Additional Traditions

Christmas Candles

There are many different reasons why candles are associated with Christmas, although no one knows when they first became connected! They were used during ancient winter solstice celebrations a way of remembering that spring would soon come. One of the earliest records of candles being used at Christmas is from the middle ages, where a large candle was used to represent the star of Bethlehem. Jesus is sometimes called 'the Light of the World' by Christians. This might have started the custom of the Advent Crown and Advent Candles.

Candles are also used during Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of light which is also celebrated during winter. During the eight nights of Hanukkah, a candle is lit in a special menorah (candelabra) called a 'hanukkiyah'. Candles are also used in the modern winter festival Kwanzaa, where a special candle holder called a kinara, that holds seven candles is used.

Perhaps the most famous use of candles at Christmas are Carols by Candlelight Services. These are services when the church is only lit by candles. Candles were also originally used to decorate Christmas Trees, until safer electric lights were invented! In some parts of Ireland, it was traditional to have a Yule candle instead of a Yule Log. In Southern India, Christians often put small oil burning clay lamps on the flat roofs of their homes to celebrate Christmas. Christians in China use paper lanterns to decorate their Christmas trees. Candles are also used as part of the St. Lucia's or St. Lucy's day celebrations in Sweden.

Chrismons and Chrismon Patterns

Chrismons are Christmas decorations with Christian symbols on them. They help Christians to remember that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus's birthday. They are often used on Christmas Trees in Churches and Christians homes.

They were first made by Frances Kipps Spencer at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, USA. She also thought of the word, Chrismon, which is a combination of Christ and monogram (meaning symbol). The idea quickly spread to other churches. It is traditional that Christian groups can make their own Chrismons with their favourite symbols on. Each year a 20ft (6 metre) Christmas Tree is decorated in the Ascension Lutheran Church, as Mrs Spencer intended, and visitors come and the hear the story of Jesus explained through her original Chrismons and a few gifts from around the world. Chrismons are traditionally coloured white and gold. White is the liturgical (or Church) colour for Christmas and symbolises that Jesus was pure and perfect. Gold symbolises His Majesty and Glory. Chrismons can be made from nearly anything, but paper and embroidered ones are the most widely used. Below are some symbols that are common Chrismons and what they represent to Christians. Click on a Chrismon to open a larger version which you can use as a patten to make Chrismons. The Cross symbolises that Christians believe Jesus Christ died for everyone on a Cross.

The History of Christingles

The idea of Christingles came from a Moravian Church in Germany in 1747. The minister, John de Watteville, gave children at the service a lighted candle with a red ribbon around it. This represented Jesus being the light of the world and the final prayer of that first service was "Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs like Thine become". The custom went around the world with the church. Missionaries brought the Moravian Church to England in the 1700s. In Moravian churches, the Christingle Service is usually held on the Sunday before Christmas or on Christmas Eve.

Over the years the symbolism of the Christingle grew into what's known as a Christingle today. Here's what the different parts of the Christingle represent: 1. The orange is round like the world. 2. The candle stands tall and straight and gives light in the dark like the love of God. 3. The red ribbon goes all around the 'world' and is a symbol of the blood Jesus shed when he died for us. 4. The four sticks point in all directions and symbolise North, South,

East and West - they also represent the four seasons. 5. The fruit and nuts (or sometimes sweets!) represent the fruits of the earth, nurtured by the sunshine and the rain. You can find out more about the first Christingle service on The Moravian Church British Province's website. The word Christingle could have come from several sources. It might be an 'English' version of 'Christkindl' (meaning little Christ child), the present bringer is some parts of Germany and other European countries, who represents the baby Jesus. It could be a the putting together of the words Christmas and ingle. Ingle is an old Scots word for fire and so that would make it mean the 'Christ Light'. As Christingles originally came from Germany, the first theory is more likely. Christingles were made popular in the England by The Children’s Society (one of the earliest children's charities in the UK and it has strong connections with the Church of England). The first Christingle service held in the Church of England was in 1968. The idea came from John Pensom who was also known as "Mr Christingle"! People didn't think the service would work as making the Christingles would be too complicated - but they were wrong! The custom has spread through to all kinds of churches and is one of the most common and popular Christmas services in the UK, especially among children. Christingles services still normally raise money for children's charities.

