Symbols of Christmas

Each Christmas, we remember a story that began 2000 years ago and involves a very poor young woman, perhaps only fourteen years of age. Her name is Miriam, and she is engaged to Joseph, of royal blood and descendant of the line of King David. But she is met by a man, as angels in the Bible are ordinary men! She becomes pregnant and could be stoned to death for fornicating outside marriage, but Joseph marries her and her life is saved. When she is in the final stages of this first pregnancy, and suffers the discomfort of a long donkey ride with her husband, to pay their taxes in the homeland of their ancestor, King David. But her story begins far earlier, as a descendant of the royal line, Miriam is a princess - but in a land oppressed by a foreign army and with a puppet king on the Jewish throne. The two together could create a power base to jeopardise the puppet king and raise an army against the Roman oppressors. It’s a dangerous and very specific situation as Judah was desperate for a messiah. 

They have travelled many miles, carrying their blankets, their food and water bags across a desert region to pay taxes to the occupying nation. When they arrive at their destination, all the hostels are full, and the mother-to-be lies bears her baby in a dark cave where animals seek shelter. She put the newborn into a trough, a basin into which animal food is usually placed. In ancient days, the Jewish custom dictated that women at birthing time must remain separated from men, and for many days until recovered from the birth, a time during which they were considered unclean. Then a cleansing bath took place and thanksgiving. The mother was ritually blessed along with a boy child. 

The important part of this tale is the child, a symbol of new beginnings and hope for a better future. We are told that wise and wealthy men, possibly kings or magicians, followed a bright star in the Eastern sky that they believed foretold a Jewish royal birth. Though we do not know from which country these Magi originated, it has been suggested that they could have been Zoroastrian priests from Persia, as they were known to be scholars, astrologers, diviners and interpreters of dreams. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold was chosen because the new-born child was of royal blood, frankincense to represent the perfume of prayer and priesthood, and myrrh because it was used to bless a holy person. Three is the number of expansion and collective action. The bright star represents aspiration, and the East is the place of dawn and light. We are told that on a local hillside, a crowd of angels, symbols of spiritual communication, informed first the shepherds who protected the land and animal life. They were told that royalty had been born and therefore majesty and power could be returned to the dispossessed people of this land. It is to be remembered that King David, of which the parents were descended from, was once a shepherd boy. 

On the evening of the 5th January, the Christmas decorations are traditionally removed. The season usually lasts only twelve days from midnight on Christmas Eve until the evening of the Epiphany, a word that means “revelation’. On the 6th of January, we celebrate the visit from the gift bearers, and, if we are able, travel to their shrine at the magnificent twelfth century cathedral at Cologne in Germany where their relics are displayed.

In addition to the Christian story, we have our modern traditions with new symbols. The mistletoe is an ancient Druidic medicine and was highly prized when seen clinging to the oak tree which was considered the greatest of trees. We decorate our homes with tinsel and sparkling baubles to provide a colourful welcome to our guests. Plum pudding, made from nourishing fat, will fill the stomach of anyone who has not had sufficient meat at the meal-table. This was an important supplement in days gone by when food was an expensive luxury. The Christmas evergreen tree represents nature’s abundance; wood for heat, light and cooking, a home for the birds and the bees, pine scent to keep the insects away. The yule log is a symbol of warmth and plenty. We burn candles to dispel the darkness of short winter days, just as many faiths celebrate the return of the sun by having a light ceremony at this, the darkest time of the year. The loud bang of the Christmas cracker exorcises unwanted spirits and also supplies an entertaining joke after the Christmas meal. 

First published Psychic News Magazine by Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk