Christmas Magic

Centuries ago, long before the birth of Christ, the wreath was always a part of festive processions. The evergreen wreath has always been a Christian emblem of eternal life and God’s faithfulness to all humanity because of its hardiness and ability to withstand the cold winter temperatures.

An advent wreath is a ring or set of four candles, usually made with evergreen cuttings and used for household devotion by some Christians during the season of Advent, or the holy season for the Christian church. Many churches illuminate these candles in succession through the four weeks leading up to Christmas as part of their Sunday services.

Typically, three of the candles are violet-colored, and one is rose-colored, but some choose to use all purple or all blue candles. When used in household devotion, one candle is lit on the first evening of Advent, which falls on a Saturday.  Each Saturday thereafter during Advent another candle is lit.  Some wreaths have a large white candle in the center which is lit on Christmas Day to signify Christ’s birth.

The first Advent wreath was invented by Johann Hinrich Wichern; a Protestant parson in Hamburg, Germany in the 1830’s and 1840’s and was in charge of an orphanage.  The children of the orphanage made a wooden ring and affixed red and white candles on one side of it. During each service of daily prayer a child would light one candle, until on Christmas Eve all of them would be illuminated. It is thought that children liked this ring so much that they decorated it with evergreen twigs, mainly from fir trees. Later the number of candles was reduced to the four main ones.

The tradition of hanging a Christmas wreath took a while to catch on in Germany.  When German immigrants came to America, they brought this old tradition with them, and now it’s a household tradition for many families to have a wreath made from evergreen hanging upon the front door of their home.

Christians celebrate Christmas to observe the birth of Jesus Christ, which is an event and not a tradition. But many other activities related to celebrating the Christmas season evolved from certain traditions, many of which are from other countries, particularly from peoples in Europe.

Among common items used in Christmas decorations are the holly and the mistletoe. Both are used primarily in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items up to two hundred years before Christ. To celebrate the winter season, the Druids would gather the plants and use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a healing quality and could be used for everything from healing wounds to increase fertility.

In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the goddess of love. This association is probably what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian period, the English also would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during holidays. The habit developed that if someone was standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room would kiss that person. Such outright behavior was not generally seen in Victorian society.

The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church however because of its associations with pagan traditions, and the use of holly was suggested as a substitute.

Poinsettias are another traditional decorative flower used at Christmas. It is native to Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the first U.S ambassador to Mexico and who brought the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants were a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that’s one reason they are associated with Christmas. There’s also the story that a young boy was going to see the Nativity Play at a church but realized he didn’t have a gift for Baby Jesus. The boy gathered some green branches, which others scoffed at. But as he placed them near the manger, a bright red poinsettia flower started to bloom on each branch, which gave rise to their traditional use at Christmas.

Candy canes became a Christmas tradition not because their red and white stripes matched the colors of the season, but for the most unusual reason of discipline. that’s because they were first used as treats that were give to German children to keep them well-behaved for the duration of church sermons. Over time, the legend of candy canes at Christmas came to be associated with some of the strongest symbols and beliefs of Christianity: the Father, Son and Holy Ghost known as the Trinity, the Blood of the Son of God, Jesus as the embodiment of holiness, purity and without sin and the Son of God as the shepherd of man. The candy cane represents these symbols respectively with its three stripes, its red and white color and its shape.

Sending greeting cards during Christmas and the holidays is as prevalent today as the custom of giving gifts. The tradition of sending Christmas cards started in 1840 in Britain with the start of public postal delivery service of the ‘Penny Post.’ Then from about 1860, large numbers of Christmas greeting cards started to be produced. The popularity of the cards increased in Britain when they could be sent by the postal service for one half-penny, which was half the price to post a standard letter at the time, if they were in an unsealed envelope.

Religious pictures of Mary, Joseph , Baby Jesus, the angels, shepherds and Wise Men were traditionally placed on Christmas cards. Some cards today include scenes from the Nativity, but pictures of Santa Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees, gift packages and others are also depicted on contemporary Christmas greeting cards.

Shopping for grab bag and gift exchange items can present some unique challenges. Normally a price range or limit has been established for these activities, so how much to spend is usually not an issue. Here are a few suggestions for things you may want to consider, as well as some specific gift ideas.First, consider the makeup of the group. Is everyone in the same age range, or do the ages vary widely? What about gender? And what is the nature of the group? A church-related group may be a very different proposition from a bowling league, and your co-workers are not the same type of group as your book club. Whatever gift you choose should be appropriate for any member of the group, unless the gift exchange is set up so that you have a specific individual to exchange with.

Next, some basic ground rules. Anything even remotely off-color or potentially offensive should be avoided. Likewise, anything too “personal”. Unless the specific recipient is a close friend, such gifts will often upset the recipient, and even the whole group, and these days can get you into hot water, especially at work. No matter how deeply your convictions are held, religious or political gifts are generally inappropriate unless the circumstances dictate otherwise. A religious-themed gift may be fine for your church group, and a politically oriented item may be appropriate for your local precinct committeepersons’ gift exchange, but neither is appropriate for the workplace unless, again, you know the specific recipient well enough to be certain the item will be welcome. And even then, stay away from items that may reasonably be expected to offend others who will be present.

