Great week in review

We've been looking into a number of Christmas related things this week. So far, we've looked into:

• Advent Wreath and Wreaths ~ these are generally round and the circle reminds us of God's eternal love for us.
• Bells ~ traditionally had been used to call people to church. There have been times, even today, that churches are forbidden to do this. The jingle is still a pleasant sound and makes me think of horses pulling sleds through the snow.
• Cards & Gifts ~ both are wonderful things to receive during this season. Cards allow us to reconnect with friends who send "A Year in Review" type letter also. The greatest Gift is God sending his Son, as a child, to atone for our sins. We also went over the Magi bringing gifts. Did your realize that most people believe there were only three Magi because there were three gifts given to Jesus? Traditionally, Magi traveled in larger groups and it's unlikely there were only three.
• St. Nicholas ~ he was not Santa Claus, but a Bishop in Myra, Turkey, know for his generosity toward others.
• Ornaments & Christmas Trees ~ We discussed how the tree can be seen as God's eternal love as the tree is always green (it looses pine needles regularly and is always growing new ones) and ornaments can be seen as God's provision.

It's been a very enjoyable week and a lot slower. We'll be looking into a lot more traditions and symbols over the next couple weeks. Have a great weekend! See the sidebar if you are interested in what we're reading.