For December’s monthly color challenge, we will explore the traditional red and green colors we tend to see in abundance during the holiday season.
Do you decorate your home or yard for the Holidays? If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know I love decorating my house for any occasion. Christmas is no exception, and I tend to go overboard. Here’s what’s on my Christmas tree this year.
Why the Colors Red and Green are Displayed During the Holiday Season
According to The Fact Site and Country Living:
In Christianity, red is often associated with the blood of Jesus on the cross, and green with the eternal life of Jesus, like an evergreen tree.
Some people claim it comes from holly bushes, as they thrive at that time of year. Ancient Celtic people believed that holly plants, with their red berries and dark green leaves, brought beauty and good fortune during the winter solstice.
“The holly bears a berry as red as any blood, and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.” -Traditional English carol
Joy is the Theme for the Third Sunday of Advent
The third Advent candle is called “the Shepherd’s Candle,” and the shepherds’ section of the Christmas story is very much about joy. This one is pink to celebrate the joy (and fear) the shepherds felt as they witnessed the angel appearing to them while tending their flocks.
The shepherds served as witnesses to Jesus’ birth and emissaries of joy.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ~ Luke 2:10-12
Holly leaves with berries signify joy (red) and peace (white).
In Biblical terms, having joy means being happy about something good that has arrived or is coming. Like hope, it has a long-term view of life, emphasizing the good that will come. However, it has a component of great happiness, rejoicing at the good news. Source
Several images from my archives are featured as “last chance photos” for the Lens-Artists Challenge this week, which brought me joy. Also sharing for Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday.
A Joyous, But Cautious Overflow
Many bloggers have heard of the devastating flooding in Washington State and have asked me if we were affected. The atmospheric river doused the Pacific Northwest with several inches of rain, causing widespread flooding and snowmelt. Here on the Eastern side of the state near Spokane, we have not experienced the catastrophic flooding. But our mountain snow has all but melted, increasing the flow of water into the local rivers. The Spokane River, which is also fed by snow run-off from Idaho’s mountains, is running high. The local dams, including our very own Nine Mile Dam, are currently letting out water.
Here is the ultimate last chance photo I added, showing our town’s namesake, Nine Mile Falls. Despite the reason for the overflow, it is always a pleasure to see our waterfall this time of year. Please pray for snow!
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Please use your own original images, whether new or from your archives.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently from mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link to a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Comments on my posts are always appreciated!
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
If you are participating in the photo challenge, I look forward to seeing how you interpret this week’s color challenge theme! Creativity is encouraged, so please share your own photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme. Join me next week as we explore the Winter Solstice and the final day of Advent.
Whether you celebrate Hannukkah, Advent, or simply recognize and wish for hope, peace, and joy, may you find these in your hearts this season.
*(A-I generated Menorah)
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”
~ Henri Nouwen
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