True Meaning Of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . . "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten. "Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven." He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise." He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness." Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection." He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Clause, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December." He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him. Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper." He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men." Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return. Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD."

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Christmas Superstitions

Numerous superstitions are linked to the Christmas period New Birth A child born on Christmas Eve will have a promising future, will enjoy luck and happiness throughout his life. - The menhirs of Carnac (France) make three turns on themselves before going for a swim in the ocean. - Pagan beliefs tell us that Christmas Eve is the night of all dangers as well as that of all fortunes. - Ghosts fear Christmas Eve and prefer to disappear, which is why in some countries the doors are left open at midnight to get them out of the house. - In fact, strange things happen that night, at midnight the animals speak the language of men and in the orchard the trees are covered with flowers that disappear at the sound of the twelfth stroke of midnight. Wood burned on Christmas Eve has a special meaning: Its fire is a tribute to the sun. - The fire does not have to go out by itself, someone is left at home to take care of the fire even during midnight mass. Fire must not be governed with iron tools but with hands. If the fire sparkles a lot, it is a good omen and the next summer's harvest will be abundant. The ashes must be stored with care because they protect from storms, and fertilize the soil. - In England, the choice of the log respects certain very precise rules. - The log is not to be bought, it must be found on one's own land, or given away by neighbors. After having decorated it, it is placed in the fireplace and lit with the remains of the wood from the previous Christmas that the owner had kept to protect the house from lightning and fires. - The wood must burn for twelve hours. Sometimes the fire is kept burning for the twelve days of Christmas. In any case, after Christmas it has to turn itself off. The old calendar -On the evening of the 31st, remove all the old calendars you have at home. Burn them all on New Year's morning, after wrapping them in red wool, saying: " Old year burns here and bad luck goes away". House - Cleansing To cleanse your home of the negativities of the year that is ending, get a branch or piece of fir wood, 12 cloves, 12 juniper berries, a white and a black candle. - Before midnight on December 31, spread a cloth on the ground near your front door, then light the black candle, the white one and the fir wood with the cloves and juniper berries (which you have already prepared in small pieces. in a censer with relative ignition charcoal). Let it consume until the end. And finally It Is Said .... - That some people believe that you may have bad luck in the New Year if you take your Christmas tree down AFTER midnight on December 31st. If you are superstitious, you may want to take the tree down before midnight on New Year's Eve to avoid any bad luck in the next year. Find more superstitions from Snopes Thanks For Visiting