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THE CHRISTMAS TREE DÈCOR WRITTEN BY: RE PLICC 2014/12/27

The Christmas Tree Dècor - WordPress.com€¦ · • Charity (Love), Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity (Kindness), Goodness, Long-Suffering (Patiently Bearing Suffering over a Long

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T H E C H R I S T M A S T R E E D È C O RW R I T T E N B Y: R E P L I C C 2 0 1 4 / 1 2 / 2 7

F I R S T I T E M : T H E P I N E T R E E

• We are “Trees of life”: Psalm 1 talks about a blessed tree, a tree planted by the streams of water, whose leaves do not wither but in every season bears fruit.

• What tree amongst trees would represent such a description but the Pines. They are conifer trees in the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae.

• Pinus; the tree of Nativity: The occasion of a person’s birth: the place of my nativity (a place of birth or re-birth)

• They are evergreen. It’s beauty lasts all year long

• Symbolism: Birth, Abundance, Health, Fertility, Fortune & Love.

T H E P I N E C O N E ( S )

• The pinecone, like the pineal gland, is extremely affected by Light, and takes action according to what it senses.

• Cones will open themselves up to the sun’s rays, and close up during cloudy or stormy days. It has to do with continuation of the seed-line.

• Opening up spiritual awareness in order to sow seeds of limitless potential and continuation of Soul Growth…. but to keep with our comparison, we can draw corollaries between pineal gland and pinecone in terms of gauging Light, seeking Light, and becoming activated in the Light.

• http://plicc.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/transportation/

S E C O N D I T E M : B E L L ( S )

• Bells are used to cause someone to remember something joyous: forgiveness of sins. Something with a strong signification of identification towards God’s remembrance or love for or to a people/nation.

• Bells, chimes, jingles, cymbals and gongs: signifies supernatural influence in the natural realm. The sound of bells also signified Devine protection and signaling of completed leadership.

• Bells can be placed on top, top of the Christmas Tree or…. the Star (of Bethlehem), …depending which of them holds a stronger signification to an individual at the end of that specific year.

• Exodus 39:25 (They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.)

T H I R D I T E M : T H E S TA R

• “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

• The Star signifying Devine Guidance and Protection

T H E F O U R T H I T E M ( S ) : O R N A M E N T S

• Christmas ornaments are decorations (usually made of glass, metal, wood, or ceramics) that are used to festoon a Christmas tree.

• Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs. Ornaments are almost always reused year after year rather than purchased annually, and family collections often contain a combination of commercially produced ornaments and decorations created by family members. Such collections are often passed on and augmented from generation to generation.

• Santa Claus is a commonly used figure. Candy canes, fruits, animals or wild animals such as lion, elephants, birds, giraffe, white tiger, ect.. snowmen, angels and snowflake images are also popular choices.

O R N A M E N T S 1 : R E L AT I O N S H I P B A L L ( S )

• Relationship Ball symbolizes God's light and love to one and all

• The Ball is a symbol of our love, friendship and commitment. It is a never-ending circle that sparkles in the light… the way you bring sparkle to my life. Enhancing each other. Unique, just like you & me!

• Brilliant reds, greens, silvers and golds; spinning, sparkling in December to celebrate the launching of the family Tree achieved in Christ through out all generations.

O R N A M E N T S 2 : F R U I T ( S )

• FRUIT: As a Christmas symbol fruits signifies fruitfulness, success, abundance or long-lasting increase. It also signifies perfection, sexuality, desire, satisfaction and fertility.

• Fruit also recalls or confirms the twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit within us. These Fruits result from the activity of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit are:

• Charity (Love), Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity (Kindness), Goodness, Long-Suffering (Patiently Bearing Suffering over a Long Period of Time), Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continency (Purity), Chastity.

O R N A M E N T S 3 : S U G A R , C A N D Y & C H O C O L AT E

• The sweet sweet taste of the good news of grace. God's Presence & Prosperity. Christmas treats, the sweet life…all things sugary, chocolate ….honey!

• God promised Abraham that he would bring his people to a "land of milk and honey," that is a rich and fertile homeland.

• Isaiah prophesied concerning the Messiah, "the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall be living on curds and honey by the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good."

