www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Christmas lights

Bless me a sinner, Father Mark!

Thank you! I receive your blessing as I would from the Hand of Christ Himself!

Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing,

Alex

Hello:

Ok, I need to add that in Mexico, Christmas decorations remain in place at least to the feast of the Epiphany or January 6th if the Epiphany is earlier than that.

It is not uncommon to still see some Christmas decorations a few weeks after that.

The feast of "Candelaria", or the Presentation to the Temple is loosing popularity, but it is not "Dead" yet. Let me explain.

On January 6th, families and groups of friends join together to share the "Rosca", which is a large ring-shaped sweet roll, typically decorated with dried fruit on top. Hot Chocolate is the traditional beverage.

Now, before baking the rosca, one or more small plastic boy figures are inserted in the dough. When you are cutting your slice, you might get one of these inside, and in that case, you're supposed to host a get-together on February 2nd, traditionally offering tamales for dinner.

Now, the original meaning is that, since this is the feast of the Epiphany, finding the boy figure which represents the infant Christ, means that Christ manifested Himself to you, and you offer the party as a thanksgiving act to Christ through your friends and family.

This meaning has been gradually lost, and now people will try as hard as they can to avoid getting the figure, because they dont want to be in charge of the party. Some people try too hard, I remember when a friend of mine realized he got the figure when he chewed on it,a nd not wanting to reveal that he got it, he actually swallowed it.

Shalom,
Memo.

Hi Folks:

I tend to feel it is far more important what we do in our hearts and in the pre-Christmas fast than what we hang on our houses. I tend to like Christmas decorations - and I tend to leave 'em up from the day after Thanksgiving until Epiphany falls on the old calendar. I find that visitors to my home enjoy the decorations.

My family always set up a nativity scene - my dad, who was a devout old-school Irishman, actually built an awesome stable for ours. But we used to put the wisemen way far away when we were kids and then we would have them inch their way over across various table tops and mantles toward the stable, when they would finally arrive on "baba's Christmas" (my mom's mom) in January.

I actually do the same thing. My tree is up. My stable is displayed. My wisemen are making their way across a bookshelf now. I also display an appropriate icon of the season on the mantle (it's the first thing you see in our living room) - this week, of course, St. Nicholas is out. I've also got a little St. Nicholas on my desk at work, where I also have a little tree.

When I was a kiddie, I didn't get St. Nicholas confused with Santa. My uncle was born on the feast of St. Nicholas (again, old calendar) and I sort of understood that the man in the icon was far more important than the man in the red suit.

However we decorate, I hope that we will always remained focused on the real story of Christmas and the awesome mystery we're preparing for and commemorating.

Dear Annie,

Well, you truly do light up my life!

Alex

Mexicans also have that in common, we celebrate Epiphany very much and the Kings arrive that night to children. It is now common that Santa Claus comes on christmas and brings present to childrean, but the old tradition, according to my grandmother was that Santa Claus (Saint Nicolas) came the 6 december and gave a small present top children and people would also receive their christmas gifts "from him", and on christmas Jesus was the most important thing, and then the 6th january, the Kings broght presents to children.

I think that the old tradition is better because it is more christian and more centered in christian celebration and our famillies, and not merely on commercial stuff.

There's also one thing. I think that there's nothing wrong with Santa Claus but we should try to give him a more propper image. I have some Santas at my house for decoration and I specially like one when Santa appears yes in his red clothing and presents, but with a cross and as a Bishop. I think we should try to replace the false image of Santa with a more christian image of Saint Nicholas the Wonder Worker.

I am surprised to see how in the USA the image and history of Santa Claus has been so falsified and destroyed. He is now known as a married man who lives in the North Pole. They've even invented a Ms Santa Claus, I guess that's an invention of those American feminists, what happens?

No one has mentioned the Advent wreath custom so far. Our parish (Byzantine Catholic, Ruthenian)has one with 6 candles of different colors, each representing a certain ideal, surrounding a Paschal candle. A candle is lighted each Sunday before Divine Litrugy, and is accompanied by an explanation, a prayer, and a reading from the Bible. There was a flyer produced with the details for the use of the wreath. (It differs, of course, from the western wreaths in the number and color of candles, as well as the prayers and readings) My wife and I also do the prayers at home, and light the appropriate candles Sunday afternoon.

You might try the Moravian College Bookstore as a lead on finding a source for a Moravian star. They come disassembled usually, and are not particularly easy to put together, depending on how much of a klutz a person is (I'm right up there in klutzhood). There are paper ones as well as plastic ones. The plastic ones last a lot longer in terms of reuse year after year. The points are white, and where they merge there is black trim. They are a stunning decoration. Once years ago when I was a boy in North Carolina, I participated in a Christmas parade in Winston-Salem, where there is a sizeable Moravian presence. The streets were decorated with evergreen garlands that had lime green lights in them, and where the garland draped in the middle of the street they hung one Moravian star. All down 4th Street you could see a series of Moravian stars. There were no other decorations- no Santas, reindeer, etc. It was the most attractive city Christmas decorating I ever saw- very simple, Christian, and direct in its message. It was back in the 60s. I wonder if they still do that today.

For Moravian Stars and other such items, try
http://www.moravianbookshop.com .

Before the Christmas Fast began this year, I toyed around with the idea of using the 7-branched menorah I have in a way similar to the Advent wreath. Since there are six weeks of fasting, light a candle each week, with Scripture and prayer. The center candle could either be used as the "shamash" or lit on Christmas Eve, when you would have all seven candles lit (number of Divine completion, right?). Use of a menorah would be a reminder of the Old Covenant. But alas, I was too busy to come up with a devotional scheme in time, and couldn't figure out a good place to put it this year, so I didn't try it.

-Dave