We are men who lead, serve, protect and defend, whether we are giving out Coats for Kids, donating wheelchairs, lending a helping hand in disaster relief efforts, supporting local pregnancy centers or providing top-quality financial products.
Christmas is a magical time of year. If you question it just ask anyone under the age of six. They all know that Santa and his sleigh, propelled by eight reindeer who can fly, will somehow circumnavigate the globe delivering toys and other gifts to deserving girls and boys.
“Santa Claus” is the popular personification of a tradition based on the life of Saint Nicholas of Myra. An early Bishop in what is now Turkey. The earliest accounts of his life were written about 200 years after his death. Nicholas was reported to have saved three girls from prostitution by dropping a bag of gold coins through their window. The girls were destined to become prostitutes because their poor father could not afford their dowries. Nicholas is also reported to have performed similar feats of gift giving throughout his lifetime. “Santa Claus” came to America along with the Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam, now New York City. The Dutch knew him as Sinterklaas.
Saint Francis of Assisi is the founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans). He is also known as the patron of animals. He is reported to have created the first Nativity or Manger display.
The Christmas tree came to us by way of Germany and the Baltic states of Estonia and Lativa. The origins of the tree possibly start in the pagan practices of the ancient world. Today’s trees are usually evergreens, representing eternal life as most other trees drop their leaves each autumn. The lights are to replace the candles used before the use of electricity. In the Middle Ages apples were often hung on the tree representing the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Today we use balls to represent the apples. Many trees are topped with an angel or a star. The angel represents the Angel Gabrial, the star represents the Star of Bethlehem.
The use of tinsel and garland on the tree are a reminder of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt. According to legend the family was warned to flee and along the way they passed a series of caves. They took shelter in one of the caves and as they rested a spider wove a web over the entrance. Soldiers were searching for them and began to check the caves. As they came to the one where the family was hiding the leader told his men not to bother with searching that cave due to the dew-covered spider web over the entrance.
Our commercialized society begins the Christmas season shortly before Halloween. Truthfully, each family celebrates the season based on our own family traditions. Some start on the First Sunday of Advent setting up their tree and decorating the house. Others put their tree up on Christmas Eve. Generally, most agree that the season ends on Twelfth night, Epiphany, the visit of the Magi.
In Sweden the Christmas Season begins on Saint Lucia Day, December 13th. Lucia of Syracuse was a woman of the third century. Christians were being persecuted and many took refuge in the catacombs. Lucia brought them food. Since the catacombs were dark, she tied candles in her hair to light her way. Swedes honor her on the 13th. The oldest daughter dresses in white with a red sash. She puts a crown of evergreens on her head with seven lighted candles and after baking cinnamon rolls and making coffee and hot chocolate, serves breakfast to the other members of the household. The Swedish Christmas season ends on Christmas Eve with a special dinner and the exchanging of gifts. The 25th is a day for church and rest.
Our friends in Mexico celebrate with the posadas a commemoration of the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Their season ends on Twelfth night. In Ireland candles are placed in all the windows of the house and the doors are left open. The candles are left to burn all night, inviting any family looking for shelter that they are welcome and will not be homeless that night. A plate and cup are left on the table for the souls in purgatory.
Christmas is a season of music. The most popular song of the season owes it’s creation to one of God’s lowliest creatures. The year was 1818 and the place was Oberndorf, Austria. Josef Mohr discovered that the church organ had been damaged beyond use by a hungry mouse. Josef realized it was Christmas Eve, and the townspeople would be gathering for their midnight service. He retired to his study and thought of the night in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. He began to write his thoughts down. Soon he realized that it would take someone with a knowledge of music to put his words to music. He asked a friend, Franz Gruber, to try to write a score for the new Christmas song. Gruber was about to leave town for the holiday but undertook the task and returned to Mohr with a rough score. That night the townspeople of Oberndorf gathered in the Church of St. Nicholas and heard Mohr play his guitar and for the first time ever sing a new Christmas song – Silent Night.
Christmas is also a time of miracles. What we know as World War 1 began in August 1914. Soon Europe was engaged in a war that would last until November 11, 1918. It became a war of inches as the lines of trenches stretched across the face of Europe. The trenches were separated by a strip of land known as “no man’s land.” On the evening of December 24, 1914, the church bells of Antwerp, Belgium rang out calling the faithful to mass. Miraculously, the guns fell silent. A soldier placed a small fir tree on the edge in front of his trench, another started singing Mohr’s Silent Night, Others joined in. The next morning the men from both sides met in no-mans-land, shook hands, shared food and drink. They spent the day playing games and sharing stories of home. The next morning the war resumed but for 24 hours there was peace on Earth.
Have a Merry Christmas.
