Content:
Traditional symbols of Christmas
Holly
Christmas Wreaths
Santa Claus
Christmas Stockings
Candy Canes
Mistletoe
Poinsettias
The Gingerbread man
Christmas presents
Christmas trees
Christmas bells
Stars
Christmas candles
Christmas angels
Traditional symbols of Christmas
The idea of making December 25 the holiday of Christmas dates back to the 4th century. The Church sought to get rid of the remnants of paganism: the fact is that about the same time, according to tradition, the birthday of the Roman sun god was celebrated. Therefore, the church fathers decided to establish a new, Christian holiday in honor of the birthday of Jesus Christ, which would replace the Roman one.
In America, Christmas was not celebrated right away: the early Puritan colonists were generally suspicious of the holiday, and in Massachusetts it was even banned.
Christmas is just around the corner. Christmas lights are on, Christmas carols and bells are ringing, Christmas trees are already decorated and presents have been bought. But how did Christmas traditions begin? After all, there is not a single accidental detail in this holiday, all the symbols of Christmas have come to us from time immemorial to make the holiday what it is - the most joyful and anticipated event of the year.
The magical world of Christmas would not be like this without its traditional symbols. Many attributes are familiar to us and understandable - angels, a tree, gifts, lights, candles. But there are also those that are not particularly clear to us. So let's learn about them.
Don't forget that Christmas is a religious holiday, so many symbols are associated with biblical stories.
Holly
Holly is a plant with sharp leaves. Holly is an evergreen plant found in the subtropics and temperate zones of both hemispheres. Holly leaves are attractive for their beautiful "eternal" foliage, therefore, since ancient times, they are considered to be plants symbolizing eternity.
The druid priests also decorated their dwellings to scare away evil spirits. In ancient Rome, the holly was dedicated to Saturn, the god of all-consuming time, the plant was used for wreaths and sacrificed to God on the December festival of Saturnalia. In this capacity, the holly was inherited by Christians, who adapted it for Christmas decorations.
The exquisite dark green leaves and vibrant fruits of the holly can be seen on postcards and magazine pages. Holly is still used to make wreaths and beautiful garlands, which are hung on doors and walls at Christmas.
Holly personifies the immortality and crown of thorns of Jesus. The red berries symbolize the blood that Jesus shed for people.
2. Christmas Wreaths
Christmas Wreath - One of the main symbols of Christmas was first made by the theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern ш in 1839 for the children of the poor, whom he took into education. Children constantly asked when Christmas would come, and then Johann made a wreath from an old wooden wheel, decorating it with 24 small red candles and 4 large white ones. Children lit one red candle every day, and on Sundays a white one. When all the candles have burned out, it is Christmas.
Typically, such a wreath is made from fir branches and placed on a large platter or tray. Although you can find Advent wreaths of flowers, Christmas balls, tinsel, threads ... you can find one for every taste!
Although traditionally white candles should be lit one every Sunday of Advent, now, for aesthetic reasons, all 4 candles are lit at the same time: this will make the wreath look neater on Christmas itself. And they light them not only on Sunday, because it is so nice to sit at the dinner table by candlelight.
The Christmas wreath can not only be placed on the dining table, but also hung over it on ribbons or a frame. This further emphasizes the fact that Advent time and Christmas itself is a holiday that should be spent with the family.
The Christmas wreath is a symbol of eternal love and rebirth. The wreath is also believed to represent generosity and family unity.
3. Santa Claus
Santa Claus is the protagonist of the Christmas party! It is simply impossible not to recognize him.
Christmas is a time of magic. And if adults do not believe in miracles, then children of all countries are happy to wait for New Year and Christmas, knowing that on a holiday a kind wizard will certainly give them what they dreamed of ...
In many Catholic countries, such a wizard is Santa Claus - a grandfather with a white beard and a kind smile, dressed in a red suit with white trim. The kids know that he rides reindeer and the dwarfs help him. To receive a gift, you must definitely go to bed before midnight - otherwise, you can scare off Santa, who sneaks into the house through the chimney and puts a surprise in a colorful sock specially prepared for this.
By the way, so that Santa Claus knows what to give, you certainly need to write him a letter.
Santa is a saint, Claus is Nikolai. That is, Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, and in our opinion Nicholas the Wonderworker. He went from house to house and gave gifts to those in need, thereby singing love.
4. Christmas Stocking
Yes, yes, Santa Claus does not put gifts under the tree. He leaves them in special socks, which are hung next to a tree or by the fireplace. If the gift is very large, Santa Claus leaves it under the Stocking.
