Christmas Traditions:




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  The Legend of the Candy Cane: 

A candy-maker in Indiana wanted to
make a candy that would be a witness,
so he made the
Christmas Candy
Cane.
He incorporated several symbols
from the birth, ministry, and death

of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white,
hard candy. White to symbolize

the Virgin Birth and the sinless
nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize
the Solid Rock, the foundation of
the Church, and firmness of the

promises of God.

The candy-maker made the candy in the
form of a "J" to represent the

precious name of Jesus, who came
to earth as our Savior. It could
also represent the staff of the
"Good Shepherd"
with which He
reaches down into the
ditches of the world to lift

out the fallen lambs who, like all
sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat
plain, the candy-maker stained it with
red stripes.
He used
three small stripes to show the
stripes of the scourging Jesus received
by which we are healed.
The large red stripe was for the blood
shed by Jesus on the cross so that
we could have the promise of
eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became
known as a Candy Cane --
a meaningless decoration seen at

Christmas time.
But the meaning is still there for
those who "have eyes to see and
ears to hear."

Every time you see a Candy Cane,
remember the Wonder of Jesus and
His Great Love that came
down at
Christmas, and that His Love remains
the ultimate
and dominant force in
the universe today.


  Christmas Wreaths: 
 
Christmas wreaths are primarily a
recognition of the crucifixion of Jesus.
They represent the crown of thorns
placed on Jesus' head.
Red berries represent drops of blood.
Wreaths are placed on the door or in a
window of a house to represent
that Christ has entered that home
and has a place of honor there.



  Ball Ornaments: 

Represent our world was created
by God; the different colors remind
us that the Gospel is for all
different nations and peoples
on the earth.
Ornaments in general remind us of all
of the beautiful things Jesus did.


  Christmas Cards: 
 
The first formal card was designed
by an Englishman, J.C. Horsley,
in 1843.
It was lithographed on stiff,
dark cardboard and depicted
in color a party of grownups
and children with glasses of wine
raised in a toast over
the words "A Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year to you."
One thousand cards were
printed.

The custom of sending Christmas
cards caught on because at that
time in England
one could mail
greetings for only a penny each.
From those early beginnings, the
exchange
of Christmas cards has
grown to astonishing proportions.

In 1915, Hallmark introduced their
first Christmas cards.


  Christmas Tree Lights: 
 
In 1917, when Albert Sadacca was
15, there was a terrible fire in
New York City, it had been caused
by a Christmas tree catching fire,
for in those days Christmas trees were
still lit by placing candles on
the branches.
Now it just so happened that
Albert’s family, who had come from
Spain, had a novelty business selling
wicker cages with imitation birds in
them that lit up.

Albert suggested to his parents that
they begin making electric lights

for Christmas trees.
They had lots of bulbs on hand,
and it would be
much safer than
using candles.

The Sadacca's thought Albert had a
good idea, but only one hundred
strings of electric Christmas tree

lights sold in the first year. After
Albert thought of painting the bulbs

red, green, and other colors instead
of using plain glass, business

picked up sharply. Albert became the
head of a multi-million dollar
company.


  Poinsettias: 

Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
They were named after America's first
ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett.
He brought the plants to America
in 1828.
The Mexicans in the eighteenth century
thought the plants were symbolic of the
Star of Bethlehem.
Thus the Poinsettia became
associated with the Christmas
season.
The actual flower of the poinsettia is
small and yellow. But surrounding
the flower are large, bright red leaves,
often mistaken for petals
.


  The Christmas Tree: 
 
The Christmas Tree originated in
Germany in the 16th century.

It was common for the Germanic
people to
decorate fir trees,
both inside and out, with roses,
apples, and colored paper.
It is believed that Martin
Luther,
the Protestant reformer,

was the first to light a Christmas
tree with candles.

While coming home one dark winter's
night near Christmas,

he was struck with the beauty of the
starlight shining through the

 
branches of a small fir tree
outside his home.

He duplicated the starlight by using
candles attached to the

branches of his indoor Christmas
tree.


The Christmas tree was not widely
used in Britain until the 1800's.
It was brought to America by the
Pennsylvania Germans in the
1820's.

Evergreen Trees were the symbol
of eternal life. Martin Luther introduced
them to the Church as a picture of
our endless life in Jesus,
by bringing in a tree to his family on
Christmas Eve lit with candles.

The first American Christmas tree "lot"
was set up in New York. In 1851 trees were

hauled from the Catskills and brought
to the cities, where they were sold
during the holiday season.

The oldest artificial Christmas trees
date back to the late 1800s and were
made of green raffia or dyed
goose feathers.

In 1930, a British based Addis
Housewares Company created the first
artificial Christmas tree made from brush
bristles.
They were pine-like branches
that were less flammable
and could
hold heavier decorations.

In 1880 Woolworths first sold
manufactured Christmas Tree
ornaments.