Christmas celebrates the incarnation of God in the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. A
great many symbols used during this season help us understand this wonderful miracle.
The word “Christmas” comes from the old English “christmasse” which means Christ’s
Mass. Listed below are many of the Christmas symbols. Enjoy them and look for
them!
Angels – The angels are messengers from God (Greek, “angelos” means
“messenger.”). Gabriel brings Mary the news of her pregnancy with the
Christ child (Luke 1:26-31). Angels bring the news of the birth of Jesus
to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-14). The Christmas angels bring us the news
of God’s gift of Jesus to the world.
Apple – The apple is the fruit of the Paradise Tree according to tradition.
It is used as a symbol of Christ, the new, or second, Adam. It was a
common medieval practice to decorate Christmas trees with apples.
Blue (the color) - Blue is the color of the Virgin Mary. Virgins in the
time of Jesus wore blue garments to denote their state to the society.
Candles – Candles remind us that Jesus is the light given to the world
(John 8:12, Luke 228-32). Jesus is the light of God that dispels the
darkness of the world that threatens to overcome us. Many homes put
candles in their windows to continue this common practice. We have
expanded it to include Christmas tree lights (earlier Christmas trees were
decorated with candles) and lights hung outside of our homes. Whatever
light source we use, they are meant to remind us of the light of Jesus
Christ come into our lives.
Chrismons – Chrismons are symbols about Jesus that are used as
Christmas tree ornaments. They include stars, candles, mangers, crosses,
shepherd’s crooks, and more.
1
Christmas Tree – The tree is an ancient religious symbol. The Tree of
Life enjoyed great popularity for many centuries (Genesis 2:15-17). In
medieval times, it was known as the Tree of Paradise that pointed the
faithful towards new life in God with Jesus Christ. Roman and
Germanic customs used evergreen trees during the winter to remind them
of the green of spring and summer (the seasons of life).
Crèche – Jesus was born in a stable, in a manger, signs of his humble
birth. Churches in Rome early on set up scenes to recall the birth of the
Christ Child. It was quickly adopted by Christians and appeared in their
homes around the season of Christmas (Matthew 2:1-7).
Daisy – The daisy appeared in medieval paintings of the Nativity. It
came to symbolize innocence. It reminds us of the story of Herod’s
murder of the innocent children after Jesus’ birth (Holy Innocents,
observed on December 28th, Matthew 2:16-18)
Evergreens – Christmas evergreens and garlands are Greek and Roman
customs that have been carried over into Christianity. They were used at
New Year celebrations to remind people of the continuation of life
during the bleakness of winter. Early on they were decorated with
strings of fruit.
Frankincense – Frankincense was made of gum and spices that may be
burned to produce a fragrant smoke known as “incense.” It is used
primarily in worship as an offering to the Divine. It was one of the three
gifts of the Magi, noting that Jesus was worthy of worship (Matthew
2:11).
Gifts – The first Christmas gift was Jesus (John 3:16). Later in the
Christmas story we hear of the Magi bringing gifts to the infant Jesus in
Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). Gift giving recalls the gift of God given to
us in Jesus Christ. Our gifts are meant to reflect this divine love that is
intended for all the peoples of the earth. Legend has it that St. Nicholas
secretly gave gifts to children in Myra to keep them out of poverty.
2
Glastonbury Thorn – This is a hawthorn bush that blooms at Christmas
time. According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:39), the man
who took Jesus’ body after the crucifixion, migrated to England. He
settled in Glastonbury. When he stuck his staff into the ground there, a
tree grew and bloomed at Christmas.
Gold – Gold has long been a symbol of power and wealth. It was owned
principally by the royalty in Jesus’ time. It was one of the three gifts of
the Magi, symbolizing Jesus’ kingship and kingdom (Matthew 2:11).
Holly - Holly (“Ilex”) has thorny green leaves and red berries. It reminds
us of the crown of thorns and the drops of blood shed by Jesus at his
death. This evergreen reminds us that Christmas is only the beginning of
the Christ story. Holly reminds us that Jesus was born to suffer death for
us.
Hymns – The Christmas hymns are #77-#115 in the hymnal. They retell
parts of the Christmas story set to words and songs. It became a practice
in the early Church to gather for Worship services and sing the Psalms.
Later, hymns were written and added to the worship services. It is said
that they who sing, pray twice!
Jesse Tree – Jesse was the father of King David. He lived in Bethlehem,
the city of Jesus’ birth. The lineage of Jesus is traced back through
David to Jesse (Matthew 1:6ff; Luke 2:4ff). The Hebrew prophets spoke
of a Messiah that would come to save the people of God (Isaiah 11:1).
The Jesse tree reminds us of the family tree of which Jesus was part. It
reminds us that he was the one promised by Holy Scripture to save us. It
also points us towards the humanity of Jesus.
Laurel – This popular Christmas decoration has Greek and Roman roots.
It was used at New Year celebrations to make wreaths for victors in
sporting events. Laurel symbolizes triumph and victory. It also reminds
us of eternity and everlasting life (2 Corinthians 9:24-27). Laurel
reminds us that Jesus is the one through whom God will triumph over the
powers of sin and darkness.
3
Mistletoe – Mistletoe is a Scandinavian tradition connected with the
death of one of their gods. Christians would absorb the symbol into their
culture to represent joy and good will. Some people believe the religious
practice of the kiss of peace (Romans 16:16, I Corinthians 16:20, 1
Thessalonians 5:26) contributed to the present day custom of kissing
beneath the mistletoe.
Myrrh – Myrrh is an Asian or Arabic gum resin. Its taste is bitter and
ancient people valued it for perfumes. It was used in Jesus’ time to
anoint the bodies of those who died. It symbolizes the suffering and
death that Jesus will undertake for our salvation.
