Last Updated on August 9, 2024
Christmas is arguably the most celebrated holiday in the world. People from all walks of life honor the birth of Jesus Christ in their own way – often using Christmas traditions and symbols. Without a doubt, you’re familiar with some or all of the Christmas symbols used as they’re everywhere during the holidays.
But do you know the significance of these ubiquitous symbols?
Christmas Tree or The Fir Tree
The Christmas tree primarily symbolizes everlasting life. It also suggests hope and optimism. There’s an old story depicting baby Jesus as being born in the dead of winter, and when the surrounding trees shook off the snow covering them, they revealed new shoots of bright evergreens. In other parts of the world, the needles of the fir tree that point upwards are said to represent the connection of men with God.
Christmas Star
Denoted as the Star of Bethlehem, the Christmas star is what revealed the birth of baby Jesus to Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar. It’s also their guiding light to Bethlehem. A star is also a sign of a fulfilled prophecy, one that represents the shining hope of humankind.
Christmas Candles
In different parts of the world during the holidays, Christmas candles are lit as mirrors of the starlight. They are gestures of appreciation for the Star of Bethlehem. They also bring warmth and light during the cold season.
Christmas Wreath
One of the most traditional Christmas symbols, the Christmas wreath represents the eternal love of Jesus to humankind. Its circular shape suggests rebirth. The actual wreath symbolizes generosity and the gathering of families.
Christmas Bells
The sound of the holiday bells is the announcement of the arrival of baby Jesus. The sweet tinkling music of the bells is believed to guide the lost sheep back to the fold. This signifies that all people are precious and loved fiercely by the Lord. Today, the bells mark the start of the holidays.
Christmas Colors
The two main colors of Christmas are red and green. Red symbolizes the blood shed by Jesus when He died on the cross. It also represents His sacrifice to save humankind. Green, on the other hand, symbolizes the eternal light and life of Christ.
Santa Claus
The legendary figure that is St. Nicholas in real life has been one of the universal symbols of Christmas. He was a godly man revered for his charitable and generous heart. His act of giving gifts to children on Christmas Eve embodies the goodness of benevolent and anonymous giving to others.
Poinsettia
A poinsettia is a dark red-colored plant with star-shaped leaves. It’s commonly associated with Christmas because of its colors and shape – the latter representing the star of Bethlehem. There are also many Christmas stories related to poinsettias.
One of the most popular is from Mexico. Legend has it that some poor children in Mexico wished to give baby Jesus a present. But because they didn’t have money, they elected to just gather up some weeds as a gift to Him. Out of those weeds bloomed the miraculous red poinsettias.
Holly
The holly is a representation of the crown of thorns Jesus wore during his crucifixion. The sharp leaves symbolize the thorns while the red berries imply the drops of blood He shed for His people. Also, the shape of the leaves that resemble flames is believed to represent the burning love of the Lord for humankind.
Mistletoe
More than kissing, the mistletoe represents love. Mistletoes don’t have roots. To survive, they live off from the tree they’re attached to. A mistletoe stands for love, one that is derived from God.
Candy Cane
The shape of a candy cane is reminiscent of a shepherd’s crook. It is a reminder of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who uses His crook to bring lost lambs back into His arms. The white stripe symbolizes purity. The red line represents Jesus’s sacrifice.
Christmas Stockings
Legend has it that one Christmas Eve, Santa Claus saw a poor family and wanted to bring them joy and help, even just for the holidays. As he worked incognito, he decided to use the chimney to drop a few gold coins for the family. The coins then fell into the stockings that were hanging on the fireplace to dry.
Jesus
Whether it’s in the arms of His mother, Mary, or placed in a humble manger, images of Jesus as an infant is the ultimate symbol of Christmas. He is, after all, the main focus of the holiday and the reason why we celebrate such a momentous event.
Christmas Gifts or Gift Giving
The first gifts given during Christmas were from the three wise men. They gave baby Jesus symbolic gifts (gold, incense, and myrrh) to give Him honor, thus giving precedence to the custom of exchanging gifts during the holidays.
Now that you know the significance of most Christmas symbols, it’s time to feel the Christmas spirit with these insightful quotes.
Best Christmas Quotes
“Christmas is like candy; it slowly melts in your mouth sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.” – Richelle E. Goodrich
“Christmas is forever, not for just one day. For loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away.” – Norman Wesley Brooks
“The Christmas spirit is a spirit of giving and forgiving.” – James Cash Penney
“Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it white.” – Bing Crosby
“The world has grown weary through the years, but at Christmas, it is young.” – Phillips Brooks
“Christmas is a piece of one’s home that one carries in one’s heart.” – Freya Stark
“Remember this December, that love weighs more than gold.” – Josephine Daskam Bacon
“Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.” – Dr. Seuss
“Christmas is the season of joy, of gift-giving, and of families united.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day.” – Helen Steiner Rice
“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” – Roy L. Smith
“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.” – Deborah Whipp
“What is Christmas? It is the tenderness of the past, courage for the present, and hope for the future.” – Agnes M. Pahro
“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day.” – Andy Rooney
“Love the giver more than the gift.” – Brigham Young
“Christmas is the day that holds all time together.” – Alexander Smith
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” – Burton Hills
“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.” – Calvin Coolidge
“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things—not the great occasions—give off the greatest glow of happiness.” – Bob Hope
“Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance—a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.” – Augusta E. Randel
“I don’t think Christmas is necessarily about things. It’s about being good to one another.” – Carrie Fisher
“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” – Edna Ferber
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Charles Dickens
“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” – Charles M. Schulz
“I wish we could put some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” – Harlan Miller
“There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.” – Eric Sevareid
“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.” – Bob Hope
“The joy of brightening other lives becomes for us the magic of the holidays.” – W.C. Jones
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” – Dale Evans Rogers
“Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us.” – David Cameron
“Let us keep Christmas beautiful without a thought of greed.” – Ann Garnett Schultz
“Christmas is like candy; it slowly melts in your mouth sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.” – Richelle E. Goodrich
“Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.” – Valentine Davies
“Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” – Dr. Seuss
“A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” – Benjamin Franklin
“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” – W.T. Ellis
“Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality.” – Washington Irving
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” – Will Ferrell
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” – Charles Dickens
“At Christmas, all roads lead home.” – Marjorie Holmes
“Christmas is a stocking stuffed with sugary goodness.” – Mo Rocca
“T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” – Clement Clarke Moore
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” – Edward Pola and George Wyle
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” – Peg Bracken
“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” – Harlan Miller
“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” – Winston Churchill
“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.” – Mary Ellen Chase
“Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” – Zuzu Bailey
“We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
