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Holiday signs have
deeper meanings

The signs of Christmas abound everywhere: decorations, advertisements, music, TV, even special drinks.

But wait -- Christmas is much more than these. For Christians it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and the beginning of our salvation. The rich symbols of this season point to the deeper meaning of this special time of year.

The evergreen Christmas tree, with its ancient roots, reminds us of life and eternal life in particular, with green being a sign of hope.

The wreath points to the eternity of God, who has no beginning and no end. The red bow on the wreath represents God's love for us in sending his son Jesus. The familiar candy cane has multiple symbols attached to it, including the shepherd's staff when turned one way and the letter "J" for Jesus when turned the other.

White indicates Christ's purity, while the red and green stripes can indicate love and hope respectively. Santa Claus has his roots in St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, who was well known for giving gifts to children, especially the poor.

Even the giving of presents has a special meaning, representing the giving of the greatest gift ever, Jesus Christ, and the sharing of that gift of love, forgiveness and joy with each other.

In certain cultures and traditions, gifts were actually shared on the Feast of Epiphany (this year, celebrated on Jan. 2), recalling the visit and gifts of the Magi (Gentile or non-Jewish kings or sages) to the child Jesus.

In short, the rich symbols argue that such an important event as the birth of Jesus Christ can't simply be reduced to shopping and parties. For both Christian and non-Christian, Christmas speaks to the heart.

Christmas also begs for action. During Advent, the special four-week season of preparation before Christmas, one of the passages of Scripture included John the Baptist wanting to know whether Christ was the Savior (Matthew 11:2-3).

Christ's response was a simple one: Look at what is seen and done. Christ's actions were signs of salvation unfolding, of the Kingdom of God at hand: "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them" (Matthew 11:4-5).

The question asked of us, especially those who call themselves Christians, is similar: What are the signs people see in us of the Kingdom of God unfolding and God's grace transforming our lives?

It is not enough to speak of joy and forgiveness, charity and kindness. It is not enough to give Christmas gifts and host parties.

Do people see the outward signs of grace and love in our everyday deeds? When we face trials, sickness and personal setbacks, do we still radiate a sense of rejoicing and trust in the Lord that others can perceive?

Are we agents for peace, reconciliation and unity in our families and communities?

In the Christian tradition, Christmas begins on Christmas Day; it does not end. I invite all of us, Christian and non-Christian, to embrace that spirit of Christmas and make every day Christmas in our hearts.

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