According to the Jewish Voice: Messianic Jews are Jewish people who believe Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah. Some of them celebrate Christmas, but ‒ for a number of reasons ‒ some do not.
Most Messianic Jews do not have a cultural connection to Christmas.
For most Jewish Believers in Yeshua, Christmas was not a part of their family traditions. They grew up in homes that observed the Jewish holidays rather than Christmas and Easter. And, after coming to faith in Yeshua, some Messianic Jews do not feel the need to begin celebrating it.
I must note here that the Holy Days prescribed by GOD in the scriptures such as Passover (Easter), Shavuot (Pentecost), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) are for all people who accept and believe in GOD’s written Word, not just for the Jewish people. The “Appointed Times” are the holy days, feasts, and festivals that God requires of the people of Israel and the Nations who believe. These times are set aside as holy to the Lord for special fellowship with the FATHER and should be to observe faithfully throughout the year. Personally, I believe if you are not keeping God’s holy days, you are missing out on one of His significant gifts to mankind.
FOOTNOTE: The present-day practice of Eastern Orthodox Christians, as well as members of the Church of the East, also face east when praying. Members of the Pentecostal Apostolic Faith Mission continue to pray facing east, believing that it “is the direction from which Jesus Christ will come when he returns.” Jews in the Diaspora west of Israel face east during prayer. Practically speaking, Jews would face the city of Jerusalem when praying, and those north, east, or south of Jerusalem face south, west, and north respectively. Catholics pray to the east. There are scriptural roots to this eastern orientation is found in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). We believe, therefore, that at the Second Coming, Christ will come from the east.
The Christian faith is the largest religion on earth! According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity about 31.2% of the world’s population is considered to be Christian. There are more than 45,000 Christian denominations globally and more than 200 in the United States. Christmas is the largest annual Christian celebration on the planet. This special holiday honors the birth of Jesus Christ, (Yeshua is his Hebrew name) who is worshipped as the Son the God and Savior of the World. The Judeo-Christian faith has its origin and roots in Judaism with Jesus / Yeshua, as the promised Messiah. Yeshua’s disciples (all Jews), with the help of the Holy Spirit spread the faith from Jerusalem across the globe. The followers were originally called Nazarenes, followed by the name Christians and in some cases, Messianic Jews.
The books of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament give us the nativity story and chronicle the birth of Jesus/Yeshua as the Messiah. The scriptures tell us that Jesus/Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with Old Testament prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room and so they were offered a place in a stable where the savior was born, with angels proclaiming the good news to shepherds in the field. The baby is visited by magi (wise men) who are following a bright star to Bethlehem and who bring him gifts fit for a king.
Followers of Jesus/Yeshua, believe that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity. This is the primary reason for celebrating Christmas. For the majority of believers, knowing the exact date of His birth is not nearly as important as honoring this incredible gift from GOD to all mankind. The gift of His only begotten Son who brings salvation to humanity.
Bible Scholars don’t have a date for Jesus’ Birth
The study of the date for the birth of Jesus / Yeshua would take years to read through all the research, calculations, and the changing of cultural, religious, and political calendars. Every generation of bible scholars attempt to define the date based on a mountain of research. Each one has a different date; some say spring (April or May) others say fall or autumn season (September-October). I am no bible scholar by any means. My approach to the question is simple, count the days on the Biblical Calendar. I am not saying I have the answer but , I have a post on the topic that may help, here is a link, https://godtime.blog/messiah-was-conceived-in-september-born-in-may/ .
I suppose if the Father wanted us to know the exact date, HE would have given it to us plainly. My point is we know it was not December 25 but what is important is the Bible give us the nativity story. The angels celebrated and so do we! I like the way the Message Bible describes it in Luke 2:1-14:
“An Event for Everyone”
(8-12) There were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them, and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” 13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.”
The December 25th date for Christmas
Various factors contributed to the choice of December 25. It was the date of the winter solstice also called in the Roman Empire, where most Christians lived. The Christmas celebration emerged during “the peak of state-sponsored Sun Worship” in the empire. Since 274 AD, the Roman festival Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of Sol Invictus, the ‘Invincible Sun’) had been held on December 25. The early Church linked Jesus Christ to the “Sun” and referred to him as the ‘Sun of Righteousness’ (Sol Justitiae) prophesied by Malachi.
The early Christian writer Lactantius wrote “the east is attached to God because he is the source of light and the illuminator of the world and he makes us rise toward eternal life”. It is for this reason that the early Christians established the direction of prayer as being eastward, towards the rising sun. A late fourth-century sermon by Saint Augustine explains why the winter solstice was a fitting day to celebrate Christ’s birth: (From Wikipedia online encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas.
Depending on your Christian denomination, the history might read a little differently, but throughout history people of faith had various reasons for overlaying Christian celebrations on top of dates for pagan events and eventually driving paganism into the shadows.
Today, December 25 is the firm date for Christmas. However, the festivities leading up to Christmas Day can start as early as mid-November. It is a public holiday in many countries, celebrated religiously by most Christians. However, in recent years, a secular version of the holiday is also celebrated by many non-Christians, and it is dominating the public square and overshadowing the religious significance of the holiday season. Public spaces are filled with Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, Christmas trees, holiday lights and decorations. Occasionally you will see biblical symbols such as angels, stars and nativity scene displays.
