Christmas symbols 3 (apples4theteacher)

 Below are symbols of Christmas and their significance.

Jesus Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God.

Joseph Joseph is the husband of Mary.

Manger A cow's manger is the place where Baby Jesus slept. It is part of the Creche.

Mary Mary is the mother of Jesus.

Mince Meat Pie Mince meat pie is full of spices and fruits. It represents the exotic treasures of the East that the Wisemen brought to Jesus.

Mistletoe A sprig of evergreen plant hung at Christmas time. Custom is that people can kiss each other standing under it.

Plum Pudding Plum pudding originated by an English king that was stranded in a blizzard one Christmas Eve. He used what he could find to make a special holiday dish.

Poinsettia This flower was brought to the U.S. by Dr, J.R. Poinsett in 1825. He was the first first United States ambassador to Mexico. Because of its flame leaf, the poinsettia is sometimes called the Christmas Star. A Mexican legend explains how this flower got associated with Christmas.

Reindeer Reindeer were the animals chosen by St. Nicholas to pull his sleigh. His reindeers' names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is the most famous.

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas was a real person. He was a kind bishop who brought presents to children and needy people.

Shepherds Shepherds tend sheep. They came to the manger to honor Baby Jesus.

Star The Star of Bethlehem guided the Three Wisemen to Baby Jesus.

Tinsel There is a legend associated with this thin metalic foil strip decoration. It tells about parents who trimmed a tree while their children were sleeping. Spiders came to see the tree, leaving cobwebs all over it. The Christ Child came to bless the tree and turned the cobwebs to silver.

Three Wisemen Three Kings travelled far to see Jesus. They brought their best treasures for gifts. Gold - a precious metal associated with the power of kings Frankincense - A resin from a rare and sacred tree used as incense Myrrh - A resin from a shrub used in making perfume.

Wassail A wassail is a salutation of good health or well wishes by means of a toast. The drink is a mixture of mulled eggs, curdled cream, apples, nuts, and spices. Usually poured from a punch bowl while exchanging Christmas greeings.

Yule Log The word "yule" means "wheel," a symbol representing the sun. Before Jesus was born, pagans thought the sun stood still for 12 days at the end of the year. A log was cut large enough to burn for this time period to burn away last year's evil.