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)Many once popular Christmas time legends have been lost in the modern world. So I would like to share with you some of these historical legends.
The Snowman
Throughout the centuries, children and their parents in northern climates have celebrated the arrival of the first snowfall by creating a snowman. Using buttons or coal for the eyes, a carrrot for a nose and twigs for the arms, snowmen are created to capture the imagination of young and old alike! It is said that snowmen are happiest when it becomes extremely cold and that they have learned to make the most out of their relatively short existence. Perhaps, they are happiest knowing that they help to bring families together and that -while they melt away-the joy and memories that they create will last!
The Legend of the Evergreen Tree
Legend says that the evergreen tree is a symbol of the eternal life offered to Christians through their faith in Christ. Just as eternal life will last forever, the evergreen tree stays green all year round, never shedding its needles. On top of the tree there sits a star, pointing towards the heavens. This star represents the star that led the three wise men to Bethlehem. The lights on the tree represent Christ who is the "Light of the World". The gifts that are placed underneath the tree represent God`s gift of His only son, He who brings hope, love, joy, and peace.
The Legend of the Poinsettia
Mexican legend tells of a poor boy on his way to church on Christmas Eve. As was the custom in his village, everyone would bring gifts to lay at the feet of the Baby Jesus near the altar. The little boy felt ashamed that he had no gift to give, but went to church anyway. On his way there, an angel told him to pick some dried weeds he saw on the side of the road and use them as his gift. The boy did as he was told, and when he reached the church, laid the weeds down next to the other gifts. As he did so, the weeds turned into beautiful flowers. Dr. Joel Poinsettia, the first US ambassador to Mexico, brought the plant to the US, where it was named "Poinsettia."
The Mushroom
Closely associated with nature and the beauty of the forest, mushrooms have come to symbolize good luck. Finding a mushroom in the forest has long been viewed as being "lucky" and an expectation of good fortune is at hand. In Germany, adorning your Christmas tree with a mushroom signifies your reverence for nature and hope for good luck in the next year.
The Lady Bug
Named in honor of Mary "Our Lady", these little red creatures are a symbol of good luck in Europe. Centureis ago, when farmers` grapevines were plagued with aphids, they prayed for help. Those prayers were answered in the form of these red beetles. So appreciative were the farmers that they named them in Mary`s honor.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus has become the universal symbol of giving and sharing. The modern-day St. Nicholas, Santa lives with his elves at the North Pole. Every Christmas Eve he visits the houses of good little boys and girls traveling in a sled drawn by reindeer, leaving presents underneath their Christmas trees.
The Heart
The heart, of course, is the symbol of love. Heart ornaments on the Christmas tree, signify the love in a home: God`s love for us and the love that family members have for one another together with the happiness shared throughout the holiday season.
The Lucky Clover
Four leaf clovers - which are scarce in nature - are looked upon as lucky charms, bringing the "Luck of the Irish" with them. Hanging the lucky clover on your Christmas tree is thought to bring the family good luck for the upcoming year.
The Christmas / Easter Eggs
The Christmas/Easter egg ornaments are evocative of those first produced for the Tsars of Russia in the year 1885. In that year Emperor Aleksandr III presented and egg with a series of surprises inside to the Empress. Inside, the "surprises" were made of gold, platinum, precious gems, and enamel. The Tsar liked the gift so much that he presented a new one every year.
The Fish
Fish are representative of Jesus Christ. Jesus had gone down to the Sea of Galilee followed by 5,000 people who had earlier witnessed miracles he had performed on the sick. It was the Passover, Jesus and the disciples met to discuss how they were to feed the entire group, for the only food to be found were five barley loaves and two fish. After giving thanks, Jesus took the bread and fish and began distributing it among the crowd not stopping until everyone had taken as much as they wanted, and still twelve baskets were able to be filled up by the fragments that were left over.
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