The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back to a monk named St. Nicholas who was born in Turkey around 280 A.D. St. Nicholas gave away all of his inherited wealth and travelled the countryside helping the poor and sick, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is the time he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve. Like many other festive Christmas customs, the Christmas tree has its tale. Putting lights on a tree goes back to the idea of the lights representing Jesus as Light in the darkness. Lights and ornaments on the tree came to represent the stars and planets in the sky. Many Christians would place a manger under their trees to represent Jesus Christ's nativity under the stars. Long before Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special significance for people during the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes with pine, spruce, and fir trees during the holiday season, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. Evergreens were thought to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness in many countries. Christmas trees were unusual to most nineteenth-century Americans. It is widely assumed that Martin Luther, a 16th-century Protestant reformer, was the first to add lighted candles to a tree. He was walking toward his house one winter evening, writing a sermon, when he was struck by the brilliance of stars twinkling among the evergreens. He planted a tree in the park to recreate the scene for his family. A bird ornament is symbolic of happiness and joy. A heart ornament denotes the presence of true love in the home. Because it comes from the sacred oak tree, an acorn ornament represents the gift of life from the birth of the Christ child and represents good luck. Christmas is a season of joy, gift-giving, and family reunion; when we live Christmas every day, peace on earth will be permanent. One who does not have Christmas in his or her heart will never find it under a tree. My Christmas memories gather and dance like snowflakes, each one beautiful, one-of-a-kind, and gone far too soon. Christmas isn't just a day; it's a state of mind that pervades our homes and lives long after the tree has been removed and the lights have been turned off for another year. Christmas is a time of fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, good cheer, and honour. Have a wonderful eve as time and love are the real gifts of Magi of a truly Merry Christmas.
Huma Kirmani An author, a TEDx speaker
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software