THE CENTERPIECE OF THE CELEBRATION: Decorated evergreen trees in the winter was part of the Jews’ worship of Baal, the sun god, a practice adopted from the Romans. The sun god was understood to have been born of his mother goddess around the time of the winter solstice—December 25th in ancient cultures. Evergreen plants and trees were used in this particular worship because they seemed to retain life through the winter months.
Additionally, the evergreen tree (also just a wood pole) was also an idol representation of the goddess of fertility, sexuality and nature, Ashtoreth or Astarte (translated to “abomination” in Hebrew). Gifts and sacrifices were left at the tree.
Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. This is what the Lord says: Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them. For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.... But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath. “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’ (Jeremiah 10:1-4, 10-11)
You shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which you shall possess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. (Deuteronomy 12:2)
Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.” So He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east. And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.” (Ezekiel 8:15-18)
Around 350 AD, the Roman pope decided to include the celebration of our Savior’s birth with the festivities of the other gods. The Bible specifically warns us about these pagan gods/idols and their rituals of the decorated evergreens. Our God is a jealous God! I do not want to provoke His anger. I am not ok with Him turning His ear from me!
Celebrate the birth of the Savior any day and everyday …. but using something God calls “an abomination” as the centerpiece seems not right if truly celebrating the Son of God. I want HIS PRESENCE to be what fills up the space as our family gathers around singing songs for Him.
THE GOOD GIFT GIVER: NEVER Santa anything - God is our gift-giver and He’s so very good at it ❤ We love to exchange gifts at birthday parties, blessing others as He has blessed us. Gift-giving and the gathering together of family are in God’s nature. That’s the very reason why He sent Yeshua - to make a way for His family to be redeemed, to bring joy to world and the heavens above. During the celebrations of the season, we speak blessings of peace, joy and good will to all others.
LIGHTS! We do decorate for His birthday celebrations - as we do for every other person’s birthday celebration - the decorations for Him are just a bit more grandiose! Our decor looks like there’s been an explosion of lights because He is the light of the world! The light in the darkness. The light that shines through us! The Savior born under the star of Bethlehem ✨
REDEDICATION We also add in to the mix of lights a Hanukkah menorah as a testimony to how God miraculously kept the lights burning during the entire 8 day period of re-dedication of the temple (despite having only enough oil for a day). And now, the bodies of His followers are His temple, so the menorah symbolizes to us the dedication of our lives to Him with His light shining through us, as well as His miraculous ways.
✨✨✨Lights, lights & more lights (and only lights)!! May He light up our lives! May we shine bright for Him!✨✨✨
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