In His Light

The Legend of the Robin's Red Breast

A little brown bird shared Bethlehem's stable with the holy family. One night as the family lay sleeping, she noticed their fire was going out. So she flew down from the rafters and fanned the fire with her wings throughout the night in order to keep the baby Jesus warm. In the morning, she was rewarded with a red breast as a symbol of her love for the newborn king.

When she came to the manger to worship the baby Jesus, a little shepherdess began to cry because she had no gift for the king. As each tear fell to the ground a beautiful white rose sprang from it. Delighted, the shepherdess gathered the roses into a bouquet and presented them to the baby. When Jesus touched the roses, a beautiful pink tinge appeared on the petals.

A young orphan boy was living with the shepherds when the herald angels appeared announcing the glad tidings of Christ's birth. On the way to Bethlehem, the child wove a crown of holly branches for the newborn king. But when he lay it before Jesus, the crown looked so unworthy that the little shepherd became ashamed of his gift and began to cry. Then the Christ Child reached out, touched the crown, caused its leaves to sparkle shiny and green, and turned the orphan's tears into scarlet berries.

A lamb named BaBa lived in the stable at Bethlehem. One night as the holy family slept, BaBa crept up to the manger to watch the baby sleep. While she watched, BaBa noticed how thin the infant's blanket was and that he was shivering from the cold. Filled with love for the child, BaBa warmed him with her own body throughout the night. When Jesus touched her rough, shaggy coat, it was transformed into a beautiful soft wool coat.

After hiding in Egypt for some years, Joseph decided to move his family back to Nazareth. During the night they camped along the side of the road. One night while they slept, their donkey heard the soldiers' horses coming from afar. Afraid that the soldiers were coming to kill Jesus, the donkey neighed to wake Joseph. He neighed and neighed, again and again, but his voice was just too soft to wake the sleepers. Finally, as the soldiers approached, the donkey prayed for a loud voice to wake the family. When he neighed again, he was rewarded with the loud bray such as donkeys have had ever since.

When Jesus was born, the rosemary was just a plain green plant without fragrance or blossom. One day as the holy family traveled to Egypt, Mary stopped to wash some of the baby's clothes in a stream. Looking about for something to hang the little garments on to dry, Mary chose the rosemary bush and hung Jesus' clothes upon it. As Mary gathered the dry clothes together, she blessed the rosemary with blue flowers to match the color of her own cloak and a spicy fragrance as a remembrance of Christ's garments.

In order to visit the newborn king, the three wise men traveled with a caravan across many miles of desert. Traveling as quickly as they could, to reach the baby before the star departed, they neglected to carry enough water for both man and beast. The wise men asked the camels to travel without water until the end of their journey so they might reach the baby in time. The camels were agreeable and raced across the desert without rest or water. When they finally reached the stable, the camels worshipped the baby and thanked God for giving them the strength for their waterless journey. Drinking their fill from the stable's trough, the camels were rewarded with humps to keep them from thirsting in the desert.

The shepherds gathered quite a throng in Bethlehem as they journeyed to meet the newborn king. A little blind boy sat along the side of the town's road and, hearing rumors of the angel's announcement, he begged the traveler's to lead him to the Christ child. No one would take the time. After the crowd passed and the streets grew silent, the boy heard the faint tinkling of a cow's bell in the distance. He thought to himself, "Perhaps that cow is in the very stable where Christ lies," and followed the bell to the stable. There, the cow led the boy to the infant Jesus.

The legend is told of a grandmotherly old woman (la Bafana in Italy) (Babushka in Russia) who refused to go out into the cold night with the shepherds to visit the baby Jesus. In the morning, she prepared a basket of gifts for the child and visited the stable only to find it empty. Since that day, she has traveled the world, peering into each child's face seeking to find the Christ. At Christmas time she leaves gifts for every child always hoping one of them will be the Christ.

In one village in Mexico it was customary for each person to place a gift on the altar of the church for the baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. One Christmas an angel told a small child to take some dried up weeds he'd found along the road to the church for the baby. When the child placed the weeds on the altar, they turned into the first poinsettia. Since then the flower has been called "The Flower of the Holy Night" or "Flor de la Noche Buena".

