What the Christmas Symbols Mean
The Christmas Tree
The origin of the Christmas Tree actually is a mystery, judging from the many, many theories, ranging from the Druids to one of
England's 19th century kings. This much is certain: the evergreen is an ancient symbol of eternal life, which we have through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. God created the evergreens, and we don't mind reclaiming this symbol from pagans if need be.
Tradtionally, the Christmas tree has a star on top. Stars at Christmastime represent the Star of Bethlehem which was a beacon of
reckoning for the wise men to follow, in order to come worship the child Jesus. When we look at a Christmas Tree, we are reminded of
the eternal life we will enjoy in the presence of Christ.
Lights
Christmas lights are another symbol that come from pagan origins, but were 'invented' by God. Lights signify hope and safety. They
represent the fact that Jesus is the Light of the World. When we see Christmas lights on buildings and Christmas trees, and lit candles,
we're reminded of Jesus, the Light of the World.
Nativity Scenes
Nativity Scenes obviously come from the accounts in the Bible of the birth of Christ. Often 'the three wise men' are included,
however, they didn't appear on the scene until Jesus was somewhat older. We still enjoy their inclusion in Nativity scenes. Also,
the Bible doesn't mention how many wise men there were, but most likely they were accompanied by a sizeable entourage. In France,
it's customary to add figures that denote various occupations, because Jesus is worshipped by, and sacrificed Himself for, people
from all walks of life. Seeing the different creche figures reminds us that there were people like us present where Jesus was
born.
Christmas Red and Green
Red traditionally represents the sacrifice through the blood that Jesus shed while hanging on the
cross. Green represents the evergreen, ie. eternal life. Holly is included with the evergreens, and even had special significance
because of the red berries it has. At one time holly was considered a holy plant: green for eternal life, and red for the blood of
Christ. We believe in these symbols.
Santa Claus
You won't find any jolly, fat, red-suited Santas in our home at Christmas time, but we do
acknowledge the original St. Nicklaus who lived in what is now modern-day Turkey back in the 3rd or 4th century. He was a
devout Christian who served and helped poor people, living out the dictates of Jesus Christ. We honor him because he set us an
excellent example. The Christmas stocking has many supposed origins. One is that children left their stockings on the fireplace
mantle to dry, and St. Nick dropped treats down the chimney and they somehow landed in the stockings. Another tale is that children
left their wooden shoes by the doorstep and Sinter Klaus put goodies in them.
Candy Canes
Candy canes were invented by a Christian candy maker to represent the life of Christ. White represents
His purity, the red stripe His blood, 3 stripes to represent the Trinity, etc. Recently, there have been claims that there was no such
intended meaning-- the story is false. We don't know if it's true or not, but it's too late: when we see candy canes, we think of the
life of Christ!
Elves, Reindeer
Elves are a pagan idea from Scandinavian countries and have nothing to do with Christ's birth.
Santa's supposed reindeer come from Clement Moore's poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas", and have nothing to do with Christ's birth.
While cute, these Christmas figures are not a significant part of the Anderson Family Christmas.
Bells
In the days before people had phones, wall calendars, wrist watches, etc, the church, which was
the center of the community, would ring its bell(s) to call people to church services, toll someone's death, etc. The bells were (and
still are, in some places) rung to announce the anniversary of Christ's birth. When we see Christmas bells, we are reminded of Jesus'
birth.
Presents
One of the best things about Christmas for most people, is getting and receiving gifts. Giving one
another presents is a ritual straight from the Bible. Salvation is called in the New Testament 'A free gift'. Jesus is God's gift to
human beings. We give each other gifts because God set the precedent by giving so much to us, in the form of His creation, His Son,
and Himself. When we see Christmas presents they remind us of the most precious gift God gave us-- the way to Heaven through Jesus.
Angels
Angels come to us via the Bible. According to Scripture they are real creatures, agents of God (and created separately from people...
angels aren't really people who died and went to heaven). The word 'angel' just means messenger. It's interesting that the only angels
mentioned in the Bible have masculine names, yet in today's western culture they're almost always portrayed as females. The Bible also
records angels doing battle, aiding people and worshipping God. It says that God dispatches angels to relay messages to humans. An
angel told Mary she would have a baby and call him Jesus. Some angels were seen by shepherds singing in Heaven. They told the shepherds
that Jesus was born, and where to find Him. It's very cool that every time an angel contacted a human, the first thing they had
to tell the person was, "Don't be afraid"...they must be very, very awesome. Throughtout history and to this day, all over the world,
in every culture and every religion, reports of angel-sightings abound. When we see angel decorations during the Christmas season, we
think of the ones who told the shepherds where to find and worship Jesus.
Back to Anderson's Merry Christmas
Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. Updated 1/5/2008.
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