Christmas is a sacred holiday which celebrates the birth on earth of Jesus Christ whom Christians believe is God incarnate. This statement is proclaimed in the popular saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Yet, secular marketing has so adulterated this religious holiday that many forget or never knew the meaning of symbols related to it or have assigned priority to items which are not related to the sanctity of Christmas. It is hoped that the following notes will deepen appreciation of Christmas.
- The primary symbol of the sacred holiday of Christmas is the infant, Jesus, lying in a manager. The birth of this baby was predicted by the prophet Isaiah 700 years prior to the event and remembered and celebrated more than two thousand years after his birth. (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6)
- Emmanuel – The word first appears in scripture in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel.” (NIV) The word means “God with us.” An alternate spelling is Immanuel.
- Manger – a box or trough to hold feed for horses or cattle to eat from. A manger become a crib for baby Jesus
- Swaddling cloths – long narrow bands of cloth in which babies were wrapped during biblical times.
- Cloven – a split or division. The word is found in the carol, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. “still through the cloven skies they (angels) came…”
- “Gloria in excelsis Deo” is Latin for “Glory to God in the highest.” The praise hymn that the angels sang when announcing the birth of Christ to shepherds begins with these words (Luke 2:14).
- Hallelujah – a Hebrew word which means “Praise the Lord!” It is an exclamation, hymn, or a song in praise to God.
- Shepherds were in the field with a flock when the angels announced to them the birth of Christ. This possibly indicates that the birth of Jesus was during a warm season.
- Epiphany – the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the wise men.
- The Wise Men did not visit Jesus at the manger but at a home about two years after Christ’s birth. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Luke 2:11, NIV.
- Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh – These were the gifts the wise men gave during their visit.
Gold was worthy of kings. Frankincense was used for making incense and speaks of the worship of God. Myrrh was an ingredient in anointing oil and burial embalming; it was used in Jesus’ burial. (Hymn: What Child Is This)
- The date of Christmas was set around the fourth century. The birth of Christ was not celebrated the first three hundred years after his birth. Initially, Epiphany and Easter were the two dates important dates of celebration. Church officials decided on December 25th at the end of the third century to coincide with existing pagan honoring pagan deities with hope that Christianity would be more conveniently accepted. The faith did spread through the west even though some Christians continued to view Epiphany and Easter as more important religious celebrations. Christmas was not declared a federal holiday in the United States until June, 1870.
- Fir trees were first used as Christmas trees. It probably began about a thousand years ago in Northern Europe. Christians used evergreens as a sign of everlasting life with God.
- Yule is a Scandinavian celebration held December 21 through January in recognition of the return of the sun. The darkest days of winter were over, and the days were growing longer.
- The Christmas Rose is a symbol of Jesus and Mary; it represents purity (Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming). The plant blooms from late autumn to early spring, often in snow. It appears frequently at Christmas in mild climates and late spring in cooler areas.
- Noel means Christmas and is used as a refrain in Christmas cards and writings (The First Noel).
- Immanuel (God with us).
May your Christmas festivities be filled with worship, joy, health, and peace, and in the new year, may you be prosperous in all your endeavors to bless others.
Dorothy Watson Tatem, D.Min., ACC
Senior Associate
Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D.
President & Founder
Next Step Associate, LLC
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