One night as the holy family was fleeing to Egypt, Joseph heard the soldiers riding behind them. Since there were no rocks or caves to hide in, the family hid beneath the branches of a holly bush. Normally, the bush would not have offered much shelter since it had lost all its leaves in the fall. But that night the holly miraculously pushed forth its leaves and grew sharp thorns to hide the family. Since then the holly has borne leaves all year long.

Another legends states that the holly used to have white berries. But when the crown of thorns was woven of holly branches and placed on Christ's head, the blood which trickled onto the crown turned the berries red.

A little street boy in Bethlehem had no gift for the newborn king so he juggled for the baby and made him laugh. That is why we hang balls on the Christmas tree - to remember the laughter of God.

One Christmas Eve when the Christ child came to bless the Christmas trees, he noticed that the tree in one home was covered with cobwebs, drawn by curious spiders. When he blessed the tree, Jesus turned the cobwebs into beautiful strands of gold and silver garland.

Several legends claim the fir is one of the trees from the garden of Eden. One says the fir is the Tree of Life whose leaves shrank into tiny needles when Eve plucked the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life did not bloom again until the night Christ was born.

Another legend claims that Adam carried a twig of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil with him from the garden. This twig later became the fir which was used for the Christmas tree and the Holy Cross.

With the first

fallen snow,

Down on a cloud,

they will glide.

Their gentle touch

in the fluffy snow

leaves an impression,

so all will know.

Touched by an Angel

is in the snow.

It is said that the star is placed on the utmost area

Of the Christmas tree to remind us of the birth of Our Savior so many years ago.

And having heard the king they went on their way and lo the star which they had seen in the east went on before them until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star they rejoiced with great joy.

In general the Christmas star symbolizes high hopes and high ideals. Hope for good fortune, hope for reaching above oneself. For all human beings regardless of religion, stars have special meaning for all share the heavens, no matter what barriers keep them apart on earth.

Long ago, in a far country,

there lived a little boy whose family was so poor they didn't have a Christmas tree.

The boy was worried that Santa Claus wouldn't visit his house because, in those days, Santa always left the gifts under the tree. Before he went to bed, the little boy washed his stockings as he always did, for he had only one pair to wear. He hung them to dry by the fire and crawled into bed. Soon he was fast asleep.

When Santa arrived he was very surprised to find no tree in the house. Where could he leave the gifts? He knew that the little boy had been good all year, so he looked around the house. Then he saw the little boy's stockings hanging up to dry. "This will do nicely," he chuckled. He stuffed them with toys and other goodies.When the little boy dressed on Christmas morning he found his stockings full of surprises. He was so delighted that he ran from his house to tell all his friends what had happened. Soon children all over the countryside had heard the story. And the very next Christmas many stockings were hung by the fireside in hopes that Santa would fill them.

Long ago

a glittering star led

the way to a

Holy Child

And today it is said

that snowflakes

are tiny pieces

of that very star

sent to lead our

hearts home to

Jesus the

Light of the World.

It is said that

Long ago people would build snowmen in their yards to show

weary travelers that

theirs was a place of

shelter and hope.

For every snowman

you have built and that's melted away,

you have added a

snow angel

to heaven that day.

Sometime during the latter part of the 18th century in England all religious symbols were banned from public display. Christians could no longer recognize one another by any type of symbolic jewelry or clothing. It was during this time it is told that there was a Christian candy maker who set out to find some way for members of any Christian family to identify each other. He began with a white candy to signify purity and holiness of Jesus Christ.

Next he fashioned the candy cane into the shape of a shepherd’s staff as a reminder that our Heavenly Father is the Good Shepherd. Then he placed three small red stripes around the candy to represent the encompassing power and presence of the Trinity ... The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Finally he placed a single bold red stripe right throughout the candy and to demonstrate the redeeming power and the blood

Christ shed upon the cross for each of us, and the forgiveness of sins.Alas the candy cane became known only as a decoration on a Christmas tree. But the meaning is still there for those who have

"eyes to see and ears to hear."

Throughout medieval Europe a very large candle called the Christmas candle was burned until the twelfth night, in remembrance of the arrival of the Wise Men to Bethlehem. In Victorian times candles represented good will for those less fortunate and were placed in windows December 25th to January 6th to indicate welcome to any passerby needing shelter and food.

Legend tells us that candles in windows guide the Christ Child as he wanders from house to house on Christmas Eve looking for a place to stay. Thus no traveler can be turned away on Christmas Eve in case the Christ Child might come by. Today especially at Christmas candles signify the message of the season.

