Dec 6, 2008

18 days Til Christmas -

and my bedroom was transformed into Santa's Workshop this morning -
Align CenterI put on some old Wintry/Christmassy movies and got all the presents that have arrived wrapped.

Packages are ready to be shipped out
& the tree looks perfect!


After I had gotten all the presents done, KM started asking about the different symbols and where they come from - I knew a lot of them, but there were a few that I was surprised by. I went in search of and found last years December issue of Pagan Moonbeams written by TristA & Shannon Donaldson. It had a great list of traditional symbols and explanations of where they derived from.

Here is the article's list:

Bells–
Pagan. Bells were used to drive away demons which surfaced during the dark time of the year.
Candles–
Pagan. Candles were lit to encourage the sun to shine, especially during festivals.
Candy Cane–
Christian. Peppermint leaves and teas are Pagan, however the candy cane was invented by an American confectioner using a Christian symbol.
Carols–
Christian. Carols were introduced in the fourth century by the Catholic Church.
Elves–
Pagan. The Norse land of Alfaheimr (land of the elves) was inhabited by spirits that created the sun.
Evergreens–
Pagan. There is evidence of different Pagan groups throughout history decorating evergreens.
Gingerbread–
Christian. The Crusaders started this tradition by introducing ginger, and gingerbread. French and German bakers united to make the gingerbread into a man.
Holly–
Pagan. Holly began as a symbol of rebirth and friendship for many different Pagan religions.
Lights–
Pagan. For many centuries homes were decorated with light to frighten negative entities and urge the sun to shine.
Mistletoe– Pagan. Believed to first be used by the Greeks during winter ceremonies. The Druids are the ones who gave it sacredness and special meaning.
Ornaments–
Pagan. Fruits, candy, cookies and flowers were all used to decorate trees by the Germanic people.
Poinsettia–
Christian. An old Mexican myth of a poor boy wanting to buy Christ a gift for Christmas made this magical flower appear.
Reindeer–
Pagan. These magical creatures were derived from the Goddess Freya Stags that carried her chariot or symbolizing Cernunnos, a Celtic god.
Santa Claus–
Pagan. Either from the Norse sun-god or the Aryan god Odin.
Sleigh–
Pagan. Definitely from the Norse god Freya who spent 12 days after the Winter Solstice in her chariot drawn by stags. She gave gifts and goodwill to the good and misery to the bad.
Snowflakes–
Pagan. These represent Demeter’s tears when Persephone descended to the Underworld. The symbol was also used by Pagans throughout time to represent love.
Stockings– Christian. They fall back to a story of women who were worried about living a lone and of St. Nick leaving presents in them one night when their windows and doors were locked.
Tinsel–
Christian. A story of spiders wanting to climb on the tree and not being permitted so the Christ child allowed them to go on the tree anyway. They wove webs that covered the tree which delighted the child and he turned them to silver so they would always be there.
Tree–
Pagan. Decorating a tree began back with the Egyptians and Babylonians. Decorating a tree during this particular holiday came from a version of this practice used by the Germans, who got it from the Romans.
Wassail–
Pagan. The Anglo-Saxons started this ritual by sprinkling trees with eggs, apples, cider and ale to insure a good apple yield for the coming year.
Wreath–
Pagan. The Greeks picked the circle because it was a symbol of life (death, rebirth, death, rebirth, etc…), like the sun in the Pagan religions, then covered it with greenery and used it for decoration during their Sacacea festival.


If you know where any other Holiday symbols come from please let me know, I would love to add to the list!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

thank you so much for the information. I didn't know all those things.

I have not even started to wrap gifts. I am still trying to get cookies made for my brothers. But right now I have a cold that has knocked me on the tail for 2 days now. I am hoping to make more cookies tomorrow and the next day. I will be the one at the post office on Friday hoping that everything will arrive before Christmas Day.

Gerky said...

I received this in an email today and thought you might be interested in it.

Sacred Plants of Winter Solstice -- by Selena Fox
This was first published for a workshop at the 1994 Circle Sanctuary Community Yule Festival

Evergreens -- symbolizing: Continuity of Life, Protection, Prosperity
types: Pine, Fir, Cedar, Juniper, other evergreens
forms: boughs, wreaths, garlands, trees
divinities: Green Goddesses & Gods; Hertha; Cybele, Attis, Dionysius (Pine); Woodland Spirits
traditions: Roman, Celtic, Teutonic, Christian

Holly
symbolizing: Old Solar Year; Waning Sun; Protection; Good Luck
forms: boughs over portals, wreaths
divinities: Holly King; Old Nick; Saturn; Bacchus; Wood Spirits; Holly Boys
traditions: Roman, Celtic, English, Christian

Oak
symbolizing: New Solar Year; Waxing Sun; Endurance, Strength, Triumph, Protection, Good Luck
forms: Yule log, acorns, wood for sacred fires
divinities: Oak King; Oak Spirit; Sky Gods including Thor, Jupiter, Zeus
traditions: Teutonic, Celtic, Christian

Mistletoe
symbolizing: Peace, Prosperity, Healing, Wellness, Fertility, Rest, Protection
forms: boughs, amulet sprigs above doorways, kissing balls
divinities: Oak Spirit; Frigga and Balder
traditions: Celtic, Teutonic

Ivy
symbolizing: Fidelity, Protection, Healing, Marriage, Victory, Honor, Good Luck
forms: crowns, wreaths, garlands
divinities: Dionysius; Bacchus; Great Goddess; Ivy Girls
traditions: Greek, Roman, English, Christian

Frankincense
symbolizing: Sun, Purification, Consecration, Protection, Spiritual Illumination
forms: incense, oils
divinities: Sun Gods, Ra at Dawn, Bel
traditions: Babylonian, Assyrian, Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, Roman, Christian

Myrrh
symbolizing: Healing, Death and Afterlife, Purification, Inner Peace
forms: incense, oils
divinities: Isis, Ra at Midday
traditions: Egyptian, Jewish, Christian

Wheat
symbolizing: Sustenance, Abundance, Fertility, Good Luck
forms: grain, straw figures and symbols, cookies, cakes, breads
divinities: Earth Goddesses; Saturn & Ops; Goat Spirit; Fairy Folk
traditions: Roman, Celtic, Scots,
Teutonic, Swedish, Christian

Celtic Tree Calendar's Sacred Trees of Winter Solstice
Yew: Last Day of Solar Year; Death.
Silver Fir: Winter Solstice Day; Birth.
Birch: Month following Winter Solstice; Beginnings.

Fairie Mom said...

Gerky - thanks so much for that list! I love being reminded of where the majority of this holidays traditions actually came from! ;)

Summer Fae - I hope you are feeling better! You WILL get them there and they WILL arrive on time!!!
Good Luck

G