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So tell me about the Christmas tree meaning/origins..?
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Hi there, 🙂
Saw the post about Halloween (which we don’t do) and saw some also mentioned not doing Christmas trees. Can you please share with me the origins of the Christmas tree? I have heard some stories, but they were “good” ones relating it to Jesus. I can’t remember the details of them now, but now I am wondering if I have the whole story… We don’t decorate much for Christmas, except birthday stuff for Jesus, but we do have a small Christmas tree (think Charlie Brown Christmas tree small) that we use as our Jesse Tree. But now I am wondering if I should change what we hang our Jesse ornaments on. Thank you for sharing!
For the same reason we don’t celebrate Halloween, we no longer partake in xmas. It’s Yule, a pagan holiday.
Witch’s viewpoint:
http://homewitch.hubpages.com/hub/Yule-traditions-in-Wicca-and-Paganism
The Puritans outlawed Christmas.
Christians viewpoints:http://www.gracegems.org/Pink/xmas.htmJeremiah 10
http://www.bookfixer.com/sermons/Files/Xmas.pdf
Waste of $$ viewpoint:
http://www.purewatergazette.net/swjohnso.htm
Jeremiah 10
Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
I felt a burden each year spending $$ on gifts people don’t need and we don’t need either. also 5 years I felt guilty putting a tree up after reading Jeremiah 10. After prayer I talked with DH and he agreed we need to not celebrate anymore. I felt a burden lifted off my shoulder that I don’t have to put up that tree anymore or spend hours shopping for gifts just because society expects me to. It’s not Jesus birthday. He only commanded us to remember His death, burial, and resurrection. His real birthday was more likely in October.
HTH!
Tara
I am honestly hung up on the Christmas tree issue myself, so I can’t say i have come to a decision as to what we plan to do. However, I feel I must speak to the Jeremiah 10 verse. I disagree that this verse is speaking of “Christmas trees”. If you read the verses that follow in their context with the other verses, it is clear that what is spoken of is idols.
I do not want to start a debate but I thought another viewpoint was needed. I hope I have not offended but felt the Lord’s leading to reply.
In Christ,
Britney
In Israel we have alot of Jewish visitors to our Christmas Eve celebrations at our Anglican Church. They come because they are curious about what we do and what we believe. We have a small handout that we give visitors with answers to some of the popular questions asked. Here is a portion of what we handout…
The Christmas Tree – Why do Christians put up a decorated tree at Christmas? There is a legend that connects Christmas trees to Bonifice an English missionary to Germany. In the 6th Century he challenged a German tribe who were worshipping gods in trees by chopping all the sacred trees down. However he did not cut down the Fir tree and it became associated as the Messiahs tree.
It was not until Martin Luther in the 16th Century that people started to decorate trees at Christmas. At first received lots of opposition from the Church hierarchy but the people enjoyed the decorating of trees and it became a tradition. We don’t worship the tree and it is not mentioned in the Bible.
Santa Claus? Santa means Saint in Spanish. But he really was a 4th Century Bishop called Nicolas in Turkey who went around giving gifts to the poor at Christmas. The picture of him is of a fat monk in robes with a beard. Coke Cola company are the people who then dressed him up in red and white to help sell Coke at Christmas in the 1930’s and it became tradition. Santa Claus is not in the Bible.
Why do Christians give gifts at Christmas? The Bible does say that Wise Men came from the East to bring the Messiah gifts. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. We give gifts to remind us of Messiah as a gift to the world. The wise men were from Persia, where they were the ones who decided who would be the next king of Persia. Tradition is they were students of Daniel.
Why 25th of December? We all know Yeshua was not born on the 25th of December. There are many reasons why this date was chosen. Some people believe it was because the winter solstice, but that is on the 21st of December. The earliest tradition we have is an oral tradition that the Jewish Believers in Yeshua thought Yeshua was conceived at Pesach/Passover (25th March) – 9 months later is 25th December.
We are not celebrating the Birthday of Messiah, we are celebrating the Birth of Messiah.
This is only touches briefly on each of the topics but clears up some misconceptions that Jews have about what Christians do and believe. We have people stationed around the Church compound to answer more questions and share personal experiences/testomonies if anyone wants to know more.
