Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plain. . .
Susan here, wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy, great New Year. Of all the Christmas ornaments we unpack each year, I love the angels the most—not only the angel that tops the tree each year, but the others too, an assorted collection of glittery, pretty, whimsical and delicate angels. Some years, that’s all that goes on the tree—angels, stars, glittery bits and glowing lights.
When did angels first show up on Christmas trees? From the start of Christmas décor is a fair bet–angels at Christmastime are reminders of the angels who appeared to shepherds in the fields outside long-ago Bethlehem to point out the star overhead and a birth in a stable. Those angels, we are told, startled and awed and pretty much terrified those shepherds with their magnificence and their message. The angels who gaze down from Christmas trees now, swathed in frothy lace and cascading LED colors, are far more benign, but somehow magical nonetheless.
Love came down at Christmas
love all lovely, love divine
love was born at Christmas
stars and angels gave the sign.
– Christina Rossetti
When fir trees were first brought into homes in Germany in the 16th century at Christmastime and strung with nuts and fruit, paper ornaments, cookies and candles, some of those cutouts and goodies were no doubt shaped as angels and stars as well as little toys for the children. The tradition gradually took hold and spread elsewhere, eventually found in British homes in the 19th century, and finding its way to America too, with Dutch and German immigrants in 
particular. Greenery, particularly evergreens, had been part of Yuletide and wintertime celebrations even in pre-Christian practices in Britain and Scandinavia, and merged with Christian observances, creating Christmas traditions that we still continue today. Angels traveled along with those trees.
Angels were part of the original nativity event, bringing the news to Mary, informing Josep
h in dreams, appearing to the shepherds, and singing the news in heavenly choruses, so we are told. They are mentioned earlier still, in the Old Testament and Talmud as guides and messengers, and before that in Mesopotamian and Egyptian texts and images. Timeless, beautiful, spiritual entities, sometimes cherubic and adorable, or magnificent and awe-inspiring, or whimsical, quirky, homespun, and on and on, angels are a special part of Yuletide.
Nativity scenes in early Christian, medieval, Renaissance art and through the 19th century marked and celebrated Christmas long before evergreen trees were brought into homes, decorated—and depicted by artists. Of the scattering of images that show Christmas trees in homes, many of those contain angels. A simple illustration of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert gathered around their Christmas tree with their children also shows an angel topping their tree.
Today, our Christmas celebrations include angels everywhere—tree
decorations, music, cards and wrapping paper, Nativity scenes, stockings hung from the mantel—pretty much everything (with the possible exception of UCSs, Ugly Christmas Sweaters!).
Yuletide is truly the season of angels — and for centuries, the
presence of angels has helped keep the spirit, spark and magic of Christmas around. WIshing you all the magic of the season and more!
Susan
Angels are my favorite as well. I have been collecting little angel ornaments since the children, now grown, were little.
Angels are my favorite as well. I have been collecting little angel ornaments since the children, now grown, were little.
Angels are my favorite as well. I have been collecting little angel ornaments since the children, now grown, were little.
Angels are my favorite as well. I have been collecting little angel ornaments since the children, now grown, were little.
Angels are my favorite as well. I have been collecting little angel ornaments since the children, now grown, were little.
We did have an angel tree topper, but I don’t believe my children and I concentrated n them. On the other hand, those early paper-decorated trees, shared with the classroom, often had child created angels on them.
Most of my Christmas angels have been on saved Christmas cards. (I only save those cards which have art that attracts me, plus those family cards with family history and pictures of the growing children).
We did have an angel tree topper, but I don’t believe my children and I concentrated n them. On the other hand, those early paper-decorated trees, shared with the classroom, often had child created angels on them.
Most of my Christmas angels have been on saved Christmas cards. (I only save those cards which have art that attracts me, plus those family cards with family history and pictures of the growing children).
