When Christians ask what does the bible say about holidays, they are usually wondering whether special days please God, whether they are commanded, and how to honor others who celebrate differently. The Bible does not treat every calendar tradition the same. It shows God prescribed specific feasts for Israel and expected people to worship with grateful generosity. Yet it also exposes the danger of religious activity without true devotion. Most importantly for Christians, Scripture teaches that some observances functioned as a “shadow,” pointing forward to Christ. So the question is not only “What day?” but also “What heart?” In this article, we’ll connect the Bible’s guidance on appointed times, warn against hollow religion, and apply Christ-centered freedom in everyday life.

Bible Verses

1) God Did Appoint Feasts—Worship Still Comes First

To understand what does the bible say about holidays, we must start with the Bible’s own pattern: God gave Israel specific appointed feasts. In Deuteronomy 16, the Lord commands that “three times in a year” the males should appear before Him in the appointed feasts—unleavened bread, weeks, and tabernacles. Notice what God ties to these times: it is not merely social tradition, but worship “before the LORD thy God,” along with the expectation that people do not come “empty.” Deuteronomy 16:16-17 also includes a practical principle—people should give “as he is able,” according to God’s blessing.

This matters for modern believers because it shows the heart of a holy day: it is meant to draw us toward God, not away from Him. When celebrations are built around gratitude, worship, and obedience, they can function as reminders of God’s goodness. Even when Christians don’t live under Israel’s calendar, the spiritual logic remains: special times can help the church remember God, worship Him intentionally, and respond with generosity.

That said, God’s approval is not automatic just because a day is religious. The Bible also warns that the outward form of worship can exist while the heart is far from God. This leads directly to the next truth: God is not impressed by ritual without righteousness. So the real question is whether our “holiday” moments genuinely honor the Lord or simply keep religious habits running.

2) God Rejects Empty Religious “Feasts” When the Heart Is Wrong

Isaiah 1 is a sobering look at how God views religious observances when they are disconnected from repentance. The prophet records God’s words: “Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths… I cannot away with.” God continues by saying, “Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.”

These verses do not teach that every religious calendar is automatically evil. Instead, they expose the danger of religious performance. People can show up for assemblies, mark days, and still have hearts that resist God. Isaiah calls the observance “iniquity…even the solemn meeting,” showing that God measures worship by moral and spiritual reality—not by how busy or traditional religious schedules are.

So when we ask about Bible guidance on celebrating special days, Isaiah brings the diagnostic question: Are we using the occasion to seek the Lord, or to hide from Him? If our holidays produce humility, gratitude, and obedience, they can become moments of spiritual renewal. But if the celebration becomes a platform for pride, hypocrisy, or indifference to God, Isaiah warns it can become “vain” in God’s sight.

This is why Christian encouragement must include both freedom and holiness. Colossians later explains that believers should not be controlled by debates over days; however, freedom never means indifference to God. It means the heart is anchored in Christ, and worship flows from truth rather than emptiness.

3) In Christ, Believers Should Avoid Judging Others Over Holy Days

Colossians 2:16-17 addresses a real-life problem in the early church: some believers treated certain days, feasts, and Sabbaths like spiritual benchmarks and used them to judge others. Paul writes: “Let no man therefore judge you… in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.” He then gives the reason: “Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

This passage is crucial for Christians who wonder, are Christians allowed to observe holidays. Paul’s instruction is clear: don’t let anyone use religious dates as a tool for condemnation or superiority. A day can be meaningful, but it cannot become a ladder for judging others’ righteousness.

Paul’s explanation also re-centers faith: these observances were “a shadow.” Shadows tell us something about the substance that follows, but they do not replace the substance. In the same way, certain calendar practices pointed forward, but Christ is the fulfillment. Therefore, Christian identity rests not in enforced observance but in union with “the body…of Christ.”

Practical implication: you may choose to set apart a day for worship, prayer, family gratitude, or service—yet you should do it with a Christ-centered conscience, not a critical spirit. And if someone else celebrates differently, your spiritual peace should not be threatened by their calendar.

In short, Colossians gives boundaries: it forbids judgment over days, while also reminding believers that worship is fulfilled in Christ. When that balance is kept, celebrations can strengthen faith instead of dividing families.

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