There are literally thousands of theories and claims about the origins of Christmas and, depending on your Google search and which rabbit hole of the internet you fall down, you’ll find many headlines like this. But such theories about the pagan-hijacking of Christianity miss several important points that Christians should consider in the holiday season.

What follows are five reasons why Christmas isn’t a pagan holiday, but actually one Christians can receive and celebrate with joy. I hope this resource will give you an appreciation for the resilience of the church through the ages and its logic for why Christmas has become a joyous celebration in her history.