By Stephanie Holliday
IF you partake in Christmas celebrations, you’ve likely seen people adorn the top of their Christmas trees with a decorative star or angel.
But have you ever wondered why we do this or how it became a Christmas tradition? And why an angel, and not just another ornament?
It turns out, this practice comes from the original Christmas story. Angels play a significant part in the first Christmas, they visited Joseph and the Virgin Mary about the upcoming birth of Jesus, and on the night of his birth, angels appeared in the sky over Bethlehem to announce his arrival to the world.
Because angels appeared high in the sky on the first Christmas, people began placing angels high on the top of their trees as a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. If you’ve ever seen a star on top of a Christmas tree, there’s a similar significance: According to the Christmas story, in addition to angels, the star of Bethlehem (also called the Christmas star) appeared in the sky to guide people to baby Jesus.
No matter what you choose to sit atop your Christmas tree, rest assured both carry equal significance in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The real battle pertains to which child you allow to do the honours.