We did have an angel tree topper, but I don’t believe my children and I concentrated n them. On the other hand, those early paper-decorated trees, shared with the classroom, often had child created angels on them.
Most of my Christmas angels have been on saved Christmas cards. (I only save those cards which have art that attracts me, plus those family cards with family history and pictures of the growing children).
We did have an angel tree topper, but I don’t believe my children and I concentrated n them. On the other hand, those early paper-decorated trees, shared with the classroom, often had child created angels on them.
Most of my Christmas angels have been on saved Christmas cards. (I only save those cards which have art that attracts me, plus those family cards with family history and pictures of the growing children).
We did have an angel tree topper, but I don’t believe my children and I concentrated n them. On the other hand, those early paper-decorated trees, shared with the classroom, often had child created angels on them.
Most of my Christmas angels have been on saved Christmas cards. (I only save those cards which have art that attracts me, plus those family cards with family history and pictures of the growing children).
The first Christmas after I was married, we couldn’t afford much trimming for our little tree. But I wanted something special for the top, as special as the angel on my grandmother’s tree. After an entire fruitless afternoon of looking for just the right angel, I came home discouraged and sad. But wait! There was a package at my door. From Grandma! Bless her, she had sent me—me, out of all her 35 grandchildren—her Christmas angel. I cried, of course, as I put MY angel atop the tree. Fifty years later, her face is all crackled, her oilcloth dress stiff over her cardboard-tube body, but her single light still shines over her halo and her silky golden hair. I’ve had more elegant angels, but she has a special place in my heart. And I still tear up a little remembering the magical gift that made that first new-family Christmas so special for me.
The first Christmas after I was married, we couldn’t afford much trimming for our little tree. But I wanted something special for the top, as special as the angel on my grandmother’s tree. After an entire fruitless afternoon of looking for just the right angel, I came home discouraged and sad. But wait! There was a package at my door. From Grandma! Bless her, she had sent me—me, out of all her 35 grandchildren—her Christmas angel. I cried, of course, as I put MY angel atop the tree. Fifty years later, her face is all crackled, her oilcloth dress stiff over her cardboard-tube body, but her single light still shines over her halo and her silky golden hair. I’ve had more elegant angels, but she has a special place in my heart. And I still tear up a little remembering the magical gift that made that first new-family Christmas so special for me.
The first Christmas after I was married, we couldn’t afford much trimming for our little tree. But I wanted something special for the top, as special as the angel on my grandmother’s tree. After an entire fruitless afternoon of looking for just the right angel, I came home discouraged and sad. But wait! There was a package at my door. From Grandma! Bless her, she had sent me—me, out of all her 35 grandchildren—her Christmas angel. I cried, of course, as I put MY angel atop the tree. Fifty years later, her face is all crackled, her oilcloth dress stiff over her cardboard-tube body, but her single light still shines over her halo and her silky golden hair. I’ve had more elegant angels, but she has a special place in my heart. And I still tear up a little remembering the magical gift that made that first new-family Christmas so special for me.
The first Christmas after I was married, we couldn’t afford much trimming for our little tree. But I wanted something special for the top, as special as the angel on my grandmother’s tree. After an entire fruitless afternoon of looking for just the right angel, I came home discouraged and sad. But wait! There was a package at my door. From Grandma! Bless her, she had sent me—me, out of all her 35 grandchildren—her Christmas angel. I cried, of course, as I put MY angel atop the tree. Fifty years later, her face is all crackled, her oilcloth dress stiff over her cardboard-tube body, but her single light still shines over her halo and her silky golden hair. I’ve had more elegant angels, but she has a special place in my heart. And I still tear up a little remembering the magical gift that made that first new-family Christmas so special for me.
