ORLANDO, FL – As Christmas approaches, America’s Judeo-Christian heritage shines as millions of Americans celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, Americans must fight to protect the freedom to worship Him freely as communist influences continue to infiltrate this nation, just as Ronald Reagan warned years ago.

And now, in America, as several “democratic socialist” candidates recently won mayoral races in New York City and Seattle, it’s important this Christmas season to understand how socialism can evolve into communism—and what that could mean for religious freedom and openly celebrating Christmas.

Mayor-elects Zohran Mamdani in New York City and Katie Wilson in Seattle campaigned on policies like state-owned housing, wealth redistribution, and progressive taxes. Whether through civic ignorance or ideological alignment, these victories reflect a growing acceptance of government dependency.

According to a November 2025 Cygnal survey, only 16 percent of Americans understand socialism as coauthor Karl Marx defined it in “The Communist Manifesto.” Marx and Friedrich Engels, both forefathers of communism, described socialism as the “lower phase” of communism, where production is publicly controlled for social welfare and equal distribution. They defined communism as going one step further where society demands from each person according to their ability and gives back only according to their needs.

When leaders view rights as coming from government rather than God, history shows that religious freedom is often one of the first casualties.

Why Communism Targets Christmas

In socialist and especially communist systems, the state often positions itself as the highest moral authority. Independent belief systems—especially Christianity—are viewed as rivals. This tension has historically led to the secularization of religious rites or outright banning of religious holidays, practice, and expression.

Before Ronald Reagan became president, he gave more than 1,000 daily radio broadcasts from 1975 to 1979, including one in which he shared a story about Christmas under communism in Ukraine. Communists feared the public outcry that would follow a complete ban on Christmas, so they began to slowly secularize the holiday. To suppress Christianity, leaders rewrote a beloved Christmas carol, Nova Radist Stala (“Joyous News Has Come to Us”), into a secular song:

• Original: “The joyous news has come which never was before. Over a cave above a manger a bright star has lit the world, where Jesus was born from a virgin maiden…”

• First rewrite: “The joyous news has come which never was before. A red star with five tails has brightly lit the world.”

• Second rewrite: “Long-awaited star of freedom lit the skies in October. Where formerly lived the kings and had the roots their nobles, there today with simple folks, Lenin’s glory hovers.”

Eventually, the Soviet Union banned Christmas altogether. St. Nicholas was replaced by “Did Moroz” (Grandfather Frost), who delivered gifts on New Year’s Eve. Christmas trees became “New Year’s trees.”

Christians resisted bravely. In communist Romania, Rev. Geza Palffy protested when December 25 was declared a workday. He was arrested, beaten, imprisoned and later died. Ukrainians continued singing carols in secret, praying for freedom. Reagan ended his broadcast: “I guess we all hope their prayer is answered.”

Modern-Day Christmas Under Communism

Communist regimes still suppress Christmas today. At least five one-party communist states restrict Christmas celebrations primarily due to its incompatibility with state ideology.

• North Korea: Christmas has been banned entirely for decades. Christmas celebrations can lead to imprisonment, torture, or even execution. Many North Koreans have no idea about Jesus Christ. Underground Christians must celebrate in secret. Instead of Christmas, the North Korean regimes have celebrated the birthday of Kim Jong II’s mother. This deliberate elimination of Christmas supplants religious devotion with loyalty to the ruling family.

• China: The Chinese Communist Party requires the complete subordination of religious groups to the state’s Marxist vision. Routinely, Christian churches are demolished, and leaders are arrested. True Christmas celebrations would have to be kept secret. In public, Christmas is nothing more than a commercialized shopping event.

• Cuba: Christmas was banned in Cuba from 1969-1997. Cuba’s government wanted Cubans to celebrate secular “Revolutionary Holidays.” Fidel Castro reinstated Christmas after Pope John Paul II requested it when he visited Cuba. Today, even though Christmas is officially recognized, public religious expressions remain subdued in many areas due to its communist government.

• Laos and Vietnam: In both countries, Christians are targeted and viewed as traitors to the regime facing potential violence and imprisonment. All religious gatherings and Christmas celebrations must be done in secret. 

Censorship Trends in America

Attempts to censor Christmas in the U.S. have persisted for decades—removing Nativity scenes, banning “Merry Christmas” greetings and Christmas carols, and even prohibiting red and green decorations in schools and workplaces. Liberty Counsel has addressed and overturned hundreds of attempts like these to censor Christmas in the private and public sector.

Around 2003, the censorship of Christmas entered the retail market. Christmas trees were renamed “Holiday Trees,” Christmas decorations were referred to as “Holiday Decorations” or “Holiday Lights.” In response to this trend, Liberty Counsel launched the annual Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, which is designed to educate and, if necessary, litigate, to ensure that the religious and Christian viewpoints of Christmas are not censored.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “When pockets of America choose more government dependency, it should set off alarm bells for anyone who cares about religious liberty and freedom. America must not drift toward policies that centralize power where dissent, cultural norms, and especially religious institutions usually become casualties. Even in America, where the First Amendment guards against censorship and religious hostility, Christmas still faces censorship and secularization attempts. Repressive forces have always had the same goal—to first secularize and then to eliminate religious symbols, celebrations, and speech. Our freedoms to publicly worship and celebrate Christmas must not be taken for granted.” 

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