradition, Christianity remains the religion most associated with this holiday.