Christmas symbols and their meanings

Since we find ourselves in the midst of the Christmas season, I thought it would be interesting to examine a few of the familiar Christmas symbols we enjoy and their origin and meaning. From Parade.com come the following interesting facts/folklore.

Christmas Trees

The trees we decorate each December with glittering tinsel, bright lights and festive ornaments are typically evergreen varieties like spruce, fir, or pine—trees that retain their lush green foliage year-round. Evergreens have been used in winter festivals for centuries by both pagans and Christians, with Christians believing the trees represent the birth and resurrection of Jesus and their everlasting life with God. That belief is further carried out by a tree’s often triangular shape symbolizing the Holy Trinity (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit), and Christmas trees pointing up toward Heaven as a representation of our relationship with God.

Star

One of the holiday’s more religious symbols, the Christmas Star represents the bright star that shone brightly over the town of Bethlehem on the night that Jesus Christ was born. According to the Nativity Story — sometimes called The Christmas Story — in the Gospel of Matthew, the Star of Bethlehem guided the three kings (also known as the wise men or magi) to find baby Jesus in a stable.

Candles

A lit candle during Christmastime also traditionally represents the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the three kings to find the newborn baby Jesus. Before electricity — or Christmas tree lights! — families would decorate the branches of their Christmas trees with candles.

Christmas Ornaments

Over time, the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree with candles was replaced with other things, like paper roses, fruits and nuts. In the mid-1800s, German glassmaker Hans Greiner began manufacturing hand-blown glass “Christmas baubles” in the shape of the fruits and nuts that typically decorated Christmas trees at that time (including round balls that looked like apples)! Eventually, the trend spread across Europe and then America, giving birth to our modern tradition of decorating Christmas trees today with ornaments representing our family histories, hobbies, interests and more!

Bells

A ringing of a bell during the Christmas season represents the proclamation of joy and happiness for Christ’s birth. Also, like the ringing bell used to herd errant sheep back into the fold, the Christmas bell signifies that Jesus is always watching over us and protecting us. The presence of bells can also be traced back to pagan winter celebrations, where they were rung to drive away evil spirits.

Wreaths

A circle with no beginning or no end, a wreath symbolizes the strength of Jesus Christ’s love for all. The popular Christmastime door decoration also reminds us of the circle of life, love and rebirth, and Christians believe that a wreath represents the crown of thorns worn by Jesus as He hung on the cross as well.

Mistletoe

Because mistletoe blossoms even in the cold winter, it’s believed that people back in the 1st century A.D. viewed mistletoe as a symbol of vivacity and fertility. It’s no wonder that it became known as a romantic part of Christmas — fittingly taking on a life of its own when it comes to holiday traditions.

Angels

There is a good reason why angels, like stars, are traditional Christmas tree toppers, and that is because these messengers of God played prominent roles in the Nativity of Jesus. Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, delivering the message from God that she would bear His son. Another angel visited Joseph in a dream to inform the carpenter that he should place his trust in Mary. And later in the Christmas Story, three angels appeared in the sky over Bethlehem to announce the birth of the Christ child.

Stockings

The legend behind why we hang stockings on the fireplace to be filled with goodies is believed to be the origin story of Santa Claus. Back in the 4th century, somewhere around what is modern-day Turkey, there was a poor widower who couldn’t afford a dowry for his three daughters and thought of selling them into servitude. A local bishop, St. Nicholas, was known for his charity, but the father refused to accept any gifts from the monk. As the legend goes, one night, Nicholas secretly tossed bags of gold into the man’s house, and the pouches landed in the stockings that were hanging to dry over the fireplace!

Poinsettias

Like an evergreen tree, a poinsettia plant can be kept alive all year long, while the shape of the petals resembles a star. The colors of the Christmas plants are symbolic as well. The bold red reminds us of the blood Jesus shed on the cross in His sacrifice for humankind, while the white poinsettia is a symbol of purity, good cheer and happiness.

Holly

With its shiny dark green leaves and bright red berries, holly is another evergreen shrub that is synonymous with Christmas. The pointed leaves represent the crown of thorns placed upon Jesus’ head at His crucifixion, while the berries remind us of the blood He shed in making the ultimate sacrifice for us.

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