Certain types of gifts lend themselves to grab bag or gift exchange settings. A nice picture frame is something anyone can put to good use. Almost every home has a CD or DVD player, and a cleaning disk or kit makes a good grab bag item. Even if they already have one, they will eventually need another. A good pair of heavy-duty household shears is another choice. Not scissors, but heavy-duty shears. This may seem mundane, but they will thank you every time they have to try to get something out of its modern plastic packaging. Decorative candles are usually a welcome gift, but try to stay away from anything with a “cheap” or overpowering scent. For a variation on this theme, consider a “tart warmer”.

How about a really nice pen, or a pen and pencil set? A rechargeable or other good quality flashlight is worth considering. Again, even if they have one, another will still be useful. And in these environmentally conscious days, a rechargeable battery station might be a good choice. A movie DVD or a music CD is a possibility, but you really should include the receipt to facilitate an exchange. After all, not everyone likes the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and many people already own “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “A Christmas Story”.

You may want to consider one of those “holiday gift packages” you see everywhere, the “cheese and crackers assortment” or the “cocoa or coffee and mugs” gift set. But again, this depends on the group. You probably don’t want the vegetarian to end up with the “summer sausage and beef stick” collection, and the “ice cream scoop and sundae dish” set may not be appreciated by the person struggling with their weight. And always think twice about items that include certain assumptions – a bag of whole bean coffee makes a great gift, for someone who drinks coffee and has access to a coffee grinder!

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St. Nicholas, otherwise known as Sinter Klaas, arrives in November in Holland bearing gifts. He is dressed in Bishop’s robes and travels by boat with his helper who is called Black Peter, who wears Spanish clothing. Many people go to Amsterdam docks to greet him. He mounts a grand snow horse and rides during a festive parade and celebration.

December 5th is Sinterklaas Eve and is when presents are exchanged. Children put their wooden shoes out and fill them with hay and carrots, and also leave water out for Sinter Klaas’ horse.  In return, Sinter Klaas fills the children’s shoes with candy and gifts to find the following morning. Children believe that Sinter Klaas lives in Spain the rest of the year where he carefully keeps track of which children have been naughty and which have been nice, while his helper Black Peter busily gathers presents for the following Sinterklaas Eve.

Though it is not clearly understood why the children believe Sinterklaas to be from Spain, it could be because Holland was famous for its navigation and possibly came into contact with many Spanish sailors who told of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, and his feats of saving boats and sailors from the angry Spanish seas.

Christmas Day in Holland is a spiritual time, and the day is spent with visits to church. In the afternoon, people sit around the tree, sing carols and tell stories.

In addition to their decorated Christmas trees, another popular decoration is the advent star.  It’s a lighted star shaped ornament that hangs in the window for passers by to see as a reminder of the significance of the holiday season.

During the Sinterklaas season people eat spicy ginger, sugar candy, fancy fruit slices or rich almond marzipan.

Mexico’s main Christmas celebration is called La Posada, which is a religious procession that reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. During the procession, the celebrants go from house to house carrying the images of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

And though Santa Claus is not predominant, his bright red suit is represented in the traditional flower of the season. This flower is the poinsettia, which has brilliant green and red leafs on it. The legend of the poinsettia is really quite touching. It is believed that a young boy walking to the church to see the nativity scene showing the birth of Jesus had realized on the way that he had no gift to offer the Christ child. So, he gathered up some plain green branches and weeds to offer.  Many laughed as he walked into the church, but he was told that as long as his gift was from his heart, the child would appreciate it. When he laid his gift near the manger, they changed into bright red and green leafs, and thus the poinsettia, or Christmas flower, was born. 

The Mexican children receive gifts on Christmas day. They are blindfolded while they use a stick or a bat to try and break a decorated clay piñata that dangles and swings at the end of a rope. Once the piñata has been broken, the children scramble to recover the candy that was inside the piñata. Those children who have been good also on January 6th receive a gift from the Three Wise Men, the same men who visited the newborn Christ child and brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Mexicans, predominantly Catholic, traditionally attend a midnight mass service which is called La Misa del Gallo or the rooster’s mass, where they sing lullabies to Jesus.

Christmas preparations in Germany often begin on the eve of December 5th, the eve of St. Claus Day.  People often set aside special evenings for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys.

Children leave letters on their windowsills for Christkind; a winged figure dressed in white robes and a golden crown and is the Christ Child’s messenger who delivers gifts.  Sometimes the letters are decorated with glue and sprinkled with sugar to make them sparkle. There is also a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, he looks like Santa Claus and also brings gifts.

Germans traditionally make beautiful gingerbread houses and cookies. The German Christmas tree pastry, Christbaumgeback, is white dough that can be molded into shapes and baked for tree decorations.

