It's wonderful. The children are always enraptured by it. I miss it so much.
Christmas Carolers: Cheery or Cheesy?
The Big Question
2011/12/15 08:00:00
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Top Opinion
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flaca BN-0 2011/12/14 02:08:24Cheery
+9I grew up mainly in England. Most towns have a town square. Every December 24th, right before Christmas, there's always carol singing. Everyone can meander over and join in.
It's wonderful. The children are always enraptured by it. I miss it so much.
Christmas Tree: Although its origins can be traced to 16th century (1500s) Northern Germany, no one or no town or city can be identified as its origin. There is some evidence that it was initially brought to Germany by Franciscan missionaries from Italy. The manger scene that one sees during Christmas time is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. Tradition also states that Francis himself decorated a tree each year and placed the manger under it. As Francis's birth/death dates are 1181/82 - 1226 AD, it is quite possible that the tradition spread with his order throughout Europe.
Bringing a tree into the home and decorating it with a manger scene under the tree became popular throughout Europe, and by the 1800s it was common in most homes and in most cities and towns. German immigrants brought the tradition to the American colonies in the 1600-1700s.
The Christmas Tree is a symbolic scene from Scripture. The Star of Bethlehem is represented by a star ornament at the very top of the tree. The tree itself represents the rays of the Bethlehem Star shining down upon the manger, which is placed under the tree. The decorated tree is the starry firmament of the sky. Sometimes the garla...
Christmas Tree: Although its origins can be traced to 16th century (1500s) Northern Germany, no one or no town or city can be identified as its origin. There is some evidence that it was initially brought to Germany by Franciscan missionaries from Italy. The manger scene that one sees during Christmas time is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. Tradition also states that Francis himself decorated a tree each year and placed the manger under it. As Francis's birth/death dates are 1181/82 - 1226 AD, it is quite possible that the tradition spread with his order throughout Europe.
Bringing a tree into the home and decorating it with a manger scene under the tree became popular throughout Europe, and by the 1800s it was common in most homes and in most cities and towns. German immigrants brought the tradition to the American colonies in the 1600-1700s.
The Christmas Tree is a symbolic scene from Scripture. The Star of Bethlehem is represented by a star ornament at the very top of the tree. The tree itself represents the rays of the Bethlehem Star shining down upon the manger, which is placed under the tree. The decorated tree is the starry firmament of the sky. Sometimes the garland represents the Aurora Borealis. In this sense, the Christmas Tree is definitely a most sacred Christian symbol of the birth of the Christ Child, which is found in the Luke's birth narrative.
Santa Claus: ...is an actual Catholic Saint who is also known as Saint Nicholas of Myra. His feastday is celebrated on December 5. He was a fourth-century Greek bishop who was known for his generosity to the poor, particularly to girls about to marry and children. A movement was started by Martin Luther to downplay gift-giving on December 5th, and he suggested that people begin giving gifts on December 25th honoring the birth of Christ.
Down through the centuries his story became exaggerated and intertwined with pagan stories of Odin (Germanic), Father Christmas (English), Kris Kringle (Austrian), Santa Claus (Dutch) - just to name a few.
Christmas Carols: The word carol or carole is a medieval word of French and Anglo-Norman origin, believed to mean a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. Broadly defined, carols express religious joy and is often associated to the Christmas season. Carols are also used to describe late medieval English songs on various subjects with a verse and refrain. Often the verse and refrain (also called burden) alternates.
Christmas crib: (see Christmas Tree above - manger scene)
Yule Log: Yule log is a large wooden log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in several European cultures. It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night.
The expression "Yule log" has also come to refer to log-shaped Christmas cakes, also known as "chocolate logs" or "Bûche de Noël".
The word yule means 'Christmas', or the season or feast celebrating Christmas. It comes from the Middle English word for Christmas yole and from Old English geol.
