"Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever!"
I love Christmas. I love the lights and the decorations. I love the treats and goodies that we eat. I love that everyone becomes kinder and more giving. What I love most of all is that everything about Christmas points to Christ.
One of my favorite Christmas carols is the German carol, "O Tannenbaum". In the song we sing about the evergreen tree and how it's needles are unchanging. No matter whether it's summertime or in winter when it snows, the needles are always green. In the carol, we thank the evergreen tree for it's wonderful example of how constant we need to be in our faith.
While we're still on the subject of evergreen trees, the branches point upward to heaven. The shape of the tree itself directs the eye heavenward.
This is just one example of the many aspects of the season that points to the Savior. Look at a candy cane. The shape represents both the Shepherds' crook and the letter J. The white stands for the purity of the Savior's life, while the red stripes represent His sacrifice for us.
Strings of lights represent the light seen in the sky the night the Savior was born. The tradition of gift-giving finds its origin in the gifts that the wise-men brought to the Christ-child. Or perhaps it originates with Heavenly Father giving us the ultimate gift--His firstborn Son as our Savior and Redeemer. Whatever the object, everything points to Christ.
Look for the symbolism around you this Christmas season. Just like the Wise-men of old, the signs are there leading you to Christ. You just have to notice them.
E is for Evergreen
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