CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS
Christmas Carols
When St. Francis of Assisi created the first “crèche” or Nativity (manger) scene, he and others
sang the first carols. Most carols were handed down by word of mouth for hundreds of years.
Most of the early carols were about Mary, the shepherds, the Magi and the birth of Jesus. Later
carols were sung by groups of people who would go to homes and sing in harmony
Christmas Star
The Christmas star announce the birth of Christ and led the shepherds and the Magi to the manger. Many songs were written about it. Stars are place on the top of Christmas trees to remind of
Jesus' birth. The star also appeared on many of the first Christmas cards in the 1840s.
Gift-Giving
In the Christian religion, the practice of giving gifts at Christmas is traced back to the gifts of gold ,
frankincense and myrrh that were given to the Christ child by the Magi. Over time, the tradition of
giving gifts came to be more associated with Christmas than with the Epiphany. Today, we give gifts
at Christmas for our own reasons. For some, it is a way to celebrate the Christian holy day. For others, it is a special time to let family and friends know that you care by giving gifts. At times, giving gifts at Christmas becomes almost mechanical and a chore; when this happens, it is worth stepping aside for a few moments to
consider why exactly you gift gifts at Christmas.
Christmas Cards
It was in England the Christmas cards were first produced. We send cards with notes of good wishes to
each other to mark the birth of hope and peace and the beginning of a new year.
Holly
The placing of a ring of holly on doors originated in Ireland as holly was one of the main plants
that flourished at Christmas time and which gave the poor ample means with which to decorate
their dwellings. All decorations are traditionally taken down on Little Christmas (January 6th) and
it is considered to be bad luck to take them down beforehand.
Yule Log
In early days fire was a symbol of the home, safety and warmth. The English took on the custom of
burning the yule log on Christmas Eve. It was considered good luck to sit on it before it was burned and
it was bad luck if the fire went out quickly. After the holidays had ended (twelve days of Christmas) a piece of the
log was saved to rekindle the next year’s log.