The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas: The Story Behind the Nativity, Candy Canes, Caroling, and All Things Christmas by David McLaughlan Page B
Authors: David McLaughlan
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angels who adorn Christmas trees these days will be in the form of beautiful, adoring women with wings and halos. Surprisingly, no mention is made of angels having wings until the book of Revelation.
Where?
Gabriel and the other angels came directly from God and appeared, well, wherever there was a message that needed delivering! In the book of Luke the “heavenly host” appeared to the shepherds in a field in the night. Perhaps the shepherds were the only ones awake at that hour!
The Bible has them appearing in Israel and Judah, but there are very few countries where angelic appearances have not been recorded.
In family Christmases the angel (it will usually be either an angel or a star) takes pride of place at the very top of the tree, perhaps representing the idea that angels look down on us mortals from above.
When?
In the book of Genesis, an angel is sent to guard the Garden of Eden. Angels play a major role in the book of Revelation. These two books cover the whole span of creation. So angels have always been with us and always will be.
But when should you put your angel on top of your Christmas tree? Some folk favor the tradition of twelve days before Christmas and for twelve days after. Increasingly, though, people put their tree (and their angel) up straight after Thanksgiving, thus making the most of the time available either to shop or to anticipate the birth of the Lord.
Why?
All through the Bible, angels carry messages, comfort the needy, and punish the unrepentant, but no errand from God could have been as important as the one trusted to the unnamed angel on the night of the first Christmas. He had to announce nothing less than the arrival of God on earth in the form of a newborn child!
He appeared in the middle of the night more than two millennia ago to tell some shepherds the good news, showing that God loved the humble. He was joined by “the heavenly host,” who sang praises to God and promptly returned to heaven.
Why? For the salvation of all mankind. That’s why!
4
Boxing Day
Who?
Rather wonderfully, the day after the one dedicated to Jesus Christ’s birth is dedicated to Saint Stephen, Christianity’s first-known martyr. In many countries Boxing Day is better known as St. Stephen’s Day.
St. Stephen’s Day, described as “the Feast of Stephen,” is featured in the carol “Good King Wenceslas.”
What?
Many countries where Christmas is a recognized holiday have some version of Boxing Day. It may be an officially sanctioned holiday from work, a day of spiritual observance, or simply a day of recovering from the excesses of Christmas.
In times when real holidays were much scarcer, Boxing Day undoubtedly had greater significance, but these days it does tend to get absorbed into the Christmas celebrations. Often it is little more than a chance to enjoy some major sporting events or simply catch up with the family and friends not seen on Christmas Day. (Not that those are unimportant things!)
Increasingly January sales are beginning on Boxing Day.
Where?
Boxing Day is recognized and celebrated in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries (countries associated with the former British Empire) across the world. Places with a strong Catholic or Lutheran tradition have also tended to preserve the idea of St. Stephen’s Day. The combination of the two traditions means that one or the other is celebrated in many countries. However, many people in the United States have only read about the day.
For many the tradition will be celebrated in the home, but if we were to combine the charitable aspect of the day with the love displayed at Christmas, we could take a little Boxing Day generosity to some place where there was a need to be met.
When?
Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26. The Feast Day of St. Stephen, on which the tradition of Boxing Day stands, was proclaimed in 1083. Originally a day of remembrance
Where?
Gabriel and the other angels came directly from God and appeared, well, wherever there was a message that needed delivering! In the book of Luke the “heavenly host” appeared to the shepherds in a field in the night. Perhaps the shepherds were the only ones awake at that hour!
The Bible has them appearing in Israel and Judah, but there are very few countries where angelic appearances have not been recorded.
In family Christmases the angel (it will usually be either an angel or a star) takes pride of place at the very top of the tree, perhaps representing the idea that angels look down on us mortals from above.
When?
In the book of Genesis, an angel is sent to guard the Garden of Eden. Angels play a major role in the book of Revelation. These two books cover the whole span of creation. So angels have always been with us and always will be.
But when should you put your angel on top of your Christmas tree? Some folk favor the tradition of twelve days before Christmas and for twelve days after. Increasingly, though, people put their tree (and their angel) up straight after Thanksgiving, thus making the most of the time available either to shop or to anticipate the birth of the Lord.
Why?
All through the Bible, angels carry messages, comfort the needy, and punish the unrepentant, but no errand from God could have been as important as the one trusted to the unnamed angel on the night of the first Christmas. He had to announce nothing less than the arrival of God on earth in the form of a newborn child!
He appeared in the middle of the night more than two millennia ago to tell some shepherds the good news, showing that God loved the humble. He was joined by “the heavenly host,” who sang praises to God and promptly returned to heaven.
Why? For the salvation of all mankind. That’s why!
4
Boxing Day
Who?
Rather wonderfully, the day after the one dedicated to Jesus Christ’s birth is dedicated to Saint Stephen, Christianity’s first-known martyr. In many countries Boxing Day is better known as St. Stephen’s Day.
St. Stephen’s Day, described as “the Feast of Stephen,” is featured in the carol “Good King Wenceslas.”
What?
Many countries where Christmas is a recognized holiday have some version of Boxing Day. It may be an officially sanctioned holiday from work, a day of spiritual observance, or simply a day of recovering from the excesses of Christmas.
In times when real holidays were much scarcer, Boxing Day undoubtedly had greater significance, but these days it does tend to get absorbed into the Christmas celebrations. Often it is little more than a chance to enjoy some major sporting events or simply catch up with the family and friends not seen on Christmas Day. (Not that those are unimportant things!)
Increasingly January sales are beginning on Boxing Day.
Where?
Boxing Day is recognized and celebrated in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries (countries associated with the former British Empire) across the world. Places with a strong Catholic or Lutheran tradition have also tended to preserve the idea of St. Stephen’s Day. The combination of the two traditions means that one or the other is celebrated in many countries. However, many people in the United States have only read about the day.
For many the tradition will be celebrated in the home, but if we were to combine the charitable aspect of the day with the love displayed at Christmas, we could take a little Boxing Day generosity to some place where there was a need to be met.
When?
Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26. The Feast Day of St. Stephen, on which the tradition of Boxing Day stands, was proclaimed in 1083. Originally a day of remembrance
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