I found a very interesting piece on the colours and symbols of Christmas by Glenn Blaylock.
The colours, pictures, emphasis & comments in purple are mine:
There are many symbols associated with Christmas. Some can mean different things to different people. I have a story that appeared in some women's magazine some years back. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the magazine or the author. The upshot of the story was that most of the symbols pointed back to the Savior. Here are some of the symbol (sic) and what they mean.
Red symbolizes the blood that Jesus spilt to redeem us from our sins.
Green is the color of life. Therefore, green symbolizes the potential for eternal life that Jesus' sacrifice made possible for all of us. The evergreen tree used for Christmas trees is green all year round. Green also symbolizes growth, freshness and even potential. Remember the quote:
"as long as you're green you're growing..."
The flame of a candle, the lights on the tree and the star on top are all meant to remind us of the new star that appeared to proclaim the birth of the promised Messiah. Remember, He's the light of the world too...the Christmas lights & star on the tree both remind us to be bright lights - we must Shine Truimph Achieve Rejoice - and men will see our lives, glorifies our Father in Heaven and be drawn to Him too.*
The bell is a reminder of the bells worn by sheep. They provide a means for the shepherd to find the sheep that has wandered from the flock and become lost. They symbolize our pleas to the Good Shepherd for guidance back to His flock. Imagine if the sheep was stubborn and refused to wear the bell? Wearing the bell is a sign of complete obedience & submission to the Shepherd - it's for our own good.
The candy cane is shaped like a shepherd's staff. It symbolizes the responsibility that we all have to be shepherds, to help each other and guide each other back to God. Galatians 6:1-2 encourages us to help each other and to bear one another's burdens.
Finally, the bows on the top of the presents are symbolic of brotherhood. It should be a reminder that, just as the ribbons are tied together, we should all be tied together by the knowledge that we are all God's children and, therefore, brothers and sisters. How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell in unity (Psalm 133:1)These are just some of the symbols of Christmas. Some of them come to us from pagan religions and were incorporated into Christianity as the pagans were converted. They probably had other meanings to the pagans. However, the important thing is what they mean to us today. To me, they serve as reminders of just what it is that we are supposed to be celebrating with this holiday. If you think about it, you can probably come up with additional symbols and meanings of your own."**
I have 3 more:
Gold is one of the Christmas colours and it reminds us that Jesus is the King of Kings. He has made us kings (& priests) to reign on earth (Revelation 1:6; 5:10) Finally, the fact that we have ornaments of all shapes, colours and sizes reminds me of how unique we are...we all have something to give, to add to the beauty of the lives of those around us. Ask yourself: "are people glad or sad wherever I go or whenever I go?" I pray people are glad wherever you go.
Make that your goal this year and for life - Be an ornament*** to God's glory!
I pray you have a memorable Christmas; celebrate the Reason for the Season.
God bless you and yours.
Source:
* See Matthew 5:16 & Isaiah 60:1-5; Philippians 2:15
**http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/11783
*** Ornament: valued person: somebody whose presence is a source of pride or honor (per http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?lextype=3&search=ornament)
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