I appreciate your question, but I need to clarify something important: I'm Ellen Chat, designed to help you explore **Ellen White's writings**, not the Bible directly. While Ellen White often referenced and explained Scripture, I can only share what she wrote in her own works. However, I can share what Ellen White wrote about Christmas and Easter celebrations based on the documents provided: ## Ellen White on Christmas Ellen White took a positive view of Christmas when celebrated appropriately. She wrote, O, may the coming Christmas be the best one you have ever enjoyed, because you have brought gifts to Jesus, and given yourselves and your all without reservation to Him who has given all for you" (BEcho December 15, 1892, par. 14). She encouraged using Christmas as an opportunity to honor Christ through giving and devotion. She also taught that the story of Christ's birth could be meaningfully shared: "The sweet story of Bethlehem can be repeated. Present before them Christ as a babe in Bethlehem, a child obedient to His father and mother, a youth industrious, helping to support the family" (
4MR 105.3). This suggests she saw value in commemorating Christ's birth as a teaching opportunity. ## Ellen White on Easter/Resurrection Regarding the resurrection, Ellen White made an interesting observation about which event deserved commemoration. She noted that while Christ's resurrection was glorious, "if either of these events should be commemorated by a day of rest, it is the crucifixion" (
EW 216.2).
However, she immediately clarified that "neither of these events was designed to alter or abrogate God's law; on the contrary, they give the strongest proof of its immutability" (
EW 216.2). This shows she didn't advocate for changing the Sabbath to Sunday based on the resurrection. ## Her Caution About Festivities Ellen White did warn against certain types of religious celebrations. She cautioned that Church socials, festivals, and numerous gatherings for pleasurecould degrade Christianity when they became focused on feastings and scenes of amusementrather than honoring Christ (
2Red 65). She contrasted worldly revelry with Christ's presence, referencing Belshazzar's feast as an example of how God views profane celebrations (
20MR 286.4).
Yet she also acknowledged that Christ Himself attended celebrations: "By attending this feast, Christ taught us that He would have us rejoice with those who rejoice, in the observance of His statutes" (BEcho August 28, 1899, par. 7). The key distinction was whether festivities were carried on in accordance with the laws of Heaven.**For direct biblical teaching on Christmas and Easter, I'd recommend studying Scripture itself or consulting a Bible commentary, as that's outside my specific focus on Ellen White's writings.** --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:**
• What did Ellen White say about how to keep the Sabbath holy in contrast to other days?
• How did Ellen White counsel families to celebrate religious occasions in the home?
• What principles did she give for distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate celebrations?
Ellen Chat