Peacock – The peacock is a symbol of immortality and eternal life. It
began to appear in medieval nativity scenes. It reminds us of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Poinsettia – The poinsettia is a common Christmas flower. It blooms at
Christmas time. The red and green colors of the flower remind us of
everlasting life made known in the Resurrection and the suffering of
Jesus at the Crucifixion.
Pomegranate – The pomegranate is a fruit that symbolizes hope for
resurrection. It comes from the classical myth of Persephone. She was
married to Pluto, god of the underworld. According to the story, when
her mother asked for her to return to the upper world, Pluto conceded.
However, Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds, and thus was
compelled to return to underworld. Her return to the upper world was
marked by the return of vegetation (spring and summer). It reminds us
of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Rose (Christmas) – A white rose, “helleborus niger”, is called the
Christmas rose. It blooms in winter and symbolizes the purity of both
the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
4
St. Nicholas – St. Nicholas is best known in our culture as Santa Claus.
St. Nicholas lived in Myra (Turkey) in the 4th century. His feast day is
observed in the Church on December 6th. According to tradition, he
wore red bishop vestments and rode on a white horse. He befriended
children wherever he went. One story says that St. Nicholas heard that
three poor young girls were about to be turned out to become beggars, or
worse, because their father did not have the necessary dowry to get them
married. St. Nicholas visited their home in the late night and tossed three
small bags of gold coins so that they would be spared and allowed to
marry. Dutch children grew accustomed to St. Nicholas’ visit on
December 6th complete with gifts! Dutch colonists would bring the
tradition of Sinter Klaus to America. In 1822, Clement Moore wrote
about St. Nicholas’ visit with reindeer and a sleigh. Later, St. Nicholas
would earn the name Santa Claus. St. Nicholas reminds us of the Magi,
of gift giving and the gift of Jesus Christ every Christmas.
Sheep & Shepherds – According to the Christmas story, shepherds were
keeping their sheep in a field near Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth.
They were the first to receive the announcement of the coming of the
Christ child (Luke 2:8-14). Raising sheep was a common practice in
Israel. The sheep provided food and wool for clothing. However, the
job of shepherd was given only to those who were unable to work among
people. Shepherds generally represented some of the poorest and least
desirable of people in Jesus’ day. The announcement to the shepherds of
Jesus’ birth foreshadows his future ministry. Jesus would work among
the least, the last and the lost of Israel. The shepherds remind us that
Christmas is not just for some, but especially for the poor, the oppressed,
the last, the lost and those on the fringe of our society.
Star – The star is one of the royal symbols (Star of David, a sixpointed star). By Jesus’ time it had become a messianic symbol as
well. The star in the East leads the Magi to the Christ Child (Matthew
2:2). The star thus provides divine guidance for those seeking God.
The Star of Bethlehem is a five-pointed star.
5
Three Kings (Magi) – According to tradition, the names of the three
kings was Balthazzar, Gaspard and Melchoir. By occupation, they were
men who studied the stars. They tried to interpret their movements to
predict significant human events. They were not Jewish, and are referred
to as Gentiles. They came from the east, most likely from Persia
(modern day Iraq). The gifts they bring the Christ Child signify the
importance of Jesus’ birth. The gifts also foreshadow who this child will
become as he grows into adulthood. The magi remind us that Jesus came
not only to save his own people (the Jews) but others as well (the
Gentiles). The saving act of God represented in the birth of Jesus was to
be made available to all the peoples of the world.
The Twelve Days of Christmas – Christmas is a season, not a day. It
celebrates the Incarnation, the birth of God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
It follows the Season of Advent and precedes Epiphany. Christmas
begins on December 25th, and ends with the Feast of the Epiphany,
January 6th. It has been the custom of many peoples throughout the
centuries to spread the cheer and joy of Christmas the whole twelve days,
not just one! Many people celebrate the end of the Christmas season
with a “Twelfth Night” party. The theme of season was popularized by
the Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Can you name all
twelve gifts? Twelve is a significant number in Christianity. It stands
for the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:1ff) and the twelve disciples/
apostles (Matthew 10:2-4). The number symbolizes the completeness of
the people of God. It reminds us that Christmas is for all people.
Unicorn – The unicorn is a mythical horse with one horn in the middle
of its head. It is a symbol of purity and is associated with the Virgin
Mary.
White (the color) – The color of purity, joy, perfection and feasting is
white. It is the color used for Christmas. It reminds us to celebrate the
birth of Jesus, who is pure and God’s son, with great joy and feasting.
6
Wreath – The evergreen wreath is a pagan custom that was adopted by
Christianity. It symbolizes victory or immortality. It was believed that
the wreath brought the bearer divine power from the tree of life. Its
shape, the circle, is one of the common symbols for God.
Yule – Yule is the Teutonic name for Christmas. Originally, it was the
Germanic season of December and January. Two customs from the
pagan celebrations were carried over into the German Christian practices,
the Yule log and the boar’s head dinner. Both were parts of festivals
celebrating hope for the New Year and life.
If there is a Christmas symbol that we have not covered, feel free to contact one of the
clergy. We will be happy to research an answer for you. Contact us via the Church
e-mail: [email protected]. Thank you!
This booklet is adapted from:
“The New Prayer Book Guide to Christian
Education” (Joseph Russell, editor); “Our Christian Symbols” (by Friedrich Rest);
“Saints, Signs and Symbols” (by W. Ellwood Post); and, “Symbols of Church Seasons
& Days”, (by John Bradner).
Grace Church in Haddonfield
19 Kings Highway East
Haddonfield, New Jersey 08033
(856) 429-0007, (856)429-3291 (fax)
[email protected]
www.gracehaddon.org