O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Much pleasure thou can’st to me.”
Among all the traditions of the holiday season, the single most enjoyable is the decorating of the Christmas tree. It’s much more than just a motif for the giving and receiving of gifts. It’s a remembrance of Christmases past, good will toward all and the blessings of the year gone by.
The putting up of a Christmas tree is a personal involvement in the spirit of the season. From the moment the tree finds its place in the home to the crowning of the tree, there’s a sense of achievement that will be shared with friends and family, neighbors and new acquaintances.
Whether freshly cut or a manmade reproduction, the occasion to place ornaments on the bows of the tree might be accompanied with the singing Christmas carols. Perhaps it’s a rehearsal for a night of caroling in the neighborhood. Regardless of singing off key or forgetting the lyrics, the occasion to spread cheer and joy is the central theme. ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!
It’s the Christmas tree that sparks the excitement of the holiday season. It’s no wonder that for many the time to decorate comes shortly after Thanksgiving.
The placement of ornaments with special meaning, such as those that are homemade or given as a gift, are deserving of prominence among other baubles. The participation of kids and their excitement become remembrances in the years to come.
As a child, we would head off to a Christmas tree farm where we kids went from tree to tree on a quest to pick out the perfect tree while mom and dad chatted with friends. We would negotiate what was the best of the best but Mom would make the final decision, considerate of our choices.
Dad would load the tree on the top of the car, head back home, guide us on which branches to trim, then place the tree in the water-filled base with a little sugar added to keep the tree fresh. Although there was a lot of guidance when we were young, as we grew older we were let loose to decorate the tree at will with the very slightest of instruction from Mom.
The worst part of the tradition was the tinsel. We would get whiny and tend to bicker when it came to making the final touches to the tree, the most contentious of which would be placing tinsel on the tree. Cries that it was “glopped” together in spots and “skimpy” in others would end up with Mom demanding that we quit the arguing. The best tactic was to wait until later, after the decorating was finished, then do a little rearranging to suit our individual fancies. Most everyone did it – it never went unnoticed.
Once the tree was all dressed up, that’s when the true realization that Christmas Day was only a few weeks away, the excitement of what presents will be placed under the tree were foremost in our thoughts. But we also looked forward to spending Christmas Day dinner with relatives. The anticipation of the variety of made-from-scratch rolls, including the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever baked, was an excitement in itself. Aunt Ethelyn had been a homec teacher.
As a family, we seldom had the opportunity to visit other people’s homes. With five kids it just made sense to have the get-togethers at our house – there was plenty of room, a big yard where we could play in the snow, go to our rooms to check out each other’s toys and occupy part of the day wandering through the barns.
Even as a youth, I loved to gaze upon the lights and decorations that graced the branches of Christmas trees. Each and every tree was a creation in itself, as unique as the snowflakes that blanketed the ground. Since hosts are very conversant of the history and meaning of their special decorations, the intimacy warms my heart and makes me grin and smile for moments unending.
To this day, I remain disconcerted that there is no ornament made that justifies the importance of adorning the top of the Christmas tree. As I was preparing my thoughts for this column, I realized there will never be light as bright as the Star of Bethlehem, the sight of which heralded the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Nonetheless, my Christmas tree will remain lit for many days to come as I proclaim, “O Christmas Tree. O Christmas Tree. Much pleasure thou can’st to me.”
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas
In celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, many Christmas traditions are symbolic of the life and teachings of Our Savior, the Son of God. The giving of presents represents the bearing of gifts by the Three Wise Men. Of course, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is the biggest gift-giver of all.
Green symbolizes the potential for eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifices, as with the evergreen Christmas tree. Red is for the blood that Jesus spilled to redeem us for our sins.
Holly branches represent the Crown of Thorns that Christ wore on the cross; the red berries, the blood he shed. The circular shape of the Christmas wreath symbolizes everlasting life. An angel is significant as a divine guidance of love, peace and protection.
Chiming bells allows the Good Shepherd to find lost sheep and guide them back to His flock. The flame from a candle, Christmas lights and the star on the top of the tree remind us of the guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem and that Jesus is “the Light of the world.”
The symbolisms of the candy cane were conceived by candy maker, John Sonneman, in the 19th century. The peppermint flavor is similar to that of ‘hyssop’, an herb that was referenced in the Bible as a healing agent. The hardness stands for the solid base of the Church. The white stripes represent the Virgin Birth and the purity of Jesus; red stripes symbolize the blood of Christ that was shed at the Crucifixion.