There's a New Year's Day tradition in Wales which dates back to the middle ages called Calennig. Children would go round houses, singing songs and rhymes and wishing people good luck for the new year. They hope to get some money and treats in return! Some adults would go Calennig very early in the morning/night on January 1st and sing very loudly! It has similarities to Carol Singing and Wassailing. People would often carry a Calennig apple - an apple on a tripod of twigs or sticks (so it can stand up) and decorated with nuts, cloves and greenery. This has sometimes been associated with Christingles although they're not related at all! Calennig means 'New year celebration or gift/ first day of the month'. Calennig can also now mean the big New Years celebrations held in Welsh cities like Cardiff.

Jesse Trees are a very old Christmas Tradition and first started in medieval times. They are used to help tell the story of the Bible from creation to the Christmas Story. The name comes from Jesse who was the Father of the great Jewish King David. A branch is a sign of new life and new beginnings. Jesus was a decedent of King David and Christians believe that Jesus is this new branch. The first Jesse trees were large carvings, tapestries or even stained glass windows put in Churches that helped illiterate people (people who can't read or write) to learn about the bible from creation to the Christmas Story. But now Jesse Trees are used as a kind ofAdvent Calendar. You can use a normal Christmas tree or a banner in the shape of a tree. Each day through advent (or sometimes just on the four Sundays of advent) a special decoration or ornament (similar to a Chrismon), that tells a story from the Bible, is hung on the tree. There are very many different stories and symbols you can use. I've listed 25 stories and symbols that I especially like!

The Star of Bethlehem

What was the Star of Bethlehem and what did the wise men or Magi actually see?! The wise men or Magi came from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or the Yemen (then known as Persia, Arabia and Sheba). They're often called the 'Three Kings', but the Bible doesn't say how many there were, or that they were even kings! They became three because of the gifts the brought with them.

They were indeed 'wise men'. The Magi were 'Magupati', a title given to priests in a sect of the ancient persian religions such as Zoroastrianism. Today we'd called them astrologers. Back then astronomy and astrology were part of the same overall studies (and 'science') and went hand in hand with each other. The magi would have followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They would have also probably been very rich and held high esteem in their own society and by people who weren't from their country or religion. Find out more about the Magi in the Christmas Story. They had seen an unusual new star in the sky, and knew that it told of the birth of a special King in Israel. But what did they see? The Bible says they 'saw it in the east' and then when they were in Jerusalem that it 'went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was'.

A very accurate translation of 'saw it in the east' is 'in the first light of dawn', so not just in the East, but early in the morning. And when the Magi were in Jerusalem it would have been in the south, over Bethlehem. We also know that it must have been a sign for something very new and unusual; that it signified (in their astrology) there was a new King in Israel and that it was worth travelling to find him! It would have also had to happen over a period of time, from when the Magi were in Persia to when they've travelled to Israel and met with King Herod. It also had to happen before King Herod died! Most people think Herod died in 4BC. So knowing the astrology and signs that the Magi understood, people have tried to find the star. Here are a few of the explanations:

Comets

Comets streaking across the sky have been seen as signs of forthcoming events for thousands of years. The big problem with a comet is that they are nearly always seen as the sign of a death of a King or something else bad happening. They never signify a birth or the start of something good! Comets can look they've stopped somewhere or 'stand', but they don't stay around for very long. The idea of a Comet might well have become popular when the Italian Renaissance painter Giotto di Bondone painted the Nativity (in about 1305) showing a star that looked like a comet. But the world's most famous comet, Haley's comet, had recently passed by the earth, so he was probably just painting that! A super nova happens when a star explodes at the end of its life. There was a very bright super nova in 5BC. But it wasn't in the right part of the sky and, like comets, super novas normally meant the end of something, not the beginning! A super nova might have become popular after the great astronomer Johannes Kepler saw one in 1604!

Dancing Planets!

