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SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS

SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS. Advent Preparation for the Lord coming again Purple symbolizes the penitential spirit Pink symbolizes the “O Antiphons” which begin with the word Gaudete or rejoice. It is a celebration of joy. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS. O Antiphons O Sapientia - Come, Wisdom of our God

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SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS

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  1. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Advent • Preparation for the Lord coming again • Purple symbolizes the penitential spirit • Pink symbolizes the “O Antiphons” which begin with the word Gaudete or rejoice. It is a celebration of joy.

  2. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • O Antiphons O Sapientia - Come, Wisdom of our God O Adonai - Come, Leader of ancient Israel O Radix Jesse - Come, Flower of Jesse’s stem O Clavis David - Come, Key of David O Oriens - Come, Radiant Dawn O Rex Gentium - Come, King of all Nations O Emmanuel - Come, Emmanuel

  3. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Origins of Christmas • Mass of Christ “Cristes Maesse” • Celebrate God coming to live amongst us • With Jesus as a model celebrates giving and receiving

  4. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • No one knows the date of Jesus’ birth • Probably between 8-6 BCE • Western church • December 25 • Eastern church • January 6 • Winter solstice (shortest day of the year) • Romans celebrated “birthday of the unconquered sun” • Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist on the day of atonement September 25 (fall equinox) • John born June 24 (summer solstice) • Jesus conceived March 25 (spring equinox) • Jesus born December 25 (winter solstice)

  5. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Christmas Candle • Yule Candle burned with the Yule log. A scented log kept burning 12 days. • Placed in the middle of Advent wreath the candle symbolizes completion. Christ is come. • Light pushes away the darkness of sin and religious ignorance • The light of Christ that came into the world

  6. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Window Lights • 19th Century Irish Immigrants • A beacon to light the way for Mary and Joseph • During a time of religious persecution the candles lit the way for fugitive priests to safe houses • Christmas carolers in Boston used it to identify catholic households

  7. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Hanukah • Jewish festival of lights • 25th day of the lunar month of Kislev • Lasts nine days with a different candle of the Menorah lit each night • Commemorates the Maccabeen Uprising in 165BCE

  8. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Nativity Scene (creche) • Evolved in France during the Middle Ages • St. Francis of Assisi popularized the living nativity scene at Greccio, Italy, in 1223

  9. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Stars • God swore to Abraham, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven.” • The Star of Bethlehem, Matthew 2:2, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

  10. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Bells • Church bells have longed called people to worship • Bishop Paulinus of Nola may have begun this custom in 431 A.D. • In Holland bells were dedicated and baptized before their use • Bells symbolize communication with God

  11. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Christmas Tree • The Germanic Paradise Tree • United the hope for coming green and an end to winter with a festival of lights • Celebrated the feast of Adam and Eve on December 24th. Apples and other fruits were placed on the branches of the tree

  12. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Christmas Caroling • Old English “carolen” - to sing joyfully • Became popular in Italy under the influence of Francis of Assisi • The English introduced the custom of going from house to house

  13. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • England 1558-1829 • Because of an argument between Henry VIII and the Pope over divorce Catholics were not allowed to practice there faith in England. • A song was written to help children remember the teachings of the church. • It used the days from Christmas day Dec. 25th to the Epiphany of the Lord Jan. 6th Name that tune!

  14. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • The Twelve Days of Christmas 1558 My true love - God the Father in Heaven Partridge in a pear tree - Jesus Christ the Son of God 2 Turtle Doves - The Old and New Testament 3 French Hens - Faith Hope and Charity 4 Calling Birds - The writers of the Four Gospels 5 Golden rings - The Pentateuch 6 Geese a-laying - the six days of creation 7 swans a-swimming - The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit 8 Maids a milking - The eight Beatitudes 9 Ladies Dancing - The fruits of the Holy Spirit 10 Lords a-leaping - The Ten Commandments 11 Pipers Piping - The eleven faithful Apostles 12 Drummers Drumming - The 12 points of the Apostle’s Creed

  15. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Mistletoe • Considered a sacred plant by the Druids in England because of its healing powers • It became a symbol of Christ and his healing powers

  16. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Holly • Originated in northern Europe • “Holy tree” Became associated with Mary’s burning love for Jesus • The red berries and prickly points became symbolic of the crown of thorns

  17. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Pointsettia • A scarlet leaved plant from Mexico referred to as “flower of the Holy Night” • It blooms each year at Christmas time

  18. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Christmas Cards • First designed and used in England in 1843 • Originally were classical religious art emphasizing Jesus’ birth

  19. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Christmas Pageants • In the earliest church acting out plays of the Nativity story was common place • It arrived in the United States with German immigrants • Today nativity scenes and pageants in public places have been challenged in courts as violations of separation between church and state

  20. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Exchanging Gifts • We receive the gift of God’s Son and so we exchange gifts • Gifts were exchanged during the Roman festival of Saturnalia which occurred about the same time

  21. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Kriss Kringle • At a time when the Christmas season was totally religious children were told the Christ Child brought them presents • “Christ Kinder” in German is Christ Child • The Pennsylvania Dutch as their language was lost deteriorated the pronunciation to Kriss Kringle

  22. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • Santa Claus (Sinter Klaus) • St. Nicholas Bishop of Myrna in Turkey • After the protestant reformation protestants no longer venerated Saints • Catholics and Dutch continued to exchange gifts on December 6th • Protestant children became very jealous so churches developed a character combining Father Christmas, the mythical god Thor and St. Nicholas. They moved the celebration to December 24th

  23. SYMBOLS of CHRISTMAS • The Candy Cane 1800s • A candy maker in Indiana wanted to express the meaning of Christmas using several symbols of Christ’s love and sacrifice • The color white symbolizes the sinless and pure nature of Jesus • The three thin red stripes symbolize the Trinity • The thick stripe symbolizes the pain inflicted on Jesus by the cross • It is in the shape of the staff of Christ the Good Shepherd • Upside down it is the letter J for Jesus

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