Blink & You'll Miss It

I was bemoaning the fact that Christmas arrives far too early in the year these days with cards on sale in August and shops decorated by October. Now in mid November although some of the trees are still hanging onto their autumn colours, others have already drifted into their winter appearance and two weeks from now we will be in Advent, the Christian period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Festive lights are being switched on up and down the country - Derby's ceremony took place on Saturday and those in Ilkeston are due to be lit on November 30th. In another six weeks, Christmas will have passed and we'll be on the verge of 2013. Hard to believe I know but that's the truth of it.

The Christmas Box

Yesterday I wrote about pantomimes traditionally starting on Boxing Day but the origin of the name "Boxing" comes from an old church custom of opening the Alms box to share amongst the poor in the Parish. Later the Victorians treated their tradesmen to tips at Christmas and these became known as their Christmas Box. The practice of giving and receiving presents at Christmas is still an important part of the season and in the commercialism of Christmas it is sometimes forgotten the gift mankind was given 200 years ago with the birth of Jesus. Perhaps these shop window displays that both feature boxes of varying shapes and sizes will act as a reminder.

Shooting Stars

If you look out of your window tonight or tomorrow and the sky is clear, there's a good chance you'll see a shooting star as the earth's orbit will take it through the Geminid meteors, an event that happens every December. The shooting stars are set to light up the winter sky.

The brightest of these stars however pales into insignificance when compared to the Star of Bethlehem that heralded the birth of Jesus and led the Wise Men to the stable 2000 years ago. The star is still an important feature of our 21st century Christmas celebrations and can be seen in many decorative displays like this one at the end of East Street which even features the tail(s) of a shooting star.

And this little video tells the story of a magic Christmas Star.

Easter Day

St Mary's Church was beautifully decorated this morning for Easter Day. As well as pedestal displays of flowers each pillar had a cross with a lily attached to it. The flowers are symbols of purity, virtue innocence and hope and show that Jesus is no longer on the cross. Jesus Christ is risen today - Alleluia!

Magi

The feast of Epiphany is actually January 6th and celebrates the visit of the magi to the infant Jesus but I caught this image of the Three Kings after the morning service in St Mary's toady. Do you realise though that nowhere in the Bible does it say there were three of them or that they were kings?


January 6th of course is the twelfth day of Christmas and the famous carol about the twelve days has a hidden meaning for Christians:
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus.
The two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens reppresent faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds are the Gospels.
The five gold rings stand for the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying represent the six days of creation.
The seven swans a-swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The eight maids a-milking are the Beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The ten lords a-leaping stand for the Ten Commandments.
Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven Apostles.
Twelve drummers drumming re[resent the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed.

It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without ....

There have been heavy snowfalls mainly down the eastern side of the country this week and I heard one weather forecaster say that it wouldn't be Christmas without snow. I don't think that is strictly true as a white Christmas in the UK is not that common but it set me thinking about the things that make for a modern Christmas.


For many people it isn't Christmas without hearing carols or popular songs including old favourites like Bing Crosby's "White Christmas", Harry Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child", Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" or Judy Garland's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Then of course there are more recent offerings from the likes of Cliff Richard, Wham, Wizzard, the X Factor winners and not forgetting the perennial "Merry Christmas Everybody" by Slade.

For others it's a Christmas film that makes the season - "Holiday Inn", "White Christmas", "Miracle On 34th Street", "Elf", "Santa Claus - The Movie", "The Grinch" - need I go on? There's TV regulars too like the Queen's Speech, Christmas specials of popular shows, endless repeats of programmes we've seen several times before but who would miss a Morecambe and Wise Show? "The Great Escape" or "The Eagle Has Landed" will probably be on at least one channel even if it is a satellite station and many would say that it just wouldn't be Christmas without "The Sound Of Music" - again!

For yet another group of people, it's the shopping, the baking, the turkey and the stuffing, the drinking, the merry-making and the family gatherings and while all the above contribute to making a good Christmas, isn't it time this week in particular to focus on the REAL reason for the festival - the birth of Jesus? However you celebrate, don't leave "Christ" out of "Christ"mas. After all it really wouldn't be Christmas without Him.

It was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One! - From 'A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens