Christmas From A to Z – part 4

U – Unwrap

Unwrapping presents was a BIG production in my family. Someone would be Santa and hand out the gifts one by one. The first person with a gift would unwrap it while everyone looked on. The gift would then be admired by all. Then the next person would get a gift, and the same procedure would take place. It would take a LONG TIME to get through all the gifts. There was no hurry though. And of course I kept to that tradition when I got married.

V – Vacation

I loved Christmas vacation SO MUCH when I was in school!! OMG!! TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!! It wasn’t as thrilling once I got into junior and senior high, because there was usually some kind of homework that was “supposed” to be done during the break. Ha!

W – Wise Men

Yes, I know there wasn’t an actual number of sages that came from the East. Don’t care. One of my favorite Christmas productions is “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” an opera in one act by Menotti. In 7^th grade the music teacher, Mr. Williamson, played a recording of it. I loved it! At some point, a production of it was on TV. Many years later, I was able to find a DVD of it.

X – Chi Rho

Here is the Wikipedia description: ‘A monogram of chi (X) and rho (P) as the first two letters of Greek Khristos Christ, used as a Christian symbol.’ I grew up seeing this symbol a lot on the altar cloths at church. And even though people have used this explanation to justify using an X in the word Xmas, I don’t care for it.

Y – Yule log

Instead of a huge log to put on the fire, we would usually have a smallish branch with 4 holes drilled part way into it to put Advent candles in.

Z – Zion 

1 Peter 2:6 - For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Christ IS our cornerstone! Blessed Christmas!