The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas: The Story Behind the Nativity, Candy Canes, Caroling, and All Things Christmas by David McLaughlan Page A
Authors: David McLaughlan
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eventually became an inspector of prisons. Pastor Wichern was a Protestant, but before long both Protestant and the Catholic communities had enthusiastically embraced his new idea.
What?
The wreath was traditionally made of evergreen branches woven tightly into a circle. It would be laid horizontally (rather than vertically, as is the tradition in many American homes these days) and decorated with seeds, nuts, and pinecones. Being made virtually fireproof by nature, it made a convenient and attractive setting for candles.
These days many families hang decorated wreaths on their front doors to show they are celebrating Christmas. The horizontal version can still be found in churches, where a candle will be lit for each week of the Advent period. A fifth candle, usually in the middle of the wreath, is often used to represent Christ.
Where?
Originally the candles on the midwinter wreaths made by pagan peoples would have been offerings to tempt the “dying” sun to come back in springtime. They may have had some Christian associations in the Middle Ages.
Pastor Wichern, who founded a mission school in Munich, is said to have been constantly pestered by the children who wanted to know how long it was until Christmas. So, he set a cart wheel on its side, decorated it with leaves and branches, and placed a candle on each spoke with one in the center. The children got to light a candle each day and so could see Christmas Day, and the last candle, coming ever closer.
When?
Midwinter wreaths have been made since time immemorial. Pastor Wichern made his cart wheel “wreath” in 1839. The two traditions must have seemed ripe for combining, but the smaller versions were definitely preferable. After all, most people could weave some branches together, but not everyone had a cart wheel to spare or a place to display one. Churches made the wreaths and candles part of their annual services, and people took their own versions into their homes.
Perhaps surprisingly for such a firmly established Christmas tradition, the practice of hanging Advent wreaths on the doors of homes or lighting Advent candles in church did not reach the United States until the 1930s.
Why?
Pastor Wichern may have invented his Advent wreath to quiet down some excited children, as the legend suggests, but he probably also had the spiritual education of his wards at heart.
Christians who adopted the pagan wreaths probably had no difficulty equating the idea of never-ending life with the Eternal God. The practice of encouraging the sun to come back in the springtime fit well with the idea of waiting, excitedly, for the second coming of the Son of God.
Different churches attach different symbolisms to the four external candles, but they all encourage excited anticipation in the weeks before the Christ candle is lit.
3
Angels
Who?
The Bible doesn’t say that Gabriel was the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, but it would seem very likely. After all it was he who told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God. The book of Luke tells of “an angel” making the announcement, but earlier in the story Gabriel described himself as the one who stands “in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee” (Luke 1:19).
His name means “God is my strength,” and he serves as God’s messenger throughout the Bible. For an announcement of such magnificence, it seems highly unlikely God would have sent anyone else.
What?
Angels hold a position in creation somewhere between humanity and the divine. As such they are often used to carry important messages to humans or carry out God’s will on earth. The name
angel
ultimately derives from the Greek word for “messenger.”
The angels in the Bible seem to have presented themselves as men (sometimes as comforting messengers, sometimes as destroyers), but their beauty often leads to them being depicted in art as female. Most of the
What?
The wreath was traditionally made of evergreen branches woven tightly into a circle. It would be laid horizontally (rather than vertically, as is the tradition in many American homes these days) and decorated with seeds, nuts, and pinecones. Being made virtually fireproof by nature, it made a convenient and attractive setting for candles.
These days many families hang decorated wreaths on their front doors to show they are celebrating Christmas. The horizontal version can still be found in churches, where a candle will be lit for each week of the Advent period. A fifth candle, usually in the middle of the wreath, is often used to represent Christ.
Where?
Originally the candles on the midwinter wreaths made by pagan peoples would have been offerings to tempt the “dying” sun to come back in springtime. They may have had some Christian associations in the Middle Ages.
Pastor Wichern, who founded a mission school in Munich, is said to have been constantly pestered by the children who wanted to know how long it was until Christmas. So, he set a cart wheel on its side, decorated it with leaves and branches, and placed a candle on each spoke with one in the center. The children got to light a candle each day and so could see Christmas Day, and the last candle, coming ever closer.
When?
Midwinter wreaths have been made since time immemorial. Pastor Wichern made his cart wheel “wreath” in 1839. The two traditions must have seemed ripe for combining, but the smaller versions were definitely preferable. After all, most people could weave some branches together, but not everyone had a cart wheel to spare or a place to display one. Churches made the wreaths and candles part of their annual services, and people took their own versions into their homes.
Perhaps surprisingly for such a firmly established Christmas tradition, the practice of hanging Advent wreaths on the doors of homes or lighting Advent candles in church did not reach the United States until the 1930s.
Why?
Pastor Wichern may have invented his Advent wreath to quiet down some excited children, as the legend suggests, but he probably also had the spiritual education of his wards at heart.
Christians who adopted the pagan wreaths probably had no difficulty equating the idea of never-ending life with the Eternal God. The practice of encouraging the sun to come back in the springtime fit well with the idea of waiting, excitedly, for the second coming of the Son of God.
Different churches attach different symbolisms to the four external candles, but they all encourage excited anticipation in the weeks before the Christ candle is lit.
3
Angels
Who?
The Bible doesn’t say that Gabriel was the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, but it would seem very likely. After all it was he who told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God. The book of Luke tells of “an angel” making the announcement, but earlier in the story Gabriel described himself as the one who stands “in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee” (Luke 1:19).
His name means “God is my strength,” and he serves as God’s messenger throughout the Bible. For an announcement of such magnificence, it seems highly unlikely God would have sent anyone else.
What?
Angels hold a position in creation somewhere between humanity and the divine. As such they are often used to carry important messages to humans or carry out God’s will on earth. The name
angel
ultimately derives from the Greek word for “messenger.”
The angels in the Bible seem to have presented themselves as men (sometimes as comforting messengers, sometimes as destroyers), but their beauty often leads to them being depicted in art as female. Most of the
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