| Christmas symbols
'Tis the season for wearing your favorite Christmas tree, angel,
candy cane, poinsettia, or other holiday jewelry! Have you ever
wondered where the traditional Christmas symbols came from? There
are numerous versions of the origins of these symbols but here
are some of the tales that I found:
Christmas tree
The Christmas Tree originated in Germany in the 16th century.
The Germanic people typically decorated fir trees, both inside
and out, with roses, apples, and colored paper. It is believed
that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to
light a Christmas tree with candles. While coming home one dark
winter's night near Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of
the starlight shining through the branches of a small fir tree
outside his home. He duplicated the starlight by using candles
attached to the branches of his indoor Christmas tree. The Christmas
tree was not widely used in Britain until the 19th century. It
was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans in the 1820s.
Angel
Angels symbolize trust and belief that God, via his messengers,
will protect us from evil. Angels, which are considered a Christian
symbol since they were frequently depicted in Christian art, were
known in many cultures that preceded Christianity. The Sumerians,
Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans believed in divine
messengers and portrayed them as human-like beings with wings.
In Judaism, the archangels represent aspects of God and protect
against evil. In all cultures and beliefs, angels have been considered
guardians of mortals, to guide and protect them in life's journey.
Poinsettia
The legend of the poinsettia began years ago in Mexico, where
it was traditional to leave gifts on the altar for Jesus on Christmas
Eve. As the story goes, among a group of worshipers one night
was a poor boy who had no present. Upset by his inability to provide
a gift, the boy knelt outside the church window and prayed. In
the spot where he knelt
there sprung a beautiful plant with vibrant red leaves. In Mexico,
this plant is called "the Flower of the Holy Night."
Candy cane
The origin of the candy cane goes back over 350 years, when candy-makers,
both professional and amateur, were making hard sugar-sticks.
The original candy was straight and completely white in color.
Around the 17th century, European-Christians began to adopt the
use of Christmas trees as part of their Christmas celebrations.
They made special decorations for their trees from foods like
cookies and sugar-stick candy. The first historical reference
to the familiar cane-shape goes back to 1670, when the choirmaster
at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, bent the sugar-sticks into
canes to represent a shepherd's staff. The all-white candy canes
were given out to children during the long-winded nativity services.
|