Also, the cane is in the shape of a shepherd’s staff; turned upside down it become the letter “J” to represent the name of Jesus.
Even icicles have a special meaning. As the Christ child took shelter under a pine tree, when the tree realized who was lying beneath its bows, tears of happiness fell from its branches and froze into icicles. Bows and ribbons represent that we are tied together through the Brotherhood of Man.
Of Christmas songs, the Twelve Days of Christmas are references to passages in the Bible and the many gifts that the Lord has bestowed on mankind.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree – referring to Jesus.
Second day… 2 turtle doves - The Old and New Testaments
Third day… 3 French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
Fourth day… 4 Colly Birds - The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Written in the 18th century, ‘colly birds’ referred to blackbirds, a common and plentiful food. “Calling birds” is said to be a misinterpretation.)
Fifth day… 5 Golden Rings – The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch man’s fall from grace
Sixth day… 6 Geese a-laying - the six days of Creation
Seventh day… 7 Swans a-swimming - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy
Eighth day… 8 Maids a-milking - the Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are… the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
Ninth day… 9 Ladies Dancing - the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Tenth day… 10 Lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
Eleventh day… 11 Pipers Piping - the eleven faithful apostles: Bartholomew, James the Elder, Andrew, Peter, Jude, Thomas, James the Younger, Major, Philip, Matthew, and Simon the Zealot
Twelfth day… 12 Drummers Drumming - the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Of course, all of us kids know that Santa Claus, aka Jolly Old St. Nicholas, travels through the night on Christmas Eve to deliver presents out of the generosity of his heart and his caring for the less fortunate.
The greatest gift of all is God’s promise of eternal life through the grace of the King of Kings. Rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and have a Merry Christmas.
Green symbolizes the potential for eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifices, as with the evergreen Christmas tree. Red is for the blood that Jesus spilled to redeem us for our sins.
Holly branches represent the Crown of Thorns that Christ wore on the cross; the red berries, the blood he shed. The circular shape of the Christmas wreath symbolizes everlasting life. An angel is significant as a divine guidance of love, peace and protection.
Chiming bells allows the Good Shepherd to find lost sheep and guide them back to His flock. The flame from a candle, Christmas lights and the star on the top of the tree remind us of the guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem and that Jesus is “the Light of the world.”
The symbolisms of the candy cane were conceived by candy maker, John Sonneman, in the 19th century. The peppermint flavor is similar to that of ‘hyssop’, an herb that was referenced in the Bible as a healing agent. The hardness stands for the solid base of the Church. The white stripes represent the Virgin Birth and the purity of Jesus; red stripes symbolize the blood of Christ that was shed at the Crucifixion.
Also, the cane is in the shape of a shepherd’s staff; turned upside down it become the letter “J” to represent the name of Jesus.
Even icicles have a special meaning. As the Christ child took shelter under a pine tree, when the tree realized who was lying beneath its bows, tears of happiness fell from its branches and froze into icicles. Bows and ribbons represent that we are tied together through the Brotherhood of Man.
Of Christmas songs, the Twelve Days of Christmas are references to passages in the Bible and the many gifts that the Lord has bestowed on mankind.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree – referring to Jesus.
Second day… 2 turtle doves - The Old and New Testaments
Third day… 3 French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
Fourth day… 4 Colly Birds - The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Written in the 18th century, ‘colly birds’ referred to blackbirds, a common and plentiful food. “Calling birds” is said to be a misinterpretation.)
Fifth day… 5 Golden Rings – The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch man’s fall from grace
Sixth day… 6 Geese a-laying - the six days of Creation
Seventh day… 7 Swans a-swimming - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy
Eighth day… 8 Maids a-milking - the Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are… the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
Ninth day… 9 Ladies Dancing - the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Tenth day… 10 Lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
Eleventh day… 11 Pipers Piping - the eleven faithful apostles: Bartholomew, James the Elder, Andrew, Peter, Jude, Thomas, James the Younger, Major, Philip, Matthew, and Simon the Zealot
Twelfth day… 12 Drummers Drumming - the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Of course, all of us kids know that Santa Claus, aka Jolly Old St. Nicholas, travels through the night on Christmas Eve to deliver presents out of the generosity of his heart and his caring for the less fortunate.
The greatest gift of all is God’s promise of eternal life through the grace of the King of Kings. Rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and have a Merry Christmas.
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