Superstitious regard for times and seasons?

(Spurgeon, "Joy Born at Bethlehem" December 24, 1871)

We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons.

Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas. First, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English. And, secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and, consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority.

Superstition has fixed most positively the day of our Savior's birth, although there is no possibility of discovering when it occurred. Probably the fact is that the 'holy days' were arranged to fit in with heathen festivals. We venture to assert, that if there be any day in the year, of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the day on which the Savior was born, it is the twenty fifth of December.

There are those who, on December 25th, will pretend to exhibit joy in the remembrance of our Savior's birth, but they will not seek their pleasure in the Savior. Joy in Immanuel would be a poor sort of mirth to them. In this country, too often, if one were unaware of the name, one might believe the Christmas festival to be a feast of Bacchus, certainly not a commemoration of the Divine birth.

Since it is lawful, and even laudable, to meditate upon the incarnation of the Lord upon any day in the year, it cannot be in the power of other men's superstitions to render such a meditation improper for today. Regarding not the day, let us, nevertheless, give God thanks for the gift of his dear Son.