Christmas Symbols and Their Traditional and Legend
Christmas is the most joyous time world over, and also the most popular festival globally.
Like pumpkins, jack-o lantern and bats are icons of Halloween’s Day, turkey and harvest of fruits and corns for Thanks giving Day, Christmas holiday also has some of the interesting and enjoyable icons and symbols. Christmas star, Mistletoe, Ivy, Laurel & Rosemary, Holly, Christmas Rose, Christmas Stocking, Christmas Wreath, Christmas toys etc.. In fact, these things have become so common with the celebration of Christmas, through these symbols people come to know that Christmas has come.
While you know what are the old traditions, customs and rituals that associated with those icons? Following are some of the symbols that have been eventually attached to the Day celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Christmas star has traditionally been associated with the spirit of the celebration related to the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas star symbolizes high hopes and high ideals.
Mistletoe
A symbol of love, peace and goodwill, Mistletoe is an aerial parasite that has no roots of its own and lives off the tree that it attaches itself to. It is believed that the plant had special healing powers for everything from female infertility to poison ingestion.
Ivy, Laurel & Rosemary
The Christmas symbol of ivy stands for the eternal life in pagan religions, whereas Romans believed laurel was sacred to the sun god Apollo. Rosemary was used during the Middle Ages by housewives to spread on the floor at Christmas.
Holly
The holly is a man’s plant and is believed to bring good luck and protection to men. It is thought that whoever brings the first sprig of Christmas holly into the home will wear the pants that year.
Poinsettia
The poinsettia flower is small, green or yellow and situated in the middle of the bracts. The poinsettia is named after Joel R. Poinsett, who served as the USA first ambassador to Mexico, from 1825-1829.
Glastonbury Thorn
Glastonbury Thorn, also known as “The Holy Thorn of Glastonbury”. The glastonbury thorn legend ties in Christ’s death as well as the celebration of his birth.
Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings. Originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose.
Widely known, the customs of Christmas wreath come from the traditional celebration of the birth of Christ, which was later on combined with the harvest and winter solstice festivals in ancient Rome.
Christmas Toys
Children anywhere in the world are excited and joyous on receiving Christmas toys as a gift. Available in almost infinite variety of choices, Christmas toys are for every age of childhood, and there are many different kinds for each age. (more…)
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