Every December, people claim that Christmas was borrowed from Saturnalia, the famous Roman festival held each winter. But when you look at the actual historical evidence, that connection disappears. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Saturnalia Was NOT on December 25
Saturnalia ran from December 17–23—and it never reached December 25 in any ancient source.
If Christians wanted to “Christianize” Saturnalia, they wouldn’t choose a date after the festival had ended.
2. Saturnalia Looked Nothing Like Christian Worship
Saturnalia included:
- Drunken parties
- Gambling
- Social role reversals
- Public chaos
- Pagan sacrifices
Early Christians despised these behaviors. They didn’t borrow them.
3. The Alleged “Christmas Customs” Don’t Come From Saturnalia
Saturnalia had:
- No decorated trees
- No evergreen wreaths
- No nativity themes
- No December 25 celebration
- Only cheap trinket gifts (like candles and clay figurines)
None of these entered the early church’s worship or celebration of Christ’s birth.
4. No Ancient Writer Connects Saturnalia to Christmas
Not one Church Father, Roman historian, or pagan critic ever accused Christians of copying Saturnalia.
If Christians were repackaging a major pagan festival, someone would have noticed — but no one did.
5. Scholars Today Reject the Saturnalia Theory
Modern historians (Christian and secular) agree:
“There is no evidence Christmas derived from Saturnalia.”
—Steven Hijmans, Roman Religion Scholar
Bottom Line
Saturnalia ended on December 23, honored a different god, and involved wild, immoral behavior that early Christians rejected.
There is no historical link between Saturnalia and the origins of Christmas.
Christmas developed for theological reasons, not because Christians borrowed a pagan festival.
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