The story of the appearance of the Christmas stocking is as follows: according to one legend, one man had three daughters who had to be married off. But they were so poor that they did not even have a dowry, without which it was almost impossible to get married in those days. Saint Nicholas found out about this and offered this man money, but he refused. And on the night before Christmas, Saint Nicholas visited this family to make a gift. Saint Nicholas threw three golden balls into the open window. They landed inside ordinary stockings, which were drying by the fireplace. In the morning the girls found a gift and were delighted. And then, of course, everything was fine with them. This legend became so popular that many began to hang socks or stockings by the fireplace so that Santa Claus would give them a gift.
Gifts that family members give each other are put under the tree. They are packed in bright wrapping paper and always put a postcard with the addressee's name under the ribbon or bow.
5. Candy Cane
A Candy Cane is a striped mint candy in the shape of a cane or shepherd's staff.
Before it was invented, parents used to treat their children at Christmas with lollipop sticks made from plain white sugar.
In the 17th century, Christmas candy began to bend in the shape of a staff, and in the 19th century, red stripes, already familiar to everyone, appeared on the white candy.
Such a lollipop combined several Christian symbols. Its form was supposed to remind people that Christ is the shepherd of mankind, who gave his life for his flock and, at the same time, a sacrificial lamb. In addition, the inverted lollipop resembles the letter J that begins the name Jesus. The whiteness of the candy symbolizes the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary and the sinless life of Christ, and the hardness of the sugar speaks of its steadfastness and desire to serve as support and protection for those who believe in it.
Three thin red stripes, according to one version, denote the Holy Trinity, and one wide one - the One God. Sometimes another strip is made on the candy - green, which reminds believers that Jesus is a gift from God (green symbolizes giving).
6. Mistletoe
The ancient Roman scientist Pliny the Elder described Celtic priests - druids who lived in the territory of present-day England in the 1st century AD. Among the magical herbs that druids used, mistletoe occupied one of the leading places in the fight against evil spirits. Perhaps, due to this property, this graceful plant, which retains its greenery in winter, was subsequently used as a traditional Christmas decoration.
The Christmas passion for mistletoe had another side - playful. A kiss under the mistletoe hanging on the ceiling was considered to bring eternal love and, as some prim Englishmen thought in the old days, should lead to inevitable marriage. You can imagine how many family unions were born on Christmas Day under the mistletoe!
An explanation for this custom can be found in the Scandinavian sagas. Baldur, the god of peace, was wounded by an arrow made from mistletoe and healed from the wound at the request of other gods and goddesses. After that, the mistletoe was given to the power of the goddess of love, who established that everyone passing under the mistletoe should receive a kiss as proof that this branch has become an emblem of love, not hate.
Together with the first settlers, the English custom migrated across the ocean - to America. But since mistletoe does not grow in America, its place was taken in the homes of a similar Phoradendron.
Mistletoe is a plant that was previously hung in a doorway. It served as a talisman against witches and demons, as well as fires. But the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe came only in the 19th century. Mistletoe symbolizes fertility, love and vitality.
7. Poinsettias
A Poinsettia is a Christmas plant found in every Christmas movie. It came to the USA from Mexico, where it has served as a symbol of Christmas for a long time. And in America it appeared thanks to the American scientist and politician Joel Roberts Poinsett, who brought one to his garden. Poinsettia is a symbol of Christmas because its shape resembles the Star of Bethlehem that led the Wise Men to Jesus.
8. The Gingerbread man
The Gingerbread man is one of the symbols of Christmas cuisine. The recipe for gingerbread has been known to mankind for a long time, but it is not becoming less popular. Some believe that the little man symbolizes the creation of Adam and reminds us that no one is eternal.
The Gingerbread man is a character in the American fairy tale, which is in many ways similar to the Russian story "Kolobok". According to the plot of a fairy-tale legend, he is molded and decorated by his grandparents, from whom he runs away. The main character manages to protect himself from a cow, horse, and pig, which he is very proud of. However, the cunning red fox lures the ginger man into the river, invites him to sit on her nose and happily dines on it. As evidenced by many historical facts, the great-grandfather of the gingerbread man was an authoritative person at the court of Elizabeth I. In the distant sixteenth century, gingerbread figures were created in the court kitchen, which exactly repeated the images of the queen's guests. But ordinary peasants have passed on this Christmas tradition from generation to generation.
9. Christmas presents
The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas has many roots. The tradition of making gifts for Christmas dates back to the Magi. The Magi brought the Baby gold, incense and myrrh. Gifts with meaning: gold is a sign of power; incense - the scent of prayer reaching heaven; smyrna (bitter tree sap used to rub the body of the deceased before burial) is a reminder of the frailty of everything on earth. Today this tradition has been preserved, perhaps, only in the French hinterland. There, the baby Jesus is still giving gifts to children.
