Claire just finished setting and decorating the table for Christmas dinner. As always, we have candles on the table. We have candles at other times, but I don’t ever remember a Christmas that we didn’t have candles. It’s not necessarily a tradition, but we always have them. Candles are associated with many things, especially religion and they are certainly associated with Christmas.
No one seems to know exactly why, or even when they first became connected. They were used during the ancient celebrations of the winter solstice as a way of remembering that spring would soon come. One of the earliest records of candles being used at Christmas is from the middle ages, when a large candle was used to represent the star of Bethlehem.
Jesus is often referred to as the ‘Light of the World’ by many Christian religions. This may have started the custom of the Advent Candles. Of course candles are also a part of the celebrations of Hanukkah and even Kwanzaa…
Often Christmas carols are sung by candlelight and candles were almost exclusively used to decorate and light Christmas trees before electricity came along. In some parts of Ireland, they have a traditional Yule candle rather than a Yule Log.
There’s no point to be made here. I like candles. I like Christmas. What could be better than having them both on the same day?
Once again — Merry Christmas to Everyone…..
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