Don’t know if that helps you at all, but just wanted to share what we do in our part of the world 🙂
Blessings, Michelle
Here is a book I use with my kids about REAL Christmas traditions and the history stories behind them. It’s written for children as well as parents.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1590520890/ref=mp_s_a_1?pi=SL75&qid=1348658973&sr=8-1
The sections are very short and includes simple activities too. The history of the Christmas tree, candy canes, Santa Claus, etc. are all included and related to God. Our society doesn’t acknowledge Christ in Christmas, but that doesn’t mean we can’t remember and celebrate His birth with our children.
The tree is the idol pagans worship. There is still tree worship today. Pagans believe there is a spirit in the tree. Wiccans still bring evergreens in their homes today as their worship.
Some may argue they carve an idol out of the tree. That is false. They worship the tree/nature itself.
The Norseman have a huge list of gods and one is called Odin, the father of all gods. He had a long beard and flew with reindeer.
Mistletoe, evergreens, etc all have pagan origins which people use today to celebrate Christ Mass, a Roman holiday invented when pagans were being converted to Christianity.
In my heart I realized it didn’t matter that these traditions were begun thousands of years ago and that even though those who are using these symbols to celebrate Jesus birthday do not worship nature, God knows these traditions came from pagans. God never commanded me to put up a tree to honor His Son. But He does command us to stay away from idols and not to do as the pagans do.
Sincerely,
Tara
I’m not addressing the OP question, but the larger issue. My apologies from the start.
Again, one can celebrate Christmas with a tree and not be a pagan or worship idols. God created the trees & we worship Him alone. However, we enjoy decorating our Christmas tree with twinkling lights and colorful baubles as well as meaningful ornaments. Is it a necessity, no. But our family enjoys our tradition and truly this is another area where one must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. As was mentioned on the Halloween thread, most holidays and even birthdays can be traced to pagan roots, but we serve a God who redeems. He has redeemed me and I am forever grateful, seeking to honor Him every day. On Halloween with pumpkins or on Christmas with trees or on a spring day with flowers or a winter day with a snowman, I choose to honor Him. The fact that there is very real evil in the world and that there are those who try to corrupt what God has created doesn’t make those things evil or sinful. They may be symbols of certain things good or bad.
Seek God. Listen. Follow the conviction He places on your heart. I don’t think the origins of something hundreds or thousands or years ago necessarily means that something is today all good or all bad. Culture matters. We may not always like the culture we live in, but it plays a part in the shaping of tradition. Another example of this is short hair on women. Culturally, this represented something completely different in Biblical times. I wear my hair in a short pixie, but I can assure you I’ve been faithful to my marital vows. God does not change and His word is true, but it was written in the culture of that day. Culture is not static (though I sometimes wish it were). This is why faith matters. We must seek His will for our lives rather than simply adhere to a set of rules.
Blessings,
Christie
I just one to address one more thing then I’ll bow out of this thread. By not putting up a tree or not partaking in other holidays is not adhering to a set of rules. When God commands us something in His word, I obey it. He says if you love me, keep my commandments. We are saved by grace through faith but we were created unto good works. Once we are saved, we are to obey God. I obey because I want to please God. Just like I no longer cuss, dress seductively, drink, listen to secular music, etc. We are free from Christ to no longer sin. Witches are very real and I don’t want to associate with their activties. I take God seriously on this matter. I wanted to share this with the TrulyBlessed as what helped us make this decision. I’m not pointing fingers at those who still partake. God speaks to us each and we are each at a different place in our walks with Him. This is why I hesitated to even post, and will now take to PM from thus on. This is why I even hesitate to share what we do in public unless others ask specifically. I grow weary every year of what is santa bringing my children or do we have a tree up yet. People focus on these things every year but I politely smile and say Thank you when wished a Merry Christmas. I’m sorry if you were offended by my post.
Tara
@Tara, I am not offended at all. I am simply responding here instead of via PM in the event that our dialogue might help others to think through their own decisions.
We each need to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in ALL areas of our lives. My family is doing this very thing. No where in God’s word does it say I cannot enjoy His creation by using it as mere decorations in my home. I don’t worship them, I don’t have friends who worship them. We are not being a stumbling block by putting up a tree. I’ve no issue with others choosing not to put up a tree for any reason whatsoever. However, one should never assume that those who do those things are being disobedient to God.
We may be at differnt places in our walk with the Lord, but I am not a baby Christian. I’ve been saved for going on 20 years and my walk with the Lord is strong and firm. We must remember that the purpose of the law was to reveal our unrighteousness. The law does not save. Only faith in Christ does that. I know that witches and paganism are real. I have traveled to many places in the world where people openly worship things other than Christ. In Haiti, I felt the oppression of voodoo. The things mentioned here like pumpkins and Christmas trees and the like have NO connotations of evil in my family. The Lord is the center of our celebrations, all of them.
