Christmas has always been my favorite holiday with the shimmering lights, the festive decorations, the cold/cloudy days, the music, and excitement with good feelings like no other time of the year.  Of course, the Christmas season is not complete without a Christmas tree.  I remember as a child seeing the warm glow of the Christmas tree with packages piled high around it, daily looking at the ones with my name on them wondering what treasures were inside. Even now, as I am older the Christmas tree is still a wonder to me.  It brings back floods of timeless memories with ornaments that are special and a beauty that can give joy to our hearts. But, is this a practice consistent with Christianity or is it something to be denied as sinful?
The origin of the Christmas tree seems to be traced back to Germany during the 16th century. Using evergreen trees during Christmas held symbolic meaning representing eternal life through Jesus (christianity.com). It is also said that “paradise trees” became popular representing the Garden of Eden. These trees were decorated with apples and displayed in homes on December 24 (britannica.com).  It is said that Martin Luther (16th century Protestant reformer), first added lighted candles to a tree to mimic the stars twinkling through the evergreens at night (history.com). The tradition didn’t come to America until the 1830’s, but they were thought of as pagan symbols and widely denounced, especially by Puritans.  It has been thought that Jeremiah 10:1-5 condemns Christmas trees; however, Jeremiah was describing idolatry where a man would cut down a tree and carve it into the shape of an idol and decorate it, even nailing it down so they idol would not fall over!  Of course, there is only one God in Heaven who is alive and invisible, and the only one to worship (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim 1:17; 1 Cor. 8:5,6).
So, Christmas trees are not sinful, and the Bible does not speak against them as idolatrous symbols. Even though the practice may have originated under certain circumstances in which we would not agree, when something loses its significance, those practices change and can mean different things through time.  It is much like the eating of meat offered to idols in New Testament times. Some Christians chose not to eat it and others chose to eat the meat, but as long as they were not eating it as worshipping an idol, they were free to do so (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8).
We can freely enjoy the Christmas tree and the season celebrating the wonderful blessings that God always gives to us (James 1:17).  He is faithful and true to His Word and we praise His glorious name (1 Cor. 1:9; Psa. 72:19). 
~Derrick Coble

The modern definition of the term, “appointed” is simply stated as: to decide or establish something (m-w.com).  Thus, one may talk about an “appointment” (a time for meeting that has been decided) or being “appointed” to do a certain work (a decision has been made based on a person’s capability).  This definition is somewhat related to the New Testament usage of the term; however, there are at least four different Greek words used which the KJV translates as “appoint” or “appointed.” 
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A Kingdom (Luke 22:29) – Jesus told the apostles, “And I appoint (diatithemai) unto you a kingdom.”  The term, diatithemai means, “to put apart; dispose by assignment.” Therefore, the Lord was promising the blessings of the kingdom to the apostles which would extend to all Christians.  The kingdom was not in their possession yet, but after the great Day of Pentecost (AD 33) through the present, all nations could flow into that kingdom which had been set apart (Isa. 2:2).

Afflictions for the Righteous (1 The. 3:3) – Paul indicated that no one should be moved by afflictions because “we are appointed (keimai) thereunto.”  The term, keimai, means, “to be destined by God’s intent.”  Thus, when difficulties and pressures arise from the world in the life of a Christian one should not be surprised—it happened to Jesus and can be expected for the faithful today (John 15:18).

A Day of Death (Heb. 9:27) – The Hebrews writer stated, “it is appointed (apokeimai) unto men once to die.”  The term, “apokeimai” means, “laid away; reserved.”  This is different from the modern definition by which many believe that God has decided a time in which each person will die.  The false idea is that God has fixed that time and it doesn’t matter what a person does, because it cannot be changed.  The fact is that God has simply reserved death for all men as a consequence of sin (Rom. 5:12). 

A Day of Judgment (Acts 17:31) – Paul stated in Athens that God “hath appointed (histemi) a day in the which he will judge the world.” The term, “histemi” means, “to cause or make to stand; to make firm, fix, establish.” Unlike the day of each individual’s death, the Day of Judgment has been determined by God already.  No man knows when that day will be (2 Pet. 3:10).  Preparations must be made now (Mat. 24:44).  
~Derrick Coble