This is where things seem to start making more sense and there are three good theories using conjunctions (when two or more items in the sky line up to look like one) of planets and other objects in the night sky. Although planets normally move across the sky, they can 'stop' in the sky. This is know as retrograde movement and happens because the earth goes around the sun quicker than the outer plants, so we sort 'over take' them for a bit and it looks like they either stop or actually go backwards for up to about 100 days! There's an excellent free astronomy program called 'stellarium' which displays the sky like a planetarium. I've used this to make the images below (click to see larger images). I viewed the stars from Baghdad, so seeing what the Magi would have done! (If you use the program, 7BC is actually '-6' in astronomical time! Astronomical year numbering is a bit confusing, there's an extra year '0'!)

Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces

This theory has been made very popular by Prof David Hughes who lectures in astronomy at Sheffield University in the UK. It was originally written about by the Astronomer Johannes Kepler in 1603, but fell out of favor when Keppler had some rather unusual ideas later in his life! The constellation of Pisces (the Fishes) had a special meaning in ancient Persian astronomy and astrology. It was the sign of Israel and of Kings. Jupiter was the Royal planet and Saturn represented old rulers. So a new 'star' being made of Jupiter and Saturn in this constellation could have meant a great deal! There was a 'triple conjunction' of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in 7BC (-6). First in May, looking East from Persia/Babylon; then in September/ October, looking West over Jerusalem/Bethlehem from Persia/Babylon; and finally in December, looking South directly over Bethlehem if you were in Jerusalem! There's also records in ancient writings from Babylon that the Magi, of that time, knew about the triple conjunction.

Jupiter and Moon in Aries

This theory was made by Dr Michael Molmar, a very experienced astronomer from New York, USA. Dr Molnar collects coins and other historical objects with astronomical and astrological connections. He found, and purchased, a Roman coin from about 6AD that had the symbol of Aries the Ram on it, looking back at a bright star. In Roman astrology (which the Magi would have also known) Aries is the symbol of Israel. Dr Molnar has found a new 'star' made of Jupiter and the moon in Aries. Jupiter was the Ruler planet in Roman astrology (as in Persian astrology) and the moon meant births (especially of new kings). It happened at dawn, in the east, on 17th April 6BC (-5) and was very unusual. It's what's called an 'occultation' which is a special kind of eclipse which involves the earth, moon, sun and a planet. Because it was dawn, the glare of the sun would have made it quite hard to see, but the Magi would have known it was happening because they had studied the sky so well!

Jupiter and the Star Regulus

Fairly recently, there has been a new theory by a lawyer from Texas. Rick Larson has done a lot of research and found a new and pretty convincing contender! He looked at old manuscripts and found that the date of Herod's death might have been copied incorrectly and could well have been in 1BC not 4BC! This gives us another three years to look for stars!

a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Leo ninth months later. And then six months after that Jupiter 'stops' (goes into retrograde) in Virgo. It starts in September 3BC (-2) with the first meeting of Jupiter and Regulus (looking East). Regulus is the brightest star in Leo and thought to be very special. The country/nation of Israel is often referred to as the 'Lion of Judah' so this meeting would have been important. Then nine months (the time of a pregnancy) later in June 2BC (-1) Jupiter and Venus (the planet of mothers) meet in Leo (in the West over Israel) and would have been a very bright 'star' indeed! Then on 25th December 2BC if you were in Jerusalem looking south, towards Bethlehem, Jupiter would be 'standing' in Virgo the constellation of the Virgin (Mary being a virgin)! You can read lots more about Rick Larson's theory on the Bethlehem Star website.

Something Supernatural

Some people also think that the star might have been something created by God, especially to guide the Wise men and that there isn't a scientific explanation. As a Christian, I believe God could have done this. However, I think the star was probably a conjunction of planets, or something similar, that God planned into creation to mark the birth of Jesus, His son!