Re. the other things you mentioned as examples – cursing, immodest dress, drinking and secular music, those are visible things, but God is concerned about the hidden, too.
- I don’t drink or allow alcohol in my home, but not out of any conviction from God. I come from a long line of alcoholics, so why risk it? However, I have friends who enjoy a glass of wine or a beer. Jesus turned water to wine. Scripture says, do not be drunk with wine, not do not drink wine.
- I enjoy many kinds of music, including secular music. Some music is very dishonoring to God and I want no part of it, but some is beautiful while not speaking of heavenly things directly. Music, art, writing, literature, nature, etc. can be beautiful and enjoyable in many forms.
- I sometimes lose my temper and raise my voice to my sweet children. This is sin.
- I sometimes mismanage my time and do not get the things done that God would have me do on a certain day. This is sin.
- I sometimes eat too many treats and do to little exercise thus not caring for my body as I should. This is sin.
My point is basically this – We each need to seek Him and follow His lead. My home is no less God-fearing or obedient because we do it differently. I am thankful that you are following wear the Lord leads. There is no judgement on my part because of your convictions. I wish you and everyone nothing but God’s best as you navigate what He wants for your family.
Blessings,
Christie
Tara, you are welcome to post your opinion! As long as we all stay humble and gracious, I think it is very beneficial for everyone. I’m not offended at all, even if we disagree about something. 🙂 Blessings to you!
I love learning about everyone’s different viewpoints on this forum. I’m glad you all choose to post and teach us the things you have learned.
My perspective is that the choice about what display in YOUR home should be based on the meaning that YOU attach to that object. If a tree makes you think about idol worship and other evil, then by all means, you should not have that in your house. If a Christmas tree is a symbol to you of commercialism and ‘how much can I get?’ then it is probably not appropriate. For me, the Christmas tree means something entirely different, so we do have one. I cannot know and thus cannot avoid all the different objects in the world that some group or individual may chose to worship or use to symbolize something I disagree with, since someone might use any object at all for those purposes. I can, however, make choices based on the meaning that I attach to an object.
So, here is what a Christmas tree means in our home. The tree helps us celebrate our Lord and Saviour. It is an evergreen tree, reminding us that He is unchanging, constant and true. The star on top reminds of the star that announced His birth. The lights represent the Light of the World. The tinsel and other things that glitter show us how we can take His light and reflect it to the rest of the world, bringing hope and beauty to all. The gifts underneath remind us of the gifts that were brought to Him by the wise men, as well as helping us think of the ultimate Gift that He gave. They also represent the love we have for each other, a love that brings us closer together and closer to Him. Candy canes remind us of the shepherd’s staff, carried by our Good Shepherd. Each different ornament can carry it’s own meaning, depending on what it is, as well as help us remember special people and special times together.
I have a poem somewhere that tells even more of the symbols of Christmas, but it’s packed away right now, so these are the things that I can think of right now.
Okay, now I think I might have to go find some Christmas music to play today! Christmas is 3 months from yesterday. It that too early for carols? LOL
Joanne
Tara,
If someone is offended then maybe he is using you to prick their hearts and you should never be sorry for telling the truth and what G-d has brought you too. He has led you be a beacon for your neighbors and you shed the light in the darkness. Whether someone else wants to choose to obey his commands or find their own ways of believing him then they will be held accountable for what they heard and didn’t Listen. It is only your job to give the knowledge and plant the seed. It is the Holy Spirits to water and grow that seed which you planted. YOu shouldn’t be reluctant to tell others the truth. It is within you. You have the knowledge. It says in the Bible, ” With knowledge comes great sorrow.” I am sure that all of us at one time or another have spoke up and told what is on our minds. Some have gotten a little mad by our words. There is no reason to be angry unless you have personally been offended by rude language. If many would do more research then they would find they would have less to be angry about. The truth speaks for itself….
The Bible is clear. It is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever. Culture may have changed but his commands remain true. Just because gay marriage may make it on the books doesn’t mean it is right because the culture has changed and the law stears away from the truth…
One day all of G-d’s laws will change. There will not be any truth or people standing up for the truth so with that I want to tell you to keep standing up for the truth. You have the knowledge! You gave it! Blessings to you Tara! Keep speaking the truth don’t give up or give in. Even if someone doesn’t see eye to eye.
