Advent Calendar Day 3: Bells

December 3, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Bells

One of the most common carols at Christmas time is Jingle Bells.  I remember when I was little, I was a little confused by the lyrics.  The part that goes, "Bells on bobtails ring, Making spirits bright."  I thought it said, "Bellzonboptails ring, Making Spirit Sprite."  I figured in the old days, Spirit Sprite was a festive, homemade drink that you brew like root beer.  I had this image of a big cauldron over a bonfire with mist billowing over the sides and someone stirring it with a big wooden spoon.  I didn't know what a Bellzonboptail was, but I figured they were the ones that were making the Spirit Sprite.  Boy was I surprised when I learned what the actual words were.  Jingle Bells took on a whole new meaning for me.   I still can't sing the song without thinking about Spirit Sprite.

Anyway, It seems like for centuries, bells have been the means of announcing glad tidings.  I found a good explanation from this site, on the origin of bells at Christmas:

Long ago people believed that they could use bells to frighten away evil spirits. Bells were a simple form of noisemaking. They could be easily obtained or made and everyone knew how to use them. Many people thought that as winter began, evil spirits would come to harm them. So during the dark days after the harvest or the hunt, people would engage in ceremonies to keep bad things from happening to them while they waited for Spring and warmer days

The tradition of using noisemakers like bells during these times carried over into the celebration of Christmas. But instead of making noise to keep away evil things, people made noise to celebrate something happy.

In many villages, there was a church and most churches had a bell. When something important was happening – such as remembering the birth of Jesus Christ – they would ring the bell.

Back in those days, kids believed that making noise was just a part of Christmas. And bells were an easy way to make that noise. Bells were inexpensive musical instruments that people could take with them caroling or wassailing and almost every family had one or more. Bells also provided a bright and cheery sound and were acceptable to parents as proper tools to celebrate and make noise at Christmas.

I like the words of the song I heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men!”


Just as the bells chime to celebrate the birth of Christ,  I believe they also chime in anticipation of his second coming.  What a wonderful time that will be!  When the wrong shall fail and right prevail, and there will be peace on earth once more.  I hope the jingling of the bells at Christmas time will make your spirit more bright as you celebrate the birth of our Savior, and look forward to His glorious return.