The first Christmas after I was married, we couldn’t afford much trimming for our little tree. But I wanted something special for the top, as special as the angel on my grandmother’s tree. After an entire fruitless afternoon of looking for just the right angel, I came home discouraged and sad. But wait! There was a package at my door. From Grandma! Bless her, she had sent me—me, out of all her 35 grandchildren—her Christmas angel. I cried, of course, as I put MY angel atop the tree. Fifty years later, her face is all crackled, her oilcloth dress stiff over her cardboard-tube body, but her single light still shines over her halo and her silky golden hair. I’ve had more elegant angels, but she has a special place in my heart. And I still tear up a little remembering the magical gift that made that first new-family Christmas so special for me.
Same here, Kathy! I’ve been collecting angels for the tree for years too, and now that the kids are out of the house, the tree is all angels and stars. 🙂
Same here, Kathy! I’ve been collecting angels for the tree for years too, and now that the kids are out of the house, the tree is all angels and stars. 🙂
Same here, Kathy! I’ve been collecting angels for the tree for years too, and now that the kids are out of the house, the tree is all angels and stars. 🙂
Same here, Kathy! I’ve been collecting angels for the tree for years too, and now that the kids are out of the house, the tree is all angels and stars. 🙂
Same here, Kathy! I’ve been collecting angels for the tree for years too, and now that the kids are out of the house, the tree is all angels and stars. 🙂
My kids made several little ornaments for the tree when they were little, and I try to use those every year. No angels, though! Maybe because they’re boys- they made gingerbread ninjas and dinosaurs in salt ceramic and paper cutouts, LOL. And how great that you’ve saved the most beautiful and special of your Christmas cards. I’ve done some of that too, and it’s so nice to bring out that box every year.
My kids made several little ornaments for the tree when they were little, and I try to use those every year. No angels, though! Maybe because they’re boys- they made gingerbread ninjas and dinosaurs in salt ceramic and paper cutouts, LOL. And how great that you’ve saved the most beautiful and special of your Christmas cards. I’ve done some of that too, and it’s so nice to bring out that box every year.
My kids made several little ornaments for the tree when they were little, and I try to use those every year. No angels, though! Maybe because they’re boys- they made gingerbread ninjas and dinosaurs in salt ceramic and paper cutouts, LOL. And how great that you’ve saved the most beautiful and special of your Christmas cards. I’ve done some of that too, and it’s so nice to bring out that box every year.
My kids made several little ornaments for the tree when they were little, and I try to use those every year. No angels, though! Maybe because they’re boys- they made gingerbread ninjas and dinosaurs in salt ceramic and paper cutouts, LOL. And how great that you’ve saved the most beautiful and special of your Christmas cards. I’ve done some of that too, and it’s so nice to bring out that box every year.
My kids made several little ornaments for the tree when they were little, and I try to use those every year. No angels, though! Maybe because they’re boys- they made gingerbread ninjas and dinosaurs in salt ceramic and paper cutouts, LOL. And how great that you’ve saved the most beautiful and special of your Christmas cards. I’ve done some of that too, and it’s so nice to bring out that box every year.
Oh, Mary, what a beautiful story! How very special to have your grandmother’s angel! That’s truly a magical Christmas gift every time you put the angel up on the tree again. 🙂
Oh, Mary, what a beautiful story! How very special to have your grandmother’s angel! That’s truly a magical Christmas gift every time you put the angel up on the tree again. 🙂
Oh, Mary, what a beautiful story! How very special to have your grandmother’s angel! That’s truly a magical Christmas gift every time you put the angel up on the tree again. 🙂
Oh, Mary, what a beautiful story! How very special to have your grandmother’s angel! That’s truly a magical Christmas gift every time you put the angel up on the tree again. 🙂
Oh, Mary, what a beautiful story! How very special to have your grandmother’s angel! That’s truly a magical Christmas gift every time you put the angel up on the tree again. 🙂
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings! 🙂
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings! 🙂
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings! 🙂
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings! 🙂
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings! 🙂
Yes!!! 0:)
Yes!!! 0:)
Yes!!! 0:)
Yes!!! 0:)
Yes!!! 0:)