Tradition or Truth: What Will Define Your Christmas?

Every December, we find ourselves swept up in a familiar rhythm. The decorations emerge from storage, the shopping lists multiply, and the calendar fills with parties and obligations. But somewhere between the wrapping paper and the holiday movies, we might miss the most important question of the season: What is Christmas really about?

It's a question that demands we look at two very different paths: tradition or truth.

The Power of Words Redefined

Our culture has a habit of taking sacred words and draining them of their power. Consider the word "love." God created love as an act of the will—a choice to lay down your life for another. Yet we've reduced it to fleeting emotions and Hollywood romance. The same transformation has happened to Christmas. What should be profound and life-changing has become merely pleasant and fun.

There's a critical difference between tradition and truth. Tradition, by definition, is simply "the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation." It's a nice story you can take or leave, requiring nothing from you. A legend might entertain, but it doesn't demand transformation.

Truth, however, changes everything.

When you embrace truth, you create a legacy—"the lasting influence and inspiration a person leaves behind, characterized by a life lived with integrity, honesty, and alignment with deeply held values." This isn't about material wealth passed to the next generation. It's about conviction so deep it shapes how you think and live.

Most people who call themselves Christians believe something, but belief without conviction is powerless. Conviction means your beliefs actually determine your choices. It's the difference between thinking ethics are a nice idea and actually being ethical. It's the difference between believing marriage matters and actually staying married when it's hard.

Remembering What Matters

Throughout Scripture, God established celebrations and festivals for one primary reason: people need to be reminded.

In Deuteronomy 4, Moses stood before a new generation of Israelites preparing to enter the Promised Land. Their parents had witnessed God's miracles—the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night—yet failed to trust Him. Now Moses urged this younger generation: "See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me... Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations."

The entire Old Testament calendar revolved around remembrance. Passover, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles—each celebration was designed to teach children, to create legacy, to help God's people remember who they were while living in the world.

In the New Testament, Jesus established communion for the same purpose. The early church gathered weekly to remember His sacrifice, His resurrection, His promised return. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 3, the church itself exists to display God's wisdom to the world—not as a building, but as "called out ones" (ecclesia) who live differently because they follow Christ.

Paul and the early believers didn't die for a tradition. They died for truth they had witnessed firsthand. When authorities demanded they stop preaching, they refused: "We have seen what we have seen. Jesus rose from the dead. We walked with Him. This is truth."

That's the foundation Christmas rests on—not evolving customs, but historical reality.

The Battle for Christmas

Paul warned the Colossians: "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ."

An active strategy exists today to water down the reality that Jesus Christ became human flesh to rescue us and restore relationship with God. Traditions creep in, not necessarily bad in themselves, but they crowd out what matters most.

John 1:14 declares this stunning truth: "So the Word became human and made his home among us." The incarnation—God with flesh on Him—is the center of Christmas. Yet somehow we've allowed this earth-shattering reality to compete for attention with fictional characters and generic holiday sentiment.

Consider what actually happened: Throughout human history, people have longed for the divine to connect with them. Ancient mythology imagined gods descending from Mount Olympus. Modern culture dreams of extraterrestrial visitors. But God didn't send a representative. He came Himself—not to destroy and leave, but to live among us, understand our struggles, and secure eternal relationship through the cross.

Isn't that worth celebrating with everything we have?

Reclaiming What's Been Lost

Two commitments can transform this Christmas season:

First, don't let traditions lead your celebration. Put Jesus back in the driver's seat. Use an Advent calendar or devotional with your family. Watch nativity-focused movies alongside the others. Consider taking communion at home during these four weeks. Even longtime Christians need to fight complacency and celebrate the incarnation with fresh wonder.

Some traditions have Christian roots worth exploring. Saint Nicholas, for example, was a believer whose love for Christ motivated his legendary generosity toward children. Discover which customs connect to faith and celebrate those connections.

Second, join in reaching your community. Christmas is an incredible season for people to encounter Christ. Pray for opportunities to invite neighbors and coworkers to church celebrations. Give relational gifts that build connection rather than accumulating more stuff. God gave us the gift of relationship embodied in Christ—our gifts should reflect that same heart.

The Cost of Passivity

Here's an uncomfortable truth: if Christian parents and grandparents relax during Christmas instead of building a truth-filled legacy, the world will fill in the gaps for their children.

Just as parents who avoid discussing sexuality leave their kids to learn from peers and media, Christians who remain passive about Christmas allow culture to define it. The world promotes a "Christmas spirit"—being nice once a year—rather than the Holy Spirit who transforms lives year-round.

Many families exhaust themselves maintaining traditions, leaving no energy for building legacy. We shop until we drop, cook elaborate meals, and manage complex logistics, then feel too tired to actually talk about Jesus—especially if non-believing family members might be offended.

But when did Christianity become easy? Jesus promised His followers would face the same hatred He faced. This doesn't mean being obnoxious or unloving. It means having the courage to make Christmas about Jesus in your own home.

As 2 Timothy 2 reminds us, we're spiritual soldiers who must "gently instruct those who oppose the truth" while refusing to "get tied up in the affairs of civilian life." There really is a battle for hearts and minds, and Christmas is a strategic moment.

Starting Today

The question isn't whether you'll celebrate Christmas. You will. The question is whether you'll celebrate tradition or truth—legend or legacy.

Will this Christmas leave your family with warm memories and empty boxes, or with deeper conviction about who Jesus is and why He came?

The choice, ultimately, is yours to make.