• Since curds and honey were abundant in a prosperous, peaceful land, they indicate that the virgin's son will bring peace and prosperity.

O R N A M E N T S 4 : S A N TA C L A U S E

• Santa Claus is a figure created after Saint Nicholas to signify generosity, remembering those whose Christmas tree has not yet been established and are living in poverty. It is a character such as spiderman or batman.

• Saint Nicholas was very generous to the poor, but most often anonymously. Saint Nicholas's generosity was transferred to the "jolly old man" who delivers gifts anonymously on Christmas Eve.

“But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you”. (Matthew 6:3-4)

O R N A M E N T S 5 ( A ) : C A N D L E S & L I G H T S

• Fire, flame, Torch, Energy, Lights. Amongst the four elements; earth, water, air and fire…and the sun, the moon and the morning star. Christmas represents Christ conquering and subduing these so they don't hurt us but help us to succeed, prosper and reign in life.

• candles were lit before electricity, people used candles to light their homes and to decorate their Christmas trees. Today electric lights have replaced candles.

• Candles and Christmas lights represent Christ, the Light of the World.

"I am the light of the world. No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; no, he shall possess the light of life" (John 8:12). "The light shines on in the darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it" (John 1:5).

O R N A M E N T S 5 ( B ) : A N G E L S

• Angels are commonly showcased in the collective consciousness this time of year because, they are beings of light.

• And, as we are welcoming the renewal of Light (in its many forms) this time of year, it makes sense Angels will accompany our illuminated celebrations.

• Divine light meets our awareness

O R N A M E N T S 6 ( A ) : M I S T L E T O E

• Mistletoe is an aerial parasite that has no roots of its own. It lives off the tree to which it attaches itself and, without that tree, it would die.

• Mistletoe is a Christmas symbol of our love which derives from and exists only because God loves us.

• God; “Who is Love”, created us in love and caused us to be able to love.

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him” (1 Jn. 4:16).

• Just as mistletoe may not acknowledge the tree which sustains it, so people may not acknowledge that the love of God sustains them. But if mistletoe were taken from the tree and any person removed from God’s love, both would die.

• You too, may well be the pine or oak tree, …that tree who carry along billions of mistletoes (others)who bare their berries so long as they are connected to you.

O R N A M E N T S 6 ( B ) : H O L LY

• Holly is an extremely hardy shrub that can withstand temperatures from 110 degrees F to - 40 degrees F (43 - 4 degrees °C).

• Where Holly is the King of the winter months, Ivy is his Queen. Both Holly and Ivy are common companions during the winter solstice because of their evergreen status. They keep their viridian splendor in the austerity of winter which is symbolic of endurance, promise, hope and vitality - even in the most challenging environments. Ivy encourages to maintain our health and growth even when our circumstances are less than optimal. Ivy -resourceful

• The holly bush represents immortality; a trait that God has given to each human being. We are all destined to live forever. Holly represents also rejuvenation.

• The sharp-toothed edge of the holly leaf reminds Christians of the crown of thorns with which the soldiers mocked Our Lord during His Passion. They laughingly hailed Him as king, never realizing that He is, indeed, King of the universe.

• The red holly berry represents Christ's blood, shed for all people including those who reject Him

O R N A M E N T S 7 : C A N D Y C A N E

• The candy cane is shaped like a shepherd's crook, reminding us that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came into our world at Christmas.

• The red stripe symbolizes Christ's sacrifice (His Love) and the white background His purity.

• Isaiah's prophecy of the suffering servant who was led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7) and by his stripes you were healed (Isaiah 53:5).

• Candy canes have a peppermint flavor, reminiscent of hyssop which had medicinal purposes.

• The Psalmist prayed, Lord, cleanse me with hyssop that I may be clean (Psalm 51:9). Jesus came to heal our ills and to purge us of sin. The peppermint flavor reminds us that our healing came at the price of Christ's life.

• When Jesus was crucified, a bystander stuck a wine-filled sponge on a branch of hyssop to give Jesus a drink. After tasting the wine, Jesus said, "Now it is finished,” (John 19:29-30).

– M A R T I N L U T H E R K I N G J R .

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”