An example of this is looking in your own eye. There is a center your iris. Let’s just say that is everything you know you know. Then, there is the color of your eye. Let’s just say that is everything you know you don’t know… Then, there is the rest of the world you look out of that eye from…. That is everything you don’t know that you don’t know. So, what you may know. Others may still be looking from the inside of their eye.
This is for everyone here. We may not all agree on the same subject at the same time but “Iron sharpens Iron” If you do not know about this verse it means we are to give each other knowledge and make each other stronger. Some may not know the true meaning of something and that ia why we ask here in love and kindness. I know I have been chastized every once in a while. not knowing if it was done in love or if in malice. I didn’t take it as malice and I would hope that any of my fellow SCM forum sisters/brothers wouldn’t be as evil to try to make me feel that way. I for one am greatful for all of the help I have gotten here and I sure hope none of you don’t speak up for fear of being put down. I love to hear everyones opinion whether it agrees with my own or not. This is just my $.02 on the subject
Now …. About the subject at hand… It is a pagan ritual. It was to Baal. If you go to Judges 6: 25 and 27 you will read about how Gideon was to pull down the idols of his fathers. These were not just any idols. These were thousands of trees (groves) of them… It says else where to pull down the groves of the groves. If you do your study on this you will see. This was the pagan G-ddess ( the bare breasted fertility goddess) of Easter and many other gods and goddess. This stems back to Noah getting off the boat and his son being cursed. He built alters to Baal. Many pagan gods. They carved them out of trees and worshipped them. They adorned them. Look up Groves in you Greek/Hebrow lexicon or look it up on the internet. But do not be deceived it is true it is a pagan ritual that G-d himself told us not to do. He even commanded to be torn down. It goes way back to the tower of Babel. This is where all pagan worship stems from. You were either Jewish or you pagan. So, if your ancestors have put up a tree for generations. Guess what ? They were practicing pagans and you probably didn’t know it. They taught you threw rituals. Isn’t that whet we teach our children? Like someone above mentioned it was brought into the church to convert pagans. You will see tons of that if you do your research. Whether you are willing to accept this knowledge is up to you. It is a hard food to swallow since most of us have put a tree up and decorated it. (mine is in a box in the attic. taken down.. Tehe he) Did you know that when the pilgrams came to America it was against the law to put a tree up? My how the laws have changed. Amazing! So, with this information I implore you to look up the rest of the story and see for yourself what you will beleive. I haven’t read the Halloween tread yet but I plan on going there next. :). I have done my research. I have listened to tapes, videos, and many things on line on sermons and rituals. I do know what I know. (Iris) You may have to look a little at the outside before you get the bigger picture.
I may make some of you mad but I have done my research. Search the scriptures and look for yourself. Search the true history of the church and not just what you have been told by your minister. He may be wrong. BLind leading BLind. It is up to you to look up these things. It is the Holy Spirits job to convict. If he speaks to your heart and it keeps bugging you then maybe there is a reason. Only you can change what your family is taught. what you choose to beleive. We are here to be Iron to sharpen the Iron. Not to tell you whether you should do this or not. You must choose..
BLessings ya all’ I hope this goes out to all of you in the utmost respect. If I visit your house and see a tree I am not going to judge you. I may tell you the origins though.
Iron sharpens Iron……………
I was not going to post on this, but decided I would and this is what I have to say on this tender subject.
I think all of us have our own faith and belief systems in place, some on this forum may be atheists I have no way of knowing. However we are all different, our faiths or lack thereof teach us different things…and I believe we need to respect one another and respect the decisions each family makes in his or her home.
We have a Christmas tree in our home, and it houses our collection of Nativities among many other ornaments to celebrate the birth of Jesus as is our tradition. I love the fir tree because it is part of God’s creation just like I love all nature and everthing that He has made.
We were not exposed to Halloween where we lived when the girls were young and to this day we do not celebrate that day…not because we think it evil, but because we think it is a bit silly and a waste of money. Many peole who are good and decent people celebrate halloween as a bit of fun..it is not my place to disparage or vilify them – each to his own is my view.
I do think we need to be careful about being too strident in our views and opinions…not everyone comes from the same faith, viewpoint, tradition or Bible – it is fine to disagree and give a different opinion but I don’t think it is fine, to step on people’s views and traditions and say there is only one way….we are all different and should be mindful and respectful of that:))
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