Saint Nicholas is traditionally considered the giver of gifts. In Rome, there was a tradition of giving gifts to children on the feast of Saturnalia. Jesus himself, Santa Claus, Befana (Italian female Santa Claus), Christmas gnomes, various saints can act as a gift giver. According to an old Finnish tradition, the invisible man throws gifts around the house.
10. Christmas trees
It is believed that the first unadorned Christmas trees appeared in Germany in the 8th century. The first mention of spruce is associated with the monk Saint Boniface. Boniface preached a sermon on Christmas to the Druids. To convince idolaters that the oak is not a sacred and inviolable tree, he cut down one of the oak trees. When the felled oak fell, it knocked down all the trees in its path, except for the young spruce. Boniface presented the survival of the spruce as a miracle and exclaimed: "Let this tree be the tree of Christ." Later, Christmas in Germany was celebrated with the planting of young fir trees.
A German source from 1561 states that there can be no more than one Christmas tree in a house at Christmas. In the 17th century, the Christmas tree was already a common attribute of Christmas in Germany and the Scandinavian countries. At that time, the tree was decorated with figures and flowers cut from colored paper, apples, waffles, gilded gizmos, and sugar. The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree is associated with a tree of paradise hung with apples.
The success of the Christmas tree in Protestant countries was further enhanced by the legend that Martin Luther himself was the first to invent lighting candles on the Christmas tree. He was walking home one evening writing a sermon. The brilliance of the stars twinkling among the firs inspired him with awe. To demonstrate this magnificent picture to the family, he placed a tree in the main room, fixed candles on its branches, and lit them. The Christmas tree owes its popularity in England to the German prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria.
In the 17th century, German immigrants brought the tradition of the Christmas tree to America.
The first street Christmas trees with electric lights appeared in Finland in 1906.
11. Christmas bells
Christmas bells are a cute little decoration that is one of the symbols of Christmas. In many countries of the world, Christmas trees and house doors are decorated with bells, they are hung in shopping centers, and given to each other as a gift.
What do bells symbolize?
Even in pagan times, there was a belief that in winter the sun "dies" and therefore the Earth freezes, and the evil spirit gains incredible strength. To drive him out, people had to make a loud noise, for this they rang the bells and shouted. This Christmas tradition has survived to this day, but not for driving out evil spirits, but in order to welcome the coming of Jesus Christ to earth.
Bells are an ancient symbol of protection from evil spirits. The shape of the bell reminded ancient people of the dome of the sky. In Christianity, the ringing of bells is a sacred herald of the presence of Christ at worship.
12. Stars
Almost everyone is familiar with the custom of decorating a Christmas tree with a star. But few people think about why and why it is customary to decorate the top of a festive spruce with it. The New Year's star is an invariable attribute of the New Year, a New Year's ritual, which has passed more than one century.
In fact, this is not just a custom, but a symbolic gesture, a tribute to the memory of a great event that took place over 2000 years ago. Of course, we are talking about the birth of Jesus Christ.
It so happened that the New Year is celebrated in the European tradition almost at the same time as Christmas, and it does not matter at all whether it is an Orthodox holiday or a Catholic one. Catholics have Christmas on December 25th, and Orthodox Christians on January 7th. According to the old style, Christmas was always celebrated before January 1, so throughout the Christian world they decorated the Christmas tree with a special toy - a star.
The star on the top of the spruce is a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem that rose at the time of the birth of Jesus.
13. Christmas candles
The light of Christmas candles and bonfires is able to expel cold and the forces of darkness. In many countries around the world, candles at Christmas still signify the victory of light over darkness. It was thanks to the candles lit on the tree of paradise that everyone's favorite Christmas tree was born.
But candles on trees during Christmas celebrations were one of the main dangers. There were always buckets of water in the living rooms in case of fire. And once the English telephone operator Ralph Morris dawned on the idea of using electric garlands to decorate the Christmas tree instead of candles - by analogy with the threads of light bulbs in telephone switchboards.
14. Christmas angels
Christmas angels are symbols of the Nativity of Christ. Several angels appear in the biblical story of the first Christmas.
Gabriel, the archangel of revelation, informed the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. An angel visited Joseph in a dream to tell him that he would serve as Jesus' father on earth. And angels appeared in heaven over Bethlehem to announce and celebrate the birth of Jesus!
This is the last story, angels, high above the earth, which gives the clearest explanation of why angels should be placed at the top of the tree.
