Ellen White on Christmas

Many Seventh-day Adventists, failing to find Biblical support for the celebration of Christmas, will turn to Ellen White, who is considered authoritative on many topics. In trying to prove a point, many will do exactly what she asked her readers not to do: gather a wealth of quotes on one side of a topic, with an aim to prove their point without question. Instead, I have quotes listed below that might be used as "proof texts" by either side of the Christmas controversy. Read the following, and come to your own conclusion.

Ellen White's advice about Christmas comes in two main categories:

1. At Christmas time, instead of giving gifts to those who don't need them, we should place  gifts to the Lord (for church debt, missions, and the poor) on a tree in the church.
2. Christmas was a time of selfishness, indulgence, and waste.

The Two Babylons, by Presbyterian theologian Andrew Hislop, subtitled The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife was in the process of being written during Ellen White's lifetime. It started out as a pamphlet in 1853 and went through many editions, at one point becoming a book 500 pages long, the last edition published in 1919. I can't help but wonder, if some of the information in this book had been common knowledge at an earlier time, would Ellen White have supported a Christmas tree in the church?

When information was not given to Ellen in vision, she used the wisdom she had gained through life experiences and current common sense as a basis for her statements. The only statement she made that indicated divine inspiration regarding Christmas was this:  "From the light that the Lord has given me, these days have no more influence for good than would the worship of heathen deities." (Fundamentals of Christian Education 320.3) That her advice about the Christmas tree was from her own thoughts is evident in some of the quotes below. I have removed some of the portions that are repetitious, but you can find the entire context in the quoted pages):

On the history of Christmas

"The twenty-fifth of December is supposed to be the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, and its observance has become customary and popular. But yet there is no certainty that we are keeping the veritable day of our Saviour's birth. The Bible does not give us the precise time. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, He would have spoken through His prophets and apostles, that we might know all about the matter. But the silence of the Scriptures upon this point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes. ...  that the day should not receive the honor that should be given to Christ as the Redeemer of the world,—one to be received, to be trusted, to be relied on as he who could save to the uttermost all who come unto him. The soul’s adoration should be given to Jesus as the Son of the infinite God. There is no divine sanctity resting upon the twenty-fifth day of December; and it is not pleasing to God that anything that concerns the salvation of man through the infinite sacrifice made for them, should be so sadly perverted from its professed design.“ ~ Review and Herald, December 9, 1884

"The Reformation did not, as many suppose, end with Luther. It is to be continued to the close of this world’s history. ... It was their work to break the fetters of Rome and to give the Bible to the world; yet there were important truths which they failed to discover, and grave errors which they did not renounce. Most of them continued to observe the Sunday with other papal festivals." ~ Story of Redemption, 353.2

A Christmas tree in the church

"I see no objection to placing even in our churches a Christmas or New Year tree bearing fruit in gifts and offerings for the cause of God. We may thus take advantage of the occasion to turn the customary gifts of the season into the right channel. And such a holiday celebration is a useful lesson to our children, teaching them to bestow their gifts in a manner to honor their Redeemer. But when we devote our means and labor to feasting ourselves, we fail to render to God that honor which is his due." ~ Signs of the Times, January 4, 1883, par. 7

“God would be well pleased if on Christmas, each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship. Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree? will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible. There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen, and placing it in our churches...
"The tree may be as tall and its branches as wide as shall best suit the occasion; but let its boughs be laden with the golden and silver fruit of your beneficence, and present this to Him as your Christmas gift. Let your donations be sanctified by prayer, and let the fruit upon this consecrated tree be applied toward removing the debts from our houses of worship at Battle Creek, Mich., and Oakland, Cal.” ~ Review and Herald, December 11, 1879 par. 15