Yule was the traditional name for the celebrations around the 25th; the festival lasted for twelve days, which are now the twelve days of Christmas. The origin of the word Yule seems originate from the Anglo Saxon word for sun and light. Most likely regarding the rebirth of the sun from the shortest day. In many places fires or candles were kindled to burn through the twelve days that marked the festivities
Many of the symbols of Christmas echo its aspect of rebirth and hope in darkness. Holly was thought to be important because it retains its greenery right through the winter months, and as such is a symbol of summer life in the winter starkness. Holly was the male symbol of this greenery, and Ivy was the feminine, the two often placed together as a symbol of fecundity at the dark end of the year. There was also a belief that evergreen plants and trees were refuges for the woodland spirits through the winter months.
Evergreen Trees a symbol of life
Yule, (pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, much celebration was to be had as the ancestors awaited the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth and made her to bear forth from seeds protected through the fall and winter in her womb. Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.
His name is Odin and was considered to be the god of Yule, (a pagan midwinter festival) by many of the Germanic peoples. The legend of Odin spoke of a great long bearded man who flew through the sky with the aid of an eight-legged horse.
The horse was rumored to not only be able to fly, but apparently could also leap great distances as well. Children in these ancient days would leave carrots, sugar or straw in their boots for Odin’s flying horse, the boots placed carefully near the chimney. Odin was said to reward the children for their kindness with food, sweets or presents.
The evergreen tree is a symbol of the green to come at the re-birth of Mother Earth. In ancient Egypt they laid gifts under Palm Trees during the winter celebration. In ancient Rome they used the fir tree (called the Baal Berith) as a testimony to the Pagan messiah, Baal Tamar.
In classical literature, Nimrod is sometimes called Ninus, but Ninus was probably, in fact, Nimrod's son, the builder of the city of Ninevah. Nimrod's wife was Semiramis, the Queen of Heaven, and sometimes her husband is called Ninus, while other times, Ninus is said to be her son. The confusion is related to the story of Nimrod's deification. The legend said that Nimrod was killed, but that he was resurrected as his wife's son, a feat which could have been orchestrated only by a god.
Baal-Bereth is the Father of the Yule season and the Yule (xmas) Tree. "The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in PaganRome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm-tree; in Rome it was the fir; thepalm-tree denoting the Pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith."¹
"The Christmas-tree, as has been stated, was generally at Rome a different tree, even the fir;but the very same idea as was implied in the palm-tree was implied in the Christmas-fir; forthat covertly symbolised the new-born God as Baal-Berith, "Lord of the Covenant," and thusshadowed forth the perpetuity and everlasting nature of his power, not that after having fallen before his enemies, he had risen triumphant over them all." ²
In Egypt they worshipped Nimrod as a palm tree, referring to him as the Messiah "Baal-Tamar." Among the most ancient of Baals, he was known as Baal-Bereth, “Lord of the fir-tree.” He evolved into Baal-Berith, “Lord of the Covenant.” In Ancient Rome, where they also worshiped the fir tree, they called him "Baal-Berith."
The 25th of December, was observed in Rome as the day when the victorious God reappeared on earth, and was held at the Natalis invicti solis, "The birth-day of the unconquered Sun." Now the Yule Log represents the dead stock of Nimrod, known as the Sun-God, but cut down by his enemies; the xmas-tree represents Nimrod- the slain God reborn. The ancient practice of kissing under the mistletoe bough, most common to the Druids, was derived from Babylon, and was a representation of the Messiah, "The man the branch." The mistletoe was regarded as a divine branch --a branch that came from heaven, and grew upon a tree that sprung out of the earth. Nimrod, the God of nature, was symbolized by a great tree. But having been cut down and killed in his prime, he was now symbolized as a branchless tree stump, called the Yule Log. Then the great serpent came and wrapped itself around Nimrod (the stump). Miraculously, a new tree appeared at the side of the stump, which symbolized Nimrod’s resurrection and victory over death.
The Babylonians celebrated the birth of the God Tammuz on the Winter Solstice and God Nimrod would visit the evergreen trees of the people and leave gifts upon them.
The early Christian Church frowned upon the exchange of gifts because of its Pagan origins. People refused to give up the customs of their old Pagan religions, though. Ultimately, around 700 years ago, the Christian Church decided to attribute the gift exchange to symbolize the gifts given to Jesus by the three Wise Men. It took the Church over 1,300 years to finally "borrow" the Pagan ritual of gift exchanging and call it their own.