A candle burning in the window of some Christian homes symbolically lights the way of the Holy family, as well as welcomed guests.

The True Story of the Twelve Days of Christmas

From 1558 until 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During that era someone wrote “The Twelve Days of Christmas” as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.

The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ

The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments

Three French hens stand for faith, hope, and love

The four calling birds are the four Gospels

The five golden rings recall the torah (law) of the first five books of the Old Testament

The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation

Seven swans a-swimming represents the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit

The eight maids a-milking are the beatitudes

Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit

(Gal. 5)

The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments

Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples

Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.

There you have it, the HIDDEN meaning of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and the secret behind the song.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,

Fair not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, Which is Christ the Lord,

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The Legend of Santa Claus

The Santa Claus legend can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas.
It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in
modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the
subject of many stories. Nicholas was a very generous man, known for his charity and
wisdom, who gave away his wealth to those in need. He would often go out at night, disguised
in a hooded cloak, to leave gifts of money, clothing or food for the poor and underprivileged.

Legend of the Christmas Tree

Saint Boniface, an English missionary, known as the "Apostle of Germany", in 722 came upon some men about to cut a huge oak tree as a stake (Oak of Thor) for a human sacrifice to their pagan god. With one mighty blow, Saint Boniface felled the massive oak and as the tree split, a beautiful young fir tree sprang from its center. Saint Boniface told the people that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was indeed a holy tree, the tree of the Christ Child, a symbol of His promise of eternal life. He instructed them henceforth to carry the evergreen from the wilderness into their homes and to surround it with gifts, symbols of love and kindness

The Legend of the Pine Tree

Legend of the Christmas Wreath

More than just a decorative touch for your wall or door, wreaths have existed in various forms since the time of the ancient Romans. Whether the wreath you hang is a crafter's masterpiece or a homemade hand-me down, it has a long tradition of meaning behind it. Wreaths are an eternal part of the festive season.
In ancient Greece a coral wreath was awarded to victors in sporting events. In the way that we now award gold medals, the wreath was a sign of victory. It meant much the same to the ancient Romans, a sign of victory over challengers.
Religiously, the advent wreath has a place in Catholic tradition. This special wreath is created with four candles, each a different color. One candle is lit each Friday of Advent with a prayer. In this, the wreath represents the coming if the Christmas celebration. A wreath of evergreen with 4 chas no beginning and no ending. This may represent the eternal nature of a god's love, or the circle of life. Evergreens are used to represent immortality and the victory of life through darkness and challenge. The fact that evergreens live through winter signifies the strength of life. The decorative value of wreaths is believed to have been derived by ancient tradition. In the way that we use house numbers today, wreaths featuring different floral arrangements were used to identify different families and houses.

Also attributing to the wreath lore is the Roman use of wreaths as signs of victory. It is believed that victors of battles would hang wreaths upon their doors to advertise their status. Today wreaths are a wonderful decorative touch, both year round and at Christmas time. It is a sign of faith in humanity and life and of victory over life's challenges. Whether you hang a wreath on the door to welcome visitors or on the wall to complete a room's decor the splash of color on a cold winter's day is sure to add a feeling of warmth, building excitement for the coming season. Much symbolism can be attributed to the Christmas wreath.

Reindeer

Does Santa come with flying reindeer
to deliver presents at Christmas?

Scientist tell us no known species of reindeer can fly.
BUT there are 300,000 species
of living organisms yet to
be classified, and while most of these are
insects and germs, this does not COMPLETELY
rule out flying reindeer.
However, those of us with Christmas
in our heart know for a fact that
flying reindeer do exist.
We even know their names;
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer,
Vixen, Donder (or Donner
he is known by both names
since some of the small reindeer
have trouble saying 'Donder'),
Blitzen, Comet, Cupid and of course --
Rudolph. Rudolph with his shiny red nose
is probably the most famous.
He is really helpful to Santa
on foggy nights. Blixen is the fastest
of the reindeer. Dancer likes to do just that, dance. Cupid is the jokester of the bunch.
All of them are good fliers, of course, and magical creatures. How does Santa's sleigh make it around the world
in just one day? Santa and the reindeer
have had lots of practice and make wise use of time zones
this and a little magic and they always make in on time.
Santa Claus hasn't missed a year yet,
though he has had some close calls.