“…in the days of the early church not only did the tree represent Christ but the Church fathers said we have received a gift, the gift we did not ask for or dream of from God therefore it is a time to give gifts to the needy...and very soon to children in order to tell them of the gift of the Christ child.”
in his Commentary on the book of Exodus
“The red of holly berries symbolize the shed blood of Christ on our behalf.
Green represents growth and vitality as in the spreading of the gospel to all the ends of the earth. The green of ever greens and holly branches symbolize the coming of Life in Christ during the midst of the dead winter of our sin.
Klopfelnachte
Literally “Knocking Night,” each Thursday in Advent was once celebrated throughout German communities by youngsters walking from house to house, beckoning upon the door stoops, singing carols, and offering gifts of fruit and candies. A reversal of the “Trick or Treat” ritual, the Klopfelnachte tradition is a joyous and selfless expression of commitment in a covenantal community.
~The book “Christmas Spirit”
By George Grant & Gregory Wilbur
2 comments:
What an interesting post, Dinah! Thank you so much for sharing that information!
Our family loves this season and it is always a joy to see Christ magnified as he receives the honor due unto His holy name.
That German tradition is interesting. My husband is German (his parents came over from Germany). He had a couple of interesting traditions growing up.
A couple of years in a row, the children played their instruments in a traditional German Christmas service that was designed to minister the Gospel message to native Germans that were in Florida for vacation. That was also an interesting service. They actually had like 20 ft long alp horns in the service!
May God Bless you all richly this Christmas!
Mrs. Discher
for the Dischers
Miss Dinah, thank you for this interesting post. I'd never heard of klopfelnachte, and my Dad's family are all German.... his Father came from the Old Country, and his Mother was born here just a few years after her German parents had come here. But I've never heard of that one. I really like it, too. Travelling about one's neighbourhood ministering and giving.....
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