Advent Calendar Day 6: Tree

December 6, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Tree

One of the most important things to have at Christmas time is a tree.  Where else would you put all the presents and hang all the ornaments?  Probably one of the most fun things about Christmas time is putting up the tree.  I remember as a kid we couldn't wait to put up the tree and it was always a sad day when we had to take it down.  But why do we put up a tree?  Where did that tradition come from?  Boy was I in for a surprise when I began to research this.  In fact, there are quite a few traditions (most of them predating Christianity) which claim to be the  origins of the Christmas tree.  Because there is so much information on this subject, I will refer you to this site, which I feel sums everything up in the best way.  The one thing I found which all these traditions had in common was that the evergreen was used as a symbol of eternal life.
We were able to watch the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional on Sunday and I really liked something that President Monson said in his message.  He said, "...Christmas is what we make of of it."  This is so true!  So in keeping with that, I decided that no matter what the origins of the Christmas tree are, for me it is a symbol of Christ and the eternal life we can have if we live live His gospel.  I also find it interesting that the shape of the tree is in a triangle pointing upward like a spire.  Just like the spire on the temples and church buildings reminds us of our goal to reunite with our Father in Heaven, so does the the Christmas tree.  If you didn't get a chance to watch the Devotional, I encourage you to do so.  After all, "Christmas is what we make of it."

Advent Calendar Day 5: Angel

December 5, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Angel
In the Nativity story, it was an angel who brought the good news of Christ's birth to the shepherds.  We can find that account in Luke chapter 2.

"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, Fear 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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord....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."

At Christmas time, the angel reminds us of the good tidings of great joy, that Christ was born and that He is our Savior.  When we look at the angel on top of the tree, as an ornament, or as part of our Nativity,  I hope we can feel even a small part of the happiness and joy the shepherds must have felt when they saw the multitude of heavenly hosts.  And let's not forget to share that joy and happiness with those around us, not just at this time of year, but always.

Advent Calendar Day 4: Star

December 4, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Star

We see a lot of stars at Christmas time, mostly on the top of the Christmas tree.  And I think it's obvious what the star represents.  If we go to the scriptures, Matthew 2:1-2,9 says,

"...behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?  for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him...and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."  

Not only did the Wise Men see the new star, but those on the other side of the world in the Americas saw it as well.  The birth of Christ had been prophesied many years earlier by Samuel, a Book of Mormon prophet. He said,
"And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you." (Helaman 14:5)
Those who believed in the coming of Christ watched and waited patiently for the signs.
"And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word." (3 Nephi 1:21)
The star, weather on top of the tree or as an ornament reminds us to seek Christ, and to look to Him for guidance, just as His star guided those who wished to worship Him at His birth.  I have an ornament with this saying, "Wise men still seek Him."  I can't imagine my Christmas tree without a star on top, just as I can't imagine my life without the gospel of Jesus Christ at the center.  It is Him that I look to for guidance.  May we  always remember to look to Christ, not just at Christmas, but always.

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.

Advent Calendar Day 2: Christmas Lights

December 2, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Lights

One of my favorite things to do as a kid around Christmas time was to drive around the neighborhood and look at all the houses with lights.  It was fun to see some houses all decked out while others had maybe a few strands here and there.  It sure lights up the neighborhood, especially where we lived.  We had a really dark neighborhood. I also really liked how the lights looked on the Christmas tree.  We had these really cool twinkling ones that were almost hypnotizing.  I found a few explanations on where the tradition of putting up lights came from, here:

The use of special lights on Christmas originally started with putting small candles on Christmas Trees in the home. Christmas tree traditions go back to a Germany in the 1500s, and it’s believed the idea to put lights on the trees was started by Martin Luther, a famous priest who was inspired by the prettiness of stars twinkling between evergreens while walking home one night. 
However, using candles on trees wasn’t ideal: The candles had to be placed and secured very carefully to avoid accidentally making the tree catch on fire! So in the late 1800s, shortly after Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, one of Edison’s employees came up with the idea of making small electrical lights for use on Christmas trees, which would be much safer than the candles!
Today, people still decorate their trees and homes with Christmas lights! For some people, it’s a symbol of the starry sky in the story of Christmas on the night Jesus was born; it’s also become a tradition and something many people think is pretty!

and here:

Similar to the origin of bringing trees into the house during the winter solstice to liven up the dreary winter, lights or candles were lit around the home to keep it cheery and bright. During the holiday times especially, when people were travelling to see others, candles were put around the outside of the house as a marking for travelers weary from their trek.  

Before electricity, when there would be absolutely no lights within a house after bedtime, people would place lighted candles on the windowsill for travelers. This became the tradition of placing candles out on Christmas Eve to show St. Nick which houses had children. 

For me, the lights represent the light of the Gospel.  Just like the three Wise Men followed the light of the star to find baby Jesus, we can follow the light of the Gospel to bring us to Christ and ultimately back to our Father in Heaven.  May we let our light shine, that we can be a beacon to those weary travelers, and help them find the warmth, joy and light of the Gospel.

