The true meaning of Christmas – What is it?

TL;DR:

Christmas is ultimately about celebrating Jesus—the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Savior who would bring love, hope, and eternal life to all who would trust in Him. As we honor Christ through traditions and worship, we keep Him at the center, reflecting on the greatest gift ever given: God’s love made flesh in Jesus.

what does the bible say?

The origin of Christmas is the "Christ mass" or the yearly church gathering in which the birth of Jesus was celebrated. The true meaning of Christmas centers on celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and God’s gift of love and salvation to humanity. Christmas marks God becoming flesh to dwell among us, offering eternal life through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. While many Christmas traditions are cultural, they can be meaningful ways to point ourselves and others toward Christ’s coming and the hope He brought. We can keep Christ at the center of our celebrations as we seek to honor Him, remembering what Scripture says about His first coming, as we worship and invite others into our celebration so they can experience the love, hope, joy, and peace found in Him. There are many ways to honor God as we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Ultimately, Christmas is about honoring Jesus with sincere hearts and reflecting on the greatest gift ever given—God’s love revealed to us through Jesus.

from the old testament

The Bible offers many reasons for why believers celebrate the birth of Jesus as the true meaning of Christmas. The birth of Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. Isaiah 7:14 notes, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
Isaiah 9:6 adds more prophecy that Jesus fulfilled as the Messiah, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

from the new testament

The birth of Jesus marked God coming to live among His people. John 1:14 shares, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The One who made all things came and walked among humanity, and this is what we remember and celebrate as the true meaning of Christmas: "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16).
The birth of Jesus served as the culmination of God’s plan of redemption. Jesus came to earth taking on humanity, lived a perfect, sinless life, died, and rose again to offer eternal life to all who believe (John 3:16). After His resurrection Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:6-11), waiting to return once again for His people (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The true meaning of Christmas means remembering the love God has for us as He willingly gave Himself up for our salvation.
First John 4:8-9 shares why Jesus came into our world and what we celebrate at Christmas: "… God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." Love was what brought Jesus into this world through a virgin birth in a manger in Bethlehem.
Christ’s love also offers us eternal life through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 4:12). Though we are sinners, Christ has died for us (Romans 5:8), offering the greatest gift of all—eternal life. The true meaning of Christmas is found in the gift of Jesus coming to earth to offer salvation to all people.

implications for today

At Christmas, many of us engage in familiar traditions—decorating trees, exchanging gifts, singing carols, and sharing meals with loved ones. But beyond these customs, it’s important to pause and reflect on why we celebrate this season. The true meaning of Christmas is centered on the birth of Jesus Christ—God’s incredible gift of love and salvation to humanity.

When you think about your Christmas traditions, ask yourself: Do these actions point me and those around me toward the reality of Christ’s coming? Each tradition can become a meaningful opportunity to remind ourselves and others of Jesus’ humble birth in a manger, His role as the promised Messiah, and the eternal hope He offers. For example, the Christmas tree can symbolize the eternal life Christ brings and decorating it can proclaim that He is the light of the world, while gift-giving can reflect the generosity of God’s gift to us in Jesus.

To bring the true meaning of Christmas into our celebrations, we can consider ways to intentionally include worship, prayer, or scripture reading focused on Jesus. We can think about how our Christmas traditions can be ways to share the gospel with others who may not know Him. We can share the story of His birth with family and friends or reflect on the prophecies He fulfilled as recorded in Isaiah and the gospel accounts. We can give gifts and carol to friends and neighbors, bringing His love and joy to them. May our hearts be stirred by the reality that God came to dwell with us (John 1:14) and that His love was made manifest so we might live through Him (1 John 4:9), and may this compel us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Ultimately, our celebrations should be about honoring Christ with sincere hearts, remembering His love and sacrifice, and sharing that hope with others. As we participate in traditions, may they serve as tangible reminders of the greatest gift ever given—Jesus Himself. This shift in perspective transforms even simple customs into powerful expressions of faith that keep Christ at the center of Christmas.

understand

Christmas celebrates Jesus’ birth as God’s promised Savior and gift of salvation.
The true meaning of Christmas is remembering and celebrating that Jesus became flesh to dwell among us, offering eternal life through His sacrifice.
Traditions can point us to Christ, keeping the true meaning of Christmas central as we honor God’s love in Christmas

reflect

How do your Christmas traditions help you focus on the true meaning of Jesus’ birth?
How do you personally and intentionally uphold the true meaning of Christmas during the Christmas season?
How does remembering Jesus as God’s greatest gift impact your understanding of hope, love, and salvation?

engage

How can we use common Christmas traditions to effectively point others to the hope found in Jesus?
Why is it important to keep Christ at the center of Christmas, and what challenges do we face in doing so?
How can we as believers uphold the true meaning of Christmas and share this with those who might not know Him?