Kids and Christmas Symbols

Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s a great time for families to spend quality time together. What a great time to snuggle up with your children and talk about why we celebrate Christmas: the birth of Jesus. One way to do this is to pay attention to the things around you, enjoying the sights and sounds, while giving meaning to the beauty of the season.

Do you know why certain symbols are used at Christmas? We often see symbols that remind us of various aspects of Christianity and the Christmas story. Here are some common Christmas symbols and what they represent:

• Candy Cane: The shape of the candy cane is like a “J” for Jesus. The red stripes represent the blood Jesus shed for our sins, while the white represents His purity.

• Evergreen: The evergreen tree never dies, representing the eternal life Jesus offers to all who believe.

• Holly: The sharp leaves represent the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’s head, and the red berries represent the blood He shed.

• Angel: Angels play a significant role in the Christmas story. It was an angel who announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God, and it was angels who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.

• Wreath: The circular shape of the wreath represents God’s eternal love, with no beginning and no end.

• Star: The Star of Bethlehem guided the wise men to the manger where Jesus was born.

• Poinsettia: A legend says that a young girl who had no gift to bring to baby Jesus gathered weeds by the road, and they turned into beautiful red flowers when placed at the church.

• Gift/Present: Just as the wise men brought gifts to Jesus at His birth, we give gifts to those we love to remember and celebrate His birth.

• Bell: Church bells have traditionally rung to call people to worship, announcing the good news of Jesus’s birth.

Try this: Take a scavenger hunt around your neighborhood or town looking for Christmas symbols. When you find one, talk about its meaning as a family. Merry Christmas!