Are Christmas Trees For Real

One of the enjoyable things about the Christmas season, at least from a preacher’s point of view, is the opportunity to read again of the traditions and stories that have contributed to the holiday as we celebrate it today.

Quite a few years ago I learned that the tradition of lighting Christmas trees was very ancient but not originally a Christian symbol. The tradition of a tree that was lit was first associated with the winter solstice, that shortest day of the year. Some of the Germanic peoples, before the message of Christ came to them, observed the winter solstice by going out into the forest and setting certain trees ablaze. They believed that this gesture would appease the sun gods and that the days would then stop decreasing in length. The lighting of trees was a pagan rite observed each year to increase the light of the world. When these cultures were Christianized some of their symbols came to have a Christian significance. The lighting of trees became a way of celebrating the light that came into the world through the birth of the Christ Child. In our own way we maintain that tradition right down to our own time.

There probably is no greater symbol for Christmas than the Christmas tree. Santa Claus is a symbol for certain aspects of Christmas. So are stars, holly, lights, candy canes, and so forth. But the Christmas tree may be the one thing that best captures the meaning of Christmas in both its religious and secular senses.

But I have to admit I have some doubts every year as I haul the silly thing into the house — McIvor tradition requires real, not fake Christmas trees. I wonder if it’s worth it? Not that we shouldn’t do things to celebrate special days but is the Christmas tree for real? Is it really meaningful or is it merely an empty gesture that accomplishes nothing. In other words are Christmas trees for real?

Another way of asking that about Christmas is to ask if we believe in the light. Do we really believe that there is light, meaning, and grace that come to us in life from God and from God alone? I think we do or we probably wouldn’t be here tonight. But let’s think about this just bit more.

After all, those old Germanic tribes who went out and lit trees in the forest to keep the days from getting darker had the satisfaction of being right. Every year the days got shorter and shorter and every year they went out on the winter solstice and lit trees so light would return to the world. And every year it worked! The days started getting lighter again. But we know that what they did had nothing to do with the length of days. So we don’t want to fool ourselves about the light. We don’t want our believing to be just a meaningless ritual or an empty gesture.

I think we do believe in the light because of the power of Christmas. But this is where God’s way is so different from our way. For the power of Christmas is not what we usually think of as power. We think power means might, armies, weapons, wealth, control, independence. But the power of Christmas is the birth of a child who is small, fragile, weak, and so very dependent. The world says power is control. The light of God says power is faith in the birth of a child who is small and weak.

It’s a choice, really, between magic or faith. “Magic,” says one writer, “is saying Abracadabra and pulling the rabbit out of the hat … [Magic] is a dashboard Jesus to prevent smash-ups … Magic is using Listerine so everybody will love you. Magic is the technique of controlling unseen powers and will always work if you do it by the book.”[1] In other words, magic is control and you can control amazing things if you know how the trick works.

Magic means we know how to control and get from the world what we want. Magic means we would even know the tricks of getting from God what we want. If we pray right, read the Bible right, give the right amount of money, go to church and do nice things in the community, then God will make us happy, protect us, heal us, prosper us, and take us to heaven when we die in our sleep at the age of 110 not ever having suffered a serious illness. We aren’t usually this candid but that’s the kind of power and control we would like to have.

But faith is something quite different. Faith doesn’t depend on control. It doesn’t depend on tricks. It depends on trust. Magic tries to get something from God, faith is content to trust ourselves to God. The light of God in the Christ Child calls us to faith and trust and not to magic and control.

So let me share with you one of my favorite Christmas stories about a woman named Margaret. On Christmas Eve several years ago Margaret got off from her clerk’s job in New York City about noon and stood dejectedly in the crowd waiting for the subway. She had worked by herself all morning, since most of her co-workers had been given the day off. Many people around her were talking happily about their trips home to their families. Some had little children with them. But she had no home — just a rented room — and no plans for Christmas, no husband, no children, and not much to be happy about.

Margaret describes what happened then. “Suddenly, I heard the crystal notes of two flutes interweaving. Down the platform were two young girls playing Christmas carols. In their serene, young beauty they looked like angels in disguise.

“I added my quarter to the pile of change in their open flute cases. The train came and went, but I lingered, fascinated by the people who came forward to drop in coins, even bills. Most were shabbily dressed but their faces seemed alight with happiness. These were the poor, [like the shepherds outside of Bethlehem. Poor, for that matter, like Mary and Joseph]. On that cold, noisy subway platform they were joined, without knowing one another, in the great Christmas Feast of Love that I had lost sight of in my self-pity.

“Finally, I heard the girls play “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and I found myself remembering words that I had not sung since my childhood. “O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.” And suddenly, there in that bleak subway station, everything was changed. Of course I had a Christmas feast to go to! The Lord’s Supper at church that evening. Of course I had a home! “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18.20) Of course I had a child! The Holy Child could be born in me every day as I sought to love him above and beyond the desire for a worldly marriage and children.

“I took the next train, feeling warm and contented. I knew that those two young strangers had given me a magnificent Christmas gift — the light of Christ in my heart.”

An overly sentimental story? Sure. A true story? I’m not sure. But I believe it’s true even if it didn’t happen exactly that way. That the light of Christ shines in small, unexpected, and non-magical ways is why the best Christmas carols don’t sing about sugar plums. They sing about hope in the midst of the real suffering of real life.

Over the centuries many things have been done to “improve” Christmas, most of which haven’t. Its simple message is unchanged and it shines as purely for us as it did for those who first saw it long ago.

As the world measures power what we do here tonight is meaningless. But I tell you in the name of the Christ that our simple worship does in fact shine with the light of God.

Are Christmas trees for real? Without a doubt because they point to a light that shines and the darkness has not and will never overcome it.

[1] Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC (New York: Harper & Row, 1973) 54.

[2] The Presbyterian Hymnal: Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1990) hymn 38, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” verse 3.