holiday symbolism
design history
The holiday season is rich with graphic symbolism and tradition. Here are a few facts so you can look like a real historian at the holiday table.
Christmas
Star: The star that you often find on the top of the tree symbolizes the star that guided the Magi to Bethlehem. It has also come to symbolize high hopes.
Candy Cane: This is the symbol of a shepherd’s crook. Legend has it that a choirmaster used candy sticks to keep his young singers quiet during the Living Creche ceremony.
Christmas Tree: For families in North America, Germany and other parts of Europe, the Christmas tree symbolizes the Christmas season. The tree is a symbol of immortality and rebirth. The vertical symbolism of the pine tree is that it is forever pointed towards heaven.
Holly: This plant symbolizes peace and joy. In England, it is said that sprigs of holly around a young girl’s bed will keep away mischievous little goblins.
Presents: The symbolism of gift giving varies from one country to another. Gifts from the Three Wise Men to Jesus are associated with religious beliefs. The Romans gave gifts as tokens of good luck. Throughout the centuries the celebration of the birth of Christ has brought feelings of joy and thanksgiving to those who celebrate it.
The peals of the church bells serve to herald the arrival of the Christmas season.
The idea of hanging stockings out on Christmas is believed to have originated in Amsterdam, where children leave out their shoes for Saint Nicholas in hopes that he will fill them with goodies. Legend has it that there were three daughters of a poor family that were of marriageable age, but couldn’t marry because they had no dowry. Saint Nicholas heard of their difficulty and set out to help them. In the middle of the night, he threw bags of gold coins down their chimney. The bags landed in the girls’ stockings, which had been hung to dry.
Christmas candles are said to be symbolic of Christ, “The Light of the World.”
Chanukah
The Star of David: The Magen David (shield of David) is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism today. It is supposed to represent the shape of King David's shield or perhaps the emblem on it.
The Menorah: The Menorah is a seven-branched candelabrum. It is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith signifying that the nation of Israel is to be “a light unto the nations.” The Chanukah menorah is called a Hanukiyah. It has nine candle holders. There are eight candles, one for each day of Chanukah. The ninth is called the shamash. The shamash is used to light the other eight candles.
Dreidel: One of the best known symbols of Chanukah is the dreidel. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. The letters mean “A Great Miracle Happened There.” The dreidel is also a popular game played during the holiday. Players use pennies, nuts, raisins, or chocolate coins (gelt) as tokens.
Gelt: Money.
Kwanzaa
The Kinara: The Kinara is a candle holder which holds seven candles. On each night of the celebration one of the candles in the kinara is lit.
Day 1 — middle candle: Black – Umoja – Unity
Day 2 — innermost red candle: Kujichagulia – Self-determination
Day 3 — innermost green candle: Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility
Day 4 — middle red candle: Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics
Day 5 — middle green candle: Nia – Purpose
Day 6 — outermost red candle: Kuumba – Creativity
Day 7 — outermost green candle: Imani – Faith
Kiombe cha umoja: This is the unity cup. Everyone at the celebration drinks from this cup. It reinforces the value of unity in the family and community.
Muhindi: The ear of corn represents the offspring (children) of the stalk (the father of the house). It signifies the potential of the offspring, themselves, to become stalks and thus produce their offspring – a process which goes on indefinitely and ensures the immortality of the Nation.
Zawadi: These are the gifts. They include simple things like books, heirlooms or handmade items, exchanged on Imani (the 7th night).
Benara ya Taifa: The flag. Its colors are red, black, green.