Every December, nativity scenes go up, carols fill the air, and familiar images of Christmas come rushing back. Over time, however, tradition and imagination have blended so seamlessly with Scripture that it can be hard at times to tell where the Bible ends and where myth and legend begin.
Correcting a few common Christmas myths doesn’t diminish the wonder of Christ’s birth—it actually deepens it. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things we often assume about Christmas and see what Scripture (and history) really tell us.
Almost certainly not.
The Bible does not tell us the exact date of Jesus’ birth. December 25 became associated with Christmas later in church history, likely because it coincided with the Roman festival of Saturnalia—a time when people already had time off from work, making it possible for Christians to gather for worship.
Some scholars suggest Jesus may have been born in the spring, since Luke tells us shepherds were “watching their flocks by night” (Luke 2:8), something more likely during lambing season. While we can’t be certain, what matters far more than the date is the reality: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Despite how nativity scenes portray it, the magi were almost certainly not present at the manger.
Matthew 2:1–18 suggests that months—perhaps even one or two years—had passed between Jesus’ birth and the arrival of the wise men. By the time they arrived, the family was living in a house, not a stable. Historically, the magi were added to nativity scenes for simplicity and symbolism, not because Scripture places them there on the night of Jesus’ birth.
We actually don’t know how many magi there were.
The Bible never gives a number. The tradition of “three wise men” comes from the three gifts they brought: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There could have been two—or a dozen or more. What matters is not the number, but that Gentile seekers traveled far to worship Israel’s newborn King.
This claim is often repeated, but the historical evidence is thin.
While some loosely connect tree symbolism to pagan rituals, the Christmas tree as we know it emerges clearly in Christian Europe, not pagan worship. The earliest documented Christmas trees appear in 16th-century Germany within Christian homes, during the Protestant Reformation.
Martin Luther is traditionally associated with popularizing the tree as a reminder of God’s creation and Christ as the Light of the World. Even if certain cultural elements were once pagan, Christians have often redeemed symbols, redirecting them to proclaim biblical truth rather than false worship.
Santa Claus is rooted in a real historical figure.
Saint Nicholas of Myra was a 4th-century Greek bishop from what is now modern-day Turkey. He was known for his generosity to the poor and his care for children, often giving gifts anonymously, sometimes by secretly dropping bags of money through windows.
Over time, his story spread across Europe. He became known as Sinterklaas in the Netherlands and eventually Santa Claus in America. Less commonly known, but far more significant, is that Nicholas was also a fierce defender of orthodox Trinitarian Christianity at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325.
In fact, the story goes that St. Nicholas is known for slapping Arius, the early church heretic, at the Council for denying Christ’s full divinity. Did it really happen? Not sure, but it makes for an amazing story!
Yes—Mary knew.
Luke 1:31–33 makes it clear that the angel told Mary that she would bear the Son of God who would reign on David’s throne forever. She knew she was carrying the incarnate Son of God.
What Mary did not yet understand were all the implications of the incarnation, especially the suffering that would come. Like Jesus’ disciples, she would only fully grasp the meaning of His mission after His death and resurrection (see Mark 3:21, 31–35). The song is beautiful, but Scripture reminds us that faith often involves understanding enough to obey, even when we don’t yet see the whole picture.
The familiar image of a gruff, mean innkeeper turning away a desperate young couple about to give birth to a baby boy doesn’t come from Scripture. He is as present in the biblical story as the Little Drummer Boy!
The word translated “inn” in Luke 2:7, more likely means “guest room.” In other words, Joseph and Mary weren’t turned away from a roadside motel. They likely arrived at a crowded family home where the guest room was already full.
This may be the most surprising twist of all.
According to New Testament scholar Darrell Bock, most homes during first-century Palestine were two story homes where the family would live in “the upper room” with a guest room, and “the lower room” was where the animals would stay. They would often be brought inside at night for warmth and protection to stay in the lower room. And it was this lower room where Jesus would have been born.
So yes, there were animals. Yes, there was a manger for his crib. But the setting was probably not a lonely stable outside of town. It was probably a crowded, noisy home filled with many travelers and guests due to the census happening in Bethlehem at the time (Luke 2:1-5). And yet, it was right where God chose for the perfect Son for God to enter this world.
These details don’t change the Christmas story, but they do enrich it. They remind us that God did not wait for perfect conditions, serene settings, or carefully staged moments for Christ to be born. Jesus entered the real world within real history, into a real family, with real interruptions. He came as a baby under the most humble of circumstances.
And so, the invitation of Christmas remains the same: prepare Him room. The eternal Son of God humbled Himself to a manger in Bethlehem and, ultimately, to a cross at Calvary, so that through His life and death He might rescue us from sin and death forever. That miracle is just as true today as it was on that first Christmas night.
