Here comes Santa Claus!

By Marina HERATH

Most Sacred to Christians is Jesus Christ, the Son of God as the whole world knows. His birth, death and resurrection continue to profoundly inspire millions. Christmas brings to us the message of Jesus Christ and the two stories of Santa or Santa Claus. The Christmas Tree brings to life this significant day, a symbol in all Christian homes: For the kids, the Tree is an object of rapt merriment that entails grabbing toys lined up for them on December 25. It is a Sacred Day in the calendar year that goes with worship and the special lunch that Christians, the world over partake in.

Getting back to Santa, otherwise known as Santa Claus, and how He came to be depicted as a cheery chap with a roly-poly belly wearing a white beard, dressed in a long white red robe hauling toys across the snow drawn by eight reindeer. It is believed that the legend of Santa Claus can be traced to Saint Nicholas who helped poor families but never revealed his identity. Now Santa Claus is a veritable multi-national citizen bringing gifts to children, conveying the same spirit of good cheer! How the cheerful image of Santa Claus as we know it today evolved over the years is an interesting story of how Santa Claus the Saint Nicholas representing the joy and wonder of Christmas as seen in the clear and lovely faces of innocent children. Santa Claus is the spirit of Christmas.

The spirit of friendship of loving and of giving. Dressed all in fur, from head to foot, and daubed with ashes and soot; is the ‘Santa’ image; a bundle of toys flung over his shoulder, and he looks like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes”how they twinkle and his dimples like roses, his nose like a cherry, his little mouth drawn up like a bow, and the beard as white as snow are imitated by thousands of Santa look-alikes today, the pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke that encircled his head, the broad face, the little round belly, and his pleasant smile still inspire children worldwide. Children would be pleased to find gifts under the Tree as they wake up at midnight. Chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. So, St. Nicholas or Santa Claus was a gift given to children that brought happiness to them, a custom still observed by Christians the world over.

The Christmas Tree

Celebrating Christmas without a richly decorated Christmas Tree would not seem right today. But why do we have a Christmas tree, and how did it originate? The night of the Saviour’s birth, all the living creatures, both plants and animals came to Bethlehem with gifts. The olive tree brought its fruit and the palm, its dates. But the little fig tree had no gift and got pushed back by the big trees into the background and hidden from view. But then a nearby angel took pity and commanded a cluster of stars to come and rest on its delicate branches.

When Baby Jesus beheld this lovely lit tree, He smiled and blessed it, declaring henceforth that fig trees should always be filled with lights at Christmas to please little children. Christmas stockings are placed near the fireplace, so that Santa Claus could fill them with gifts.

The other side of the story was as to how the tree became the symbol of Christianity dating back to the 7th century when a monk from Crediton, Devonshire travelled to Germany to spread the Word of God. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the fig tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to the German people. Germans started to revere the fig tree as “God’s Tree”.

In the next 5 centuries, the tree became a symbol of Christianity, and was hung upside-down from the ceiling as a sign of Christianity.

Why do we decorate a cypress tree instead of an oak tree? People often wonder where the custom of having a cypress tree instead of an oak tree, a branch which will be decorated with bells and glittering items in homes during Christmas, originated.

The first known decorated Christmas tree was at Riga in Latviag, in 1510.Martin Luther decorated a small Christmas tree in 1535 with candles for his children to show them how the stars twinkle through the night.

This comes from an ancient symbol that we probably know for sure. But there are several historical clues that point to where this custom came from. Thousands of years ago, there were people who believed that evergreen trees were magical. Even in winter, when all the other trees and greenery were brown and bare, the evergreen stayed strong and green. People saw the evergreen as a symbol of life and as a sure sign that sunshine and spring would soon return. Candles or electric lights we use to decorate our trees today are also an ancient symbol. They represent the light of spring triumphing over the darkness of winter. Many people hide their worries and are happy no matter whether they are poor or rich during Christmas.Ffor Christmas brings you peace and love that you cannot buy for money.