"If all, both old and young, will forego giving presents to one another, and forego the selfish outlay of means in these coming holidays, there would be in heaven a most precious record of self-denial for Christ's sake. .... Let the several churches present to God Christmas trees in every church; and then let them hang thereon the fruits of beneficence and gratitude,--offerings coming from willing hearts and hands, fruits that God will accept as an expression of our faith and our great love to him for the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. Let the evergreen be laden with fruit, rich, and pure, and holy, acceptable to God. Shall we not have such a Christmas as Heaven can approve? Thousands of dollars are needlessly spent every year in gifts to each other. That is means lost to God, lost to his cause.“ ~ Review and Herald, December 9, 1884 par. 9.10

The selfishness of Christmas and how to change it

"[The youth] have been educated to the popular idea that the appointed holidays must be treated with respect and be observed. From the light that the Lord has given me, these days have no more influence for good than would the worship of heathen deities; for this is really nothing less. These days are Satan's special harvest seasons. The money drawn from men and women is expended for that which is not bread.“ ~ Fundamentals of Christian Education 320.3

"Every dollar and every dime that we can spare is needed now, to aid in carrying the message of truth to other lands. At the holiday season much is spent by our own people upon gifts and various gratifications which are not only useless but often hurtful. Appetite is indulged, pride and self-love are fostered, and Christ is forgotten. If the money usually devoted to these objects were all brought into the mission treasury, our foreign missions would be lifted above embarrassment. Shall we not this year consecrate to God not merely a part but all our holiday gifts for the relief of his cause, which is in so great need? How can we more appropriately celebrate the coming Christmas, how better express our gratitude to God for the gift of his dear Son, than by offerings to send to all the world the tidings of his soon coming?" ~ Review and Herald, Dec. 6, 1887

"The holidays are approaching. ...The habits of custom are so strong that to withhold gifts from our friends on these occasions would seem to us almost a neglect of them. But let us remember that our kind heavenly Benefactor has claims upon us far superior to those of any earthly friends. Shall we not, during the coming holidays, present our offerings to God? Even the children may participate in this work. Clothing and other useful articles may be given to the worthy poor, and thus a work may be done for the Master. Let us remember that Christmas is celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the world's Redeemer. This day is generally spent in feasting and gluttony. Large sums of money are spent in needless self-indulgence. The appetite and sensual pleasures are indulged at the expense of physical, mental, and moral power. Yet this has become a habit. Pride, fashion, and gratification of the palate have swallowed up immense sums of money that have really benefited no one, but have encouraged a prodigality of means which is displeasing to God. These days are spent in glorifying self rather than God. Health has been sacrificed, money worse than thrown away, many have lost their lives by overeating or through demoralizing dissipation, and souls have been lost by this means. ~ Messages to Young People 311.312

While urging upon all the duty of first bringing their offerings to God, I would not wholly condemn the practice of making Christmas and New Years gifts to our friends. It is right to bestow upon one another tokens of love and remembrance if we do not in this forget God, our best friend. We should make our gifts such as will prove a real benefit to the receiver. I would recommend books as will be an aid in understanding the word of God or that will increase our love for its precepts... For those who can procure it, D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation will be both interesting and profitable...We can see how God poured light into the minds of those who searched His word, how much the men ordained and sent forth by Him were willing to suffer for the truth's sake, and how hard it is for the great mass of mankind to renounce their errors and to receive and obey the teachings of the Scriptures." ~ Review and Herald, December 26, 1882 par. 18

How to change the family Christmas traditions:

"There are many things which can be devised with taste and cost far less than the unnecessary presents that are so frequently bestowed upon our children and relatives, and thus courtesy can be shown and happiness brought into the home. You can teach your children...tell them that you have thought more of your own pleasure and of their gratification and of keeping in harmony with the customs and traditions of the world, in making presents to those who did not need them, than you have in advancing the cause of God. Like the wise men of old, you may offer to God your best gifts and show by your offerings to Him that you appreciate His Gift to a sinful world. Set your children's thoughts running in a new, unselfish channel by inciting them to present offerings to God for the gift of His only-begotten Son.“ ~ Adventist Home 481.4

 Conclusion: Balancing the Bible admonitions regarding worshiping God in the way the heathens worship their gods, what we know of the history of Christmas, and Ellen White's comments, what are your thoughts on celebrating Christmas?