A Virtual Advent Calendar

So it is December 1st already (where did the time go?) and it's time to get out the Advent Calendar.  When we were little, we had what we called "The Mousey Calendar."  It was so much fun to count down the days until Christmas.  We would actually fight over whose turn it was to move the mousey to the next pocket.  I wanted to have something fun for my kids, but seeing as how Adam is too little for Mousey Calendars, I figure it can wait another year or two.  Besides, I don't have one yet.  I will probably make one for next year.  But lately, I've been thinking about Christmas and how most people don't even realize what or who Christmas is about.  Every year, as soon as Halloween is over (or earlier) you begin to see Christmas decorations and stuff in the store.  Then, as Thanksgiving approaches, there is the whole Black Friday craze as stores try and get people to hoard all they can in preparation for all the Christmas presents and stuff they think they need.  Thanksgiving is almost forgotten in the attempt to be the first to get the best deal.  I don't have anything against shopping, or getting a good deal, or even shopping on Black Friday.  I've done it, and it has been fun.  But what I don't like is the fact that the world has made it such a big deal, that many people forget to remember and be thankful for what the holiday season really is about.  So this year I have been trying to make a conscious effort to remember to be thankful for all of my blessings and really appreciate what I have.  I think Thanksgiving is the perfect segue into the Christmas season because aside from being thankful for my family, friends and comforts, I am so thankful for Jesus Christ, who gave his life so that I can return to live with my Heavenly Father again.  And it is Jesus Christ's birth that we celebrate at Christmas time.  So in an attempt to remember Christ this holiday season and encourage others to do the same, I thought I would do a virtual Advent Calendar this year.  This is how it works: Every day until (and including) Christmas, I will do a post about a symbol of the holiday, where it came from and what it means.  There are many symbols of Christ at Christmas time that I believe have lost their true meaning.  Because we are celebrating the birth of our Savior, everything should point to, and remind us of Him.  So here it goes!  

December 1, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Gifts

One of the main things we think about at Christmas time are gifts.  We buy presents for our family and friends, and Santa leaves presents for good little girls and boys.  That's what we go out shopping for on Black Friday and every weekend until the big day.  I found an explanation from this site on where the tradition of giving gifts originated:

In the Christian religion, the practice of giving gifts at Christmas is traced back to the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that were given to the Christ child by the three Wise Men. These were kings from the East, who traveled a great distance following a star, to find the Christ child and to bring him gifts. The visit of the Wise Men to the Christ child was originally celebrated on the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th. Over time, the tradition of giving gifts came to be more associated with Christmas than with Epiphany. It is the time from Christmas to Epiphany in the Church calendar – from December 25th through January 6th – that is recognized as the “twelve days of Christmas” from the old Christmas carol. The ancient Church did not “celebrate” Christmas as much as it “observed” Christmas as a holy day.  The tradition of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmas became more and more popular as the middle ages ended and the modern era began. Various countries and peoples began to make gift-giving a regular part of the holy day (or “holiday”) over a period of time. By the time the Americas were settled, giving gifts at Christmas was practiced by many of the settlers. The early Dutch settlers to America introduced St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, to the new world. The early French and English settlers, in contrast, were more likely to give gifts at New Year’s or at Epiphany.  Ultimately, a common Christmas culture developed in which gifts were given on Christmas. In the nineteenth century, the idea of gift giving took on new dimensions, as the works of O. Henry, Charles Dickens, and Thomas Nast all helped to shape our concepts of Santa Claus and other aspects of the holiday. At times, giving gifts at Christmas becomes almost mechanical, and a chore.  When this happens, it is worth stepping aside for a few moments to consider exactly why you give gifts at Christmas.

Something else that I want to add to this, is that for me, the giving of gifts represents our Savior, who gave us all the most precious gift anyone could give.  He atoned for our sins and this most selfless act of giving his life for all of us can and should be remembered when we give special gifts to those we love. 

I am grateful for my Savior and His gift of the Atonement.  I hope we can all remember that this Christmas season.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Yesterday was Adam's 1st Birthday!  Happy Birthday Adam!  I can't believe it has been a whole year since he was born.  He has gotten so big!  And he is walking now, too.  He started walking one month ago yesterday, right as we were getting ready to leave for a Halloween party.  

We celebrated his birthday a few days ago with Brian and Janny at their house.  Don and Connor were there too.  Adam wasn't sure what to do with the present.  Luckily Iris was there to help him figure it out!  Thanks Iris!  You are such a good helper.

He got some cute clothes from Don and Connor, which was great because he needed them!  

He also got a cute little chair that Janny made but it wasn't quite done yet so there will be pictures to come of that.

Then we had some cupcakes that Janny made.

He liked them a lot.  Most of it ended up on his face and in his hair.

Yesterday we celebrated his birthday with the Swensens and we also Skyped with Grandma and Grandpa Waldram.  That was fun.  Grandma Waldram's present was a big hit.  Adam opened it first and then lost interest in the rest of the presents.

How cool is that?  Even Brent was envious.

Grandpa Swensen had to help Adam open the rest of the presents.

"What?!  Clothes?  I don't want clothes for my birthday!"

It was better when he opened this car track from the Swensens.

I love how he's concentrating on the wheels.  

Then it was cake and ice cream time.  Auntie Breanna did a good job decorating the cake with lots of bright colors.

"Give me my cake!"

"Forget the cake.  I'll take the ice cream!"

It was a fun day, but we were all tuckered out at the end.  I hope it was a good first birthday for Adam.  We sure love him!  Happy Birthday Adam!!