Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
The special atmosphere and magic of this holidays are undoubtedly the symbols of Christmas. Some of them date back to pagan times, others became part of this symbolism less than a few centuries ago.
If you are curious to know what the most important symbols of Christmas are, where they come from and what they mean, read on.
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Where does Christmas come from?
Probably from Rome, replacing the worship of the Sun and Saturn with the worship of the Son of God.
According to mythology, Saturn gained power over the world by defeating his father. Fearful of losing his throne, he devoured his children just after they were born.
Saturn was also the god of agriculture. When, after the winter solstice, the sun, which was so important for the crops, began to shine longer again, Saturnalia was celebrated in his honour.
During these celebrations, Saturn was asked for fruitful crops and often young animals were also sacrificed. There are also mentions that in very primitive times during the celebration of these festivities children were also sacrificed in his honour. And here, for the first time, the motif of the child appears.
However, it should be remembered that the cult of the sun dates back to Roman times. The annual movement of the sun, the long days during the summer and the short days during the winter, affect both cultivation and hunting.
It was believed that on the day of the winter solstice (December 21st and 22nd), the weak Sun needs to be strengthened to overcome the darkness, in a clear analogy to evil.
The exact date of birth of Jesus of Nazareth is unknown. The first time that December 25th is mentioned as Christ’s birthday is two centuries after his appearance in the world. Christmas became a Church holiday around the 4th century, after Christianity became the official religion of Rome.
Christmas tree
When the first Christians arrived in the Nordic countries, they discovered that the people there, around Christmas time, celebrated the birth of Freyr, the Nordic god of fertility. During this time, they decorated the tree, which is a symbol of Yggdrasil, the Nordic tree of the universe.
The clergy, converting the people of Northern Europe into a new faith, adopted the idea of a decorated tree to celebrate the birth, this time of Jesus.
In the 8th century, St Boniface undertook to evangelise the Germanic pagan peoples. He also used the well-known local motif of the decorated tree.
Legend has it that he cut down a tree as an offering to the pagan gods, and planted a fir tree in this place. He explained to the unbelievers that their gods are like deciduous trees, which die every year, while Jesus, like a fir tree, lives forever. He decorated the tree with apples, symbolizing original sin, and candles, symbolizing the light of Jesus Christ.
Christmas star
The star, placed on top of the Christmas tree, represents the sky where God is. It is also a symbol of a sign that guides the life of a Christian. Like the star of Bethlehem, which illuminated and showed the way to the three wise men of the East, it symbolises light and hope for a better life.
In some traditions, the same star that appears first in the sky is also a signal to start the Christmas Eve dinner.
Christmas balls
Over time, apples, a sign of temptation, have been replaced by decorated spheres or balls, which symbolise God’s gifts to people. They are also a reference to the prayers that are said during Advent, which begins four weeks before Christmas.
Traditionally, the balls will appear in 5 colours, representing different types of prayers:
- red – prayers and wishes;
- silver – prayers of thanks;
- gold – prayers of praise;
- blue – repentance and penance for sins;
- green – prayers for prosperity and strength.
Bells
In the past, bells were used to chase away evil spirits.
With the advent of Christianity, they began to hang on doors, windows and also on the Christmas tree itself to express the joy of the birth of the Baby Jesus.
Candles
The tradition of lighting candles on Christmas Day refers to the day when Mary, by candle light, gave birth to Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem.
The candle lit in a house on Christmas Day is an invitation to Mary and Joseph, in their final hours of waiting for the birth of Jesus. It is also a symbol of purity, hope and light.
Angels
Angels are the messengers between heaven and earth, a symbol of goodness and love.
According to the Bible, it was the archangel Gabriel who announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. To commemorate this event, small angels are placed as Christmas decorations.
Mistletoe
The contemporary symbolism of mistletoe dates back to Celtic times. The Druids believed in its special qualities, and its exceptional power was acquired during the winter solstice.
Thanks to the gift of the gods, mistletoe healed, protected against evil spirits, prevented misfortunes and was considered a powerful talisman.
Mistletoe hanging during Christmas is an amulet that attracts happiness and prosperity to the house for the whole year.
During the Christmas period, hanging mistletoe on the door symbolises happiness and fertility.
According to tradition, if a man and a woman are under the mistletoe they must kiss. The magic of this plant will strengthen their love.
Christmas carol
The origins of carols go back to the Middle Ages, although until the 16th century they did not have any religious connotations.
In their first version, they were songs of welcome and praise, which conveyed wishes for happiness and prosperity. They were sung more frequently at the end of the year, which ultimately contributed to their adaptation for the Christmas celebrations.
Santa Claus
On the night of 24th and 25th December, under the Christmas tree, Santa Claus leaves his presents. The custom of giving presents during the winter solstice is also related to Saturnalia, the harvest festival.
The origin of the figure of Santa Claus is inspired by a bishop of Greek origin, St. Nicholas, who lived in the 4th century in the lands of modern Turkey.
Legend says that a father had three daughters, he could not marry them off because he did not have the necessary dowry for them. In desperation, he feared that they were in danger of becoming spinssters. When Nicolas found out, during the night, he entered his house through the window and decided to leave gold coins in the socks of the young girls who were drying in the fireplace.
Today, to commemorate St. Nicholas of Mira, children find gifts in their socks or under the tree.
The image of Santa Claus evolved within American popular culture, he ended up becoming an old man with a white beard, dressed in red, shouting the characteristic ho, ho, ho! He lives at the North Pole with his elves and during Christmas, in a reindeer-drawn sleigh, he distributes presents to children.
Christmas Flower
Christmas flower, poinsettia or poinsettia is a flower that is part of Christmas decoration. It was introduced into our tradition very recently. It comes from Central America, and its flowers shine red at Christmas time. Although it was introduced into our tradition relatively recently, it has gained importance in recent years.
The relationship between the Christmas flower star and Christmas dates back to the 16th century in Mexico. According to legend, a girl was too poor to give a gift for Jesus’ birthday celebrations. She decided to pick the weeds on the side of the road and brought them to the altar. When she put them there, a miracle happened. The weeds turned into scarlet flowers, with their characteristic star-shaped leaves.