Who Celebrates Christmas? A Religion-by-Religion Guide

Islam does not include Christmas as a religious holiday. Jesus (Isa) is respected as a prophet in Islam, but his divinity and the Nativity are not part of Islamic theology. Most Muslim scholars consider participating in religious Christmas observances (church services, nativity scenes) to be haram (forbidden), though many Muslim families in Western countries engage in secular aspects like gift exchanges. The question 'is it haram to celebrate Christmas' has nuanced scholarly answers — cultural participation is treated differently from religious observance.

The Amish do celebrate Christmas, but in a deeply religious and simple way. Commercial excess, decorations, and Santa Claus are absent. The focus is on church services, prayer, family gatherings, and modest gift giving. January 6th (Old Christmas or Epiphany) is also observed by many Amish communities as a second day of celebration.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enthusiastically celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ. Gift giving, family traditions, nativity scenes, and community service are all part of LDS Christmas observance. The holiday is fully embraced as a religious and cultural celebration.

Seventh-Day Adventists generally celebrate Christmas as a time to honor Christ's birth, though the church does not mandate specific Christmas traditions. Some Adventist families observe it fully; others are more reserved about commercial aspects. The denomination worships on Saturday (the Sabbath) rather than Sunday, which affects how the holiday week is structured.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. They believe the holiday has pagan origins and that the Bible does not instruct Christians to commemorate Jesus's birthday. This applies to all birthday and holiday celebrations. Witnesses who were raised in the faith may never have experienced Christmas celebrations at home.

Buddhism has no theological connection to Christmas, but many Buddhist families in Western countries participate in the secular aspects of the holiday — gift giving, decorations, and family gatherings. In Japan, Christmas is widely celebrated as a cultural event despite Japan being predominantly Buddhist and Shinto.

Hinduism does not include Christmas as a religious holiday. However, many Hindu families in Western countries celebrate Christmas as a cultural tradition. In India, Christmas is a national holiday and is celebrated by many non-Christian communities in urban areas, especially in states like Goa and Kerala.

Most Baptist denominations celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ. However, Baptist traditions vary widely. Some conservative Baptist churches avoid Catholic-influenced traditions like Advent calendars or Christmas Eve Masses, focusing instead on church services and Scripture readings that emphasize the Nativity story.