Do Mormons Celebrate Easter, Christmas, Birthdays?

Christmas-Lights-Temple-Square
Christmas Lights Mormon Temple Square

Christmas lights at

The answer is yes.  Mormons are devout Christians and celebrate Christmas and Easter with the rest of the Christian world.  It should be noted that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an international church, and that there are currently more members outside the United States than in it.  Both of these important Christian holidays are celebrated uniquely in every country.  For instance, the Eastern Orthodox Christmas is celebrated later than December 25th, so Mormons living in Greece or Cyprus will celebrate Christmas in January.  Mormons celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas and the resurrection of Christ on Easter in all locations.

 

Mormons celebrate birthdays with parties, recognition, and gifts.  However, some countries celebrate “name days” instead of birthdays, and Mormons follow cultural traditions in those countries.

12 Comments

  1. Gillian Rowan

    I have been reading about birthdays Peagan rituals and jehovah witness ideology surrounding birthday celebrations.
    Why would mormons continue to follow pagan rituals such as birthdays if so many of the scriptures by Isaiah and moses speak against it in Egyptian times.
    Cakes being the symbol of the moon, and candles representing the shimmer from the moon, gifts and parties all pronouncing the celebration of self when we are to be not self centered and serving of our god.
    I do not understand.
    Please respond.

    Reply
    • admin

      There is no pagan ritual involved in a simple birthday celebration where all knowledge of pagan associations with cakes and candles have been lost. The Babylonians were condemned for baking such cakes and taking them up on the roofs of their houses to offer them to the sun, moon, and stars, which they worshiped. A family gathering to honor another year of a child’s successful maturation does not smack of pagan worship. Mormons serve God more than any other people on earth. Wholesome family recreation adds to the happiness of what Mormons perceive as eternal family units meant to be together forever in the presence of a loving God.

      Reply
      • Aaron

        I’ll renounce my faith and follow you if you can give just one account of a Christian celebrating his or her birthday in the Bible. Likewise Christmas

        Reply
    • MG

      There were two instances in the bible where birthdays were celebrated.
      The first was Pharaoh in Gen 40:20-22 and the other was Matthew 14:6-10 when wicked King Herod was celebrating his.
      Both of these instances, the two aforementioned are not painted in a favorable light in the bible. King Herod being responsible for John the Baptists execution and we all know about Pharaoh (his name isn’t even dignified by being present in the bible).
      “The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days.”—The Imperial Bible-Dictionary (London, 1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.

      Reply
  2. Costas

    Do Mormons use the Gregorian or the Julian calender? The Mormon claim to fame is having the fullness of the gospel, yet they just follow the “cultural traditions”. How can a Church that claims to be the only true church simply follow the cultural traditions of each country they are in? Would not the Lord have revealed the true date of such major religious events? Please explain…

    Reply
    • Gale

      Mormons celebrate Easter according to the timing set out by the countries where they live. There has been revelation received by modern prophets regarding the timing of Christ birth — in early April, definitely not in December. The Book of Mormon account adds interesting insight into the story of Christ’s death and resurrection. The Book of Mormon peoples were Jews who had prophets. They lived on the American continent, having been led out of Jerusalem dust before the Babylonian captivity. They kept the Law of Moses, looking forward to the birth of Christ. Their prophets foresaw His birth to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, and taught of Him by name. They were promised that Christ would visit them. They saw the signs of His birth — a day, a night, and a day, with no darkness, and a new star in the heavens. At the time of Christ’s crucifixion (also foretold), there were great storms and earthquakes, and the more wicked part of the people were destroyed. While Christ was in the tomb, they suffered three days of total darkness, in the which, no fire could be lit. Shortly thereafter, the resurrected Christ visited them from heaven, established His Church with twelve disciples at the head, healed the sick, instituted the sacrament, and taught them much. Christ informed them that they were “the other sheep, not of this fold,” mentioned to the apostles in Israel. He also told them that next He would visit the Ten Lost Tribes.

      At Easter, Mormons celebrate the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, His atonement, and its guarantee of resurrection for all. By cultural events, we mean attending community events, such as Easter concerts. Many Mormon families dye Easter eggs and have Easter-egg hunts, etc. Mormons do not participate in rituals of passion common in some countries where Christian orthodoxy is the norm, such as mock crucifixions. Nor do Mormons follow orthodox Christian patterns leading up to Easter, such as Lent, Good Friday, etc. They observe Easter, period. Many Mormons enjoy holding Passover feasts, using the imagery of the Passover to testify of Christ and observing that Christ instituted the sacrament at the Last Supper. Most Mormons gather with family for an Easter feast.

      Reply
      • Kristina

        Thank you for such an in depth reply. I really knew nothing of the Mormon faith. I am going to read more about it because of what I read here. THANK YOU.

        Reply
  3. SHARON BRANSON

    my American husband and I (Yorkshire girl born and bred) have just moved (UK) next door to a family who are Mormons, and very sweet people, I am Church of England religion, my husband, although baptised has really very controversial regarding any Church body, but is very open minded despite this, on the other hand I am curious,I want to know more of the differences in my Faith and that of the Mormon Faith, how do I?

    Reply
    • Gale

      Go to http://www.mormon.org.
      All the basics are there.
      Avail yourself of the opportunity to chat with a Mormon missionary through the site. There is no pressure, and you can have a detailed, private conversation there.

      Reply
    • patrick

      Believe in our heavenly father also believe in jesus christ pray all through the day to night you pray secretly out loud in public have faith in jesus christ humble your self humole mean get closer to jesus pray repent for all your sins for jesus died for us so we can be forgiven to do right things follow gods plan also follow the commandments of gods will god loves us he made everythink for us so we can enjoy find joy happiness have faith in jesus pray to to our heavenly father all day to we go to bed read Philippians chapter 4 verse 13
      I do all things through christ to strengthen me

      Reply
  4. Medwyn

    The comment about celebrating Christmas in January in Cyprus and Greece is erroneous. The Orthodox churches of these countries follow the Gregorian calendar, not the Julian calendar. Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar (December 25 on the Julian calendar is January 7 on the Gregorian) are in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia, Jerusalem,

    Reply
  5. Klarice

    Celebrations such as Xmas or Easter are of pagan origin.

    But there are verses in the bible which tells us about pagan beliefs-

    1 Corinthians 10:20 (NIV)
    No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

    Or

    Therefore I say this – indeed, in union with the Lord I insist on it: do not live any longer as the pagans live, with their sterile ways of thinking.
    Ephesians 4:17 CJB

    Reply

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