Common Terms of the Holiday Season
Feeling the Christmas spirit
Every year when the Christmas season begins, my wife and I enjoy listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies. We also get a wonderful feeling when we see the Christmas lights that magically begin to appear in the bushes and gardens of the houses wherever we go. . Now our son is old enough to enjoy all of this with us and these days he calls everything Christmas carols, including lights and movies.
Over the years, I have come to learn that there are certain words and terms that we hear almost exclusively at this time of year. In no particular order, I’d like to give you more information on some of the ones that have puzzled me in the past.
Christmas
Taken from the French word Noël, it basically means “Christmas”. The lyrics of the song “The First Christmas” are here.
The three wise men
The Three Wise Men are more commonly called the “Three Wise Men” or the “Three Kings”. They are the men who were led by the Star of Bethlehem to the birthplace of Jesus. Matthew 2:1-12 describes her journey to Jerusalem, his meeting with King Herod, and his gifts to the infant Jesus after his birth in Bethlehem. It is interesting to note that the exact number of wise men is not specified in the Bible, it is commonly assumed three because there were three gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh). It is estimated that the number could have been between 2 and 12 wizards.
Incense
Frankincense comes from the tree. Boswellia thurifera. Today it is most commonly found in Somalia, Oman, and Yemen. The tree trunk is cut and sap oozes from the cut. This sap then dries on the tree and is harvested. This dried sap is used to make incense and is often mixed with other herbs and spices. Just as we use incense today, in the ancient world it was used in homes as well as in certain religious rites.
Myrrh
Like frankincense, myrrh is an incense made from the dried sap of trees. These trees are most common in Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. Myrrh was extremely valuable and was used for embalming. It is said that the gold represented the kingship of Jesus, the frankincense represented his divinity, and the myrrh represented his future death on the cross.
To eat
Usually found in a barn or stable, a manger is a box made of wood or stone that is used to feed animals. Luke 2 verse 7 tells us that after Jesus was born, his mother Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room in the inn.
diapers
In many parts of the world it is common to wrap a baby in cloth, either in strips or in one piece. This fabric restricts the movement of the baby’s arms and legs. It has been proven that swaddled babies tend to sleep better than those who remain unswaddled. At the time of Jesus’ birth, most babies were wrapped in this way.
Immanuel (Immanuel)
This is the name of the Messiah in the prophecies of Isaiah in the Old Testament. In Hebrew, Emmanuel means “God with us” or “God is with us.” The Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament specifically associates Emmanuel as Jesus Christ the Messiah.
Yule (Yule-tide)
Yule was originally a winter festival celebrated by Germanic pagans that over time has been absorbed into Christianity. The word yule now more commonly refers to the Christmas season. People in some countries, particularly in Europe, still celebrate Yule in addition to Christmas.
Nativity
This refers to the time and circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. We also use the term “Nativity Scene” which can be a display with mannequins or a “Living Nativity” with live human and animal models. They are usually displayed in a stable or cave.
Stephen’s Feast (St. Stephen’s Day)
The first martyr of the Christian faith was Saint Stephen. A martyr is someone who is killed for his faith. In Stephen’s case, he was stoned by an angry mob for believing in Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen’s Day is celebrated on December 26 in the Western Church and December 27 in the Eastern Church.
I was sailing
Originally from the Old English words “waes hael” meaning “to be whole” or “to be healthy”, wassailing was originally a pagan ceremony in which people brought large bowls of spiced wine or cider and sang to trees in orchards . They would pour the drink on the roots of the trees so that the trees would bear fruit for the next harvest. Wassailing later became a tradition where tenants would gather and sing for the landlords, giving their blessings in exchange for food and drink. This later became our Christmas tradition of going to neighbors’ houses and then singing Christmas carols.