Christmas trees are very popular in Germany. Some homes in Germany have several Christmas trees, and in all towns across Germany, they can be seen glittering and glowing.  Some homes also display advent wreaths, called Adventskranz. They are decorated with holly and have four candles in the center. Each Sunday a candle is lit and the last one is lit on Christmas Eve.  Children count the days until Christmas using an Advent calendar where they open one window each day and find a Christmas picture inside.

Some families lock up one room of their home before Christmas. When the children are awoken by their parents at midnight, they find the room filled with gifts and a decorated Christmas tree.

On the eve of January 6, German households inscribe the initials of the Three Kings Casper, Melchior and Balthazar, and the current year over their doorways to protect their homes.  Catholic boys and girls dress up as kings for Three Kings Day on January 6, and sing carols and collect money for donations to different projects and charities.

The Festival of Lights, otherwise known as Hanukkah, is an eight day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev. This may be in December, late November, or, early January, though that is only a rare occurrence. This year the holiday commenced at sundown on December 4. The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festival’s eight nights, one on the first night, two on the second night and so on.

Jews celebrate Hanukkah to commemorate the Miracle of the Oil. According to the Talmud, which is a record of Jewish law and customs, at the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. But somehow quite miraculously the oil burned for eight day, which just so happened to be how long it took to press, prepare and consecrate newly made oil.

The lights can be candles or oil lamps. Electric lights are sometimes used and are acceptable in places where open flame is not permitted, such as a hospital room. Most Jewish homes have a special candelabra or oil lamp holder for Hanukkah, called a Menorah. The reason for the Hanukkah lights is a reminder to those walking by the home of the holiday’s miracle. Therefore the Menorah is displayed at a prominent window or near the door leading to the street.

Typically three blessings are recited during this eight-day festival. On the first night of Hanukkah, Jews recite all three blessings, but only recite the first two on the nights that follow. The blessings are said before or after the candles are lit depending on tradition. On the first night of Hanukkah one light or candle is lit on the right side of the Menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first and is lit first proceeding from left to right, and so on each night.

Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, celebrated by African-Americans and Jewish people respectively, are observed during the Christmas season. But while there may be a tendency on the part of the uninformed to think of these as “versions” of Christmas, in fact these celebrations are entirely separate from activities related to Christmas. The observances of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are also one reason that people also give wishes of Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas during the season.

Although both activities are very different and were originated for different reasons, some similarities can be found between the two practices. Both celebrations have commitment as a central and important theme. They also both include symbolic forms of light and are both commemorated over almost the same number of days – seven (7) days from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 for Kwanzaa, and eight (8) days and nights for Hanukkah – usually starting about one week before Christmas Day.

Starting with its origination, Hanukkah celebrations dates to an event in 165 B.C. when the Jews were victorious over the Syrians. Hanukkah started as a way to restore and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem that had been desecrated, including its golden menorah, by the Syrians. The festival also served the purpose of once more observing and re-instituting rituals that the Syrians had forbidden during their rule.

Kwanzaa was started 40 years ago by a university professor as a way for African-Americans and others in the African diaspora to engage in celebrations that included elements of African culture.  While Kwanzaa is not as popular as Christmas, it keeps growing and its goal has been achieved to some extent as it is now practiced in many nations such as those in the Caribbean, which have a large population of people of African ancestry. The wide availability
of Kwanzaa greeting cards and even postage stamps at Christmas time, also attests to the extent to which the celebration has entered the mainstream.

The primary symbol of Hanukkah, the menorah, which consists of eight (8) individual lights, is very much a part of the mainstream. Menorahs are available today in various shapes and sizes. A single standard requirement that must be observed in making a menorah is that there should be enough separation between the flame of each of the eight (8) lights so that they don’t give the total effect of a single large flame when all are lit.

A flame is lit each night over the days in remembrance of how a small quantity of oil from the desecrated Temple kept a menorah burning for eight (8) days, when the amount should have only lasted for a single day. It was that miraculous occurrence that gave rise to the Hanukkah celebration to light a menorah over eight (8) days.

Kwanzaa symbols include a candleholder and seven (7) candles that represent the roots of African ancestors and seven (7) core principles of Kwanzaa respectively. Other symbols are, The Crops for African harvest, Mat for African tradition, Corn for the future represented by
children, the Unity Cup and the Gifts. The Flag and Poster of Seven (7) Principles are two (2) supplemental symbols.  These items can be found at specialty African and African-American shops in some malls and in town with a heavy concentration of African and African-American population.

Among the most important features of Kwanzaa are the seven (7) core principles and values they embody: self-determination, unity, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. These seven (7) principles are meant to be a
foundation and guide upon which the African diaspora can build a strong, successful and fulfilling life while maintaining a connection to their roots.

While not religious, the principles of Kwanzaa are meant to instill a strong sense of spirituality in individuals. Kwanzaa seeks to instill spirituality upon which individuals can build self-confidence and secure self-identity through a link to their roots. This sense of spirituality and connection to one’s history, roots or ancestry is also an element of similarity between Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.