“Where are you Christmas? Why can’t I find you?” – Faith Hill
The real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, where did it go? It has been replaced by ads for Toys R Us, Best Buy, Apple and more. The true meaning has been lost among the marketing gurus of today. Can we find it again?
Look into the eyes of a child, one not old enough to “want”. Watch their eyes light up along with the colors of the season. Watch them wonder what it’s all about. Teach them that Christmas is not about Santa Claus coming down the chimney with a sack of toys. The real story of Kris Kringle gets lost in all the commercialism of the times, and it’s up to us to guide the young in learning about the Christ child. That we celebrate His birthday on December 25th. It isn’t about physical gifts but about the gift of love, the gift of your heart.
Kris Kringle is derived from Christkind, and is different than Santa Claus
A Christmas gift-bringer in Germany. The name “Kris Kringle” is a mispronounciation of the German name; the actual German figure is called “Christkind”, “Christkindchen” or “Christkindl” and is derived from the earlier Christkindl, which was introduced by Martin Luther. All of the German names mean “Christ child” and originally refer to the new-born Jesus.
The figure is distinct in origin and tradition from Santa Claus and Father Christmas. The Christkind (“Christ Child”) is the traditional Christmas giftbringer in Southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Südtirol and Liechtenstein. Since the 1990s, the Christkind is facing increasing competition in Germany from the Weihnachtsmann in the American version of Santa Claus.
The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings. Martin Luther intended it to be a reference to the incarnation of Jesus as an infant.
The form “Kris Kringle” is only used in the US. In Germany, it is completely unknown.
And yet we continue to promote Santa Claus as the reason behind Christmas. A man in a red suit does not stand for the true meaning of Christmas. It is all about the birth of Jesus Christ. We should be celebrating his life. The electronics can wait another day.
“If there is love in your heart and your mind, you will feel like Christmas all the time…”
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…..
Do you know when the first day of Christmas really is? In America, people believe the first day is December 14th and count up to Christmas. They’re wrong. Retailers looking to make their mark during the Christmas season will use these days to push sales, as Christmas Day ends their holiday marketing season. Actually, the twelve days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day, December 25th and continue through to January 5th, the Twelfth Night, and finally end on January 6th or the Feast of the Epiphany.
There was even a story about a priest who claimed the song was intended as a catechism song to help young Catholics learn their faith, at a time when practicing Catholicism was criminalized in England (1558 until 1829).1 This was later debunked.
For some, Twelfth Night remains the biggest night for parties and gift-giving. Some households exchange gifts on the first (25 December) and last (5 January) days of the season. As in olden days, Twelfth Night to Epiphany morning is then the traditional time to take down the Christmas tree and decorations.2 My mom calls January 6th “Little Christmas”.
Again we find that the United States has all but forgotten these traditions. We look at Christmas Day as a day of celebration, followed by planning for the next, New Year’s Day. It would appear the meaning of Christmas all but gets lost in the party planning of our time.
Different cultures celebrate this time with feasts or with fasts. There is no one way that is correct. Many still follow the ways of Eastern Christianity, siting the twelve days as a time for celebration, a no fasting period, followed by fasting on January 5th until the first star is seen in the night sky.
No matter how you celebrate this Christmas season, always remember the real meaning behind the celebration. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Not the birth of the latest ipad. Put Christ back in Christmas. The world needs Him.
Night Owl Poetry - Dorinda Duclos 