Christmas was established by Congress
as a federal holiday in 1870. Christmas traditions in the United
States vary greatly between families of different ethnic
backgrounds. Following is a very brief review of a few of the more
common traditions.
The Wreath
The Christmas wreath is usually
made of evergreen branches, which symbolize everlasting life.
The wreath is in the form of a
circle, which has neither beginning nor end, and symbolizes God,
who is from everlasting to everlasting.
Sometimes a candle is placed
within the wreath, which symbolizes Christ as the Light of the
world.
Christmas Bells
For centuries, bells have been
used to announce the birth of a prince, so that all the subjects
of the kingdom could rejoice at the news. Jesus is the Prince of
Peace.
Christmas Carolers
The tradition of Christmas
caroling was inspired by the appearance of the heavenly host to
the shepherds on the night of Jesus' birth.
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV)
Gift Giving
The custom of exchanging gifts was
inspired by the gifts of the wise men.
The Candy Cane
The candy cane is in the shape of
a shepherd's staff, which symbolizes that Jesus is the Good
Shepherd. When inverted, it is the letter "J" for Jesus.
The color white represents purity,
and red stands for the blood of Jesus.
The one wide stripe reminds us
that there is only one God. The three thin stripes remind us
that God is a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is an evergreen
tree, which symbolizes eternal life. It also reminds us that we
should be like trees that always bear fruit.
Blessed is the man who walks not in
the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of
the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be
like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its
fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever
he does shall prosper.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)
The tree reminds us of the cross
on which Jesus died.
The lights symbolize Jesus, the
Light of the world.
The decorations represent fruit,
and remind us that we should bear fruit for God.
A
Time for Family
Many American families make or buy
special ornaments, which remind them of special people or events
in their family. Besides being a time to remember the birth of
our Savior, Christmas has come to be a time for families to come
together.
Christmas is a time for love and
giving.
Decorating the House
Decorating the inside of the house for
Christmas has been an American tradition for many generations. Over
the past few decades, decorating the outside of the house has gained
in popularity, to the point that some families spend more money and
effort decorating the outside than they do decorating the inside of
their house.
Click on the window below to see an
impressive example of a house decorated for Christmas.
Remember...
"Jesus is the Reason
for the Season"
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