Christmas Trees/Holiday Trees

I read someone else' blog yesterday concerning the way we just drop Christmas things on December 26, forgetting all about it and moving on to sales, etc. Well I decided then and there, that I would not forget about it this year. You want to know why?? I'm a Christian and Christians never forget Christmas, the birthday of our Lord and Saviour.

I have about 7 Christmas trees in my home and I'm leaving them up to enjoy until Monday, January 3. Yes, I know, the symbol for Christian Christmas is not the tree, but the Crèche. So why do I want to have all these trees to remind me of the birth of Christ?(I do have a Crèche.)

First, Christ was born into a family, an earthy family. That family, I'm sure had traditions. Our's is a Christmas tree among other things. I'm sure the Holy Family had friends, at least I know Jesus did, in the 12 disciples and others mentioned in the scriptures, such as Mary, Martha, Lazarus and more. My large tree reminds me of friends and family; almost every ornament on my tree is a symbol of the friend who gave it to me, or one of my children's creative genius. As I've said before, I cherish my friends and family. Every one is remembered in a special way as I decorate my tree about 10 days before Christmas. The gifts under the tree symbolize the gift of Salvation given to us by our Heavenly Father in the giving of His Son, Jesus. The unwrapping of the gifts symbolize the receipt and acceptance of that Gift so graciously given to us. Using or displaying the gift is like living our Christian lives in a way to show others the way to salvation, displaying Christ to others.

My trees are Christmas trees, not holiday trees, since without the birth of Christ, there would be no Christmas or Christmas trees, however, there would still be holidays, but not Christmas which is only celebrated because we chose that day to celebrate the birthday of Jesus.

As I look at my trees now, devoid of gifts, I see the wooden cross, devoid of a body, on which my Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth died for my sins and yours, was buried and arose on the 3rd day, later ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God our Father, interceding to Him for us as we call on Him in prayer and supplication.

These are things we must never forget, even though we may discard our trees the week following Christmas. Maybe we should just leave them up forever, so we'd be reminded every day of the great sacrifice our Jesus made for us. I pray it doesn't take a Christmas tree to remind you of that great act of love, but that you'll see it in every tree in the forest, every bird in the air, every spring flower and all of this earth's wonders placed just so by our loving Heavenly Father, God.

Luke: 2