Nativity Plays & Cribs

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The word nativity comes from the latin word 'natal' which means birth (and is also where we get the word 'native' from). It is traditional in the UK for Primary (Elementary) schools to perform Nativity Play for the parents and local people associated with the school. The Nativity Play recreates the scene of Jesus' Birth, in the stable and tells of how Mary and Joseph were visited by the Shepherds and Wise Men. The parts of Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds and the Wise Men are played by children. If the school is attached to a Church, the play often takes place in the Church. Sunday Schools in Churches also sometimes put on Nativity Plays. In the past, live animals including an ox and donkey and other farm animals (but not pigs) were used in the plays. Sometimes they still are, but it is now more common for children to dress up as the animals in costumes or to have animal props. The first Nativity Play was not performed by Children in the UK, but in a cave by Monks in Italy! St. Francis of Assisi and his followers acted in the first play in 1223 to remind the local population that Jesus was born for them, as he was born into a poor family like theirs and not to a rich family. St. Francis told the part of each character in the story himself using wooden figures in the play. After a couple of years, the play had become so popular that real people played the parts of the characters in the story. Songs were sung by the people taking part and they became what we call Christmas carols today! Now cribs are used in Churches all over the world and even in some homes (we have a wooden one in my house) to remind people of the story. Sometimes religious pictures and statues are called icons. Some Catholic and Orthodox Christianse have icons of Mary and the baby Jesus in their homes.

In some countries such as Italy and Malta, and many South American countries, the crib is the most important Christmas decoration. The city of Naples, in Italy, has used cribs to decorate houses and Churches since the 1020s! That's even before St. Francis of Assisi put on his play. Naples is also the home to the worlds largest nativity crib scene. It's in the 'Museo Nazionale di S. Martino' and has 162 people, 80 animals, angels, and about 450 other smaller objects. Find out more about Nativity cribs in Naples in Italy. Nativity Scenes called 'Pessebres' are popular in the Catalonia region of Spain. Cribs also have a long tradition and importance in Malta, where they are called 'Presepju'. There's a special society that keep the tradition alive. Find out more about Nativity cribs in Malta. Pantomime (or 'Panto' for short!) is a traditional British Christmas play and a chance for people to go to the theatre. But it really came from very un-British traditions, nothing to do with Christmas whatever! It is now primarily a children's entertainment show, in the theatre, based on traditional children's stories Fairy Stories such as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. But pantomime really began as an entertainment for adults. It can be traced back to the ancient Roman 'Saturnalia' midwinter feast, at which everything was supposed to be turned upside-down. Men dressed up as women and women as men. Just like the Pantomime Dames (Men comically dressed up as women) and principal boys (young women dressed up as boys, normally the leading role) of the modern day panto. Pantomime first came to Britain in the 18th century from the 'commedia dell'arte', the Italian tradition of improvised theatre. The stories of the commedia dell'arte had many 'stock' characters in them such as clowns and jesters and a 'baddie'. Traditional plots got mixed up with fairy stories, folk tales, or tales from the Arabian Nights stories, and gradually evolved into the dozen or so familiar stories of the panto repertoire that are still used today. The traditional figures from the commedia dell'arte gradually disappeared, and pantomimes became more as we know them today; they also became an expected part of our Christmas festivities, traditionally starting on Boxing Day (or often before Christmas now so more people can see them!). In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pantomimes were changed quite a lot by the popularity of the music-hall entertainments. The stars of the day, comedians and music hall artistes, sometimes changed the plot an awful lot, just so they could do their own normal routines! Nowadays pop stars and television personalities continue this tradition, all turning up in panto, but the stories are not often changed too much. Pantomime is now a popular family entertainment. The audience has to work almost as hard as the performers, whether it be joining in the songs, assisting in conjuring tricks, booing the villain and warning the hero with 'He's behind you!' or cheering them on!

Christmas Fun, Games & Activities

There are lots of fun Christmas things to do including Christmas Activities, Games and things to make and eat! • Online Advent Calendar (opens big) • Decorate an Online Christmas Tree • Build an Online Nativity Scene • Make a Magi (build your own Wise Men!) • Christmas Cracker Jokes (they're bad!) • Christmas Karaoke (on another site) • Watch it Snow all Year! (on another site) • Email Santa • Christmas Pictures to Download and Color-in • Color-in Nativity Scene • Christmas Recipes • Spot the Differences • Christmas Word Searches • Christmas Crossword • Christmas Quiz • Christmas Memory • Christmas Sortable Puzzle • Site Visitor Map (where the site has been seen) • Christmas Browser Themes • Christmas Wallpapers

Happy Yuletide