Bells of Christmas
Why Christmas Bells?
Bells announce the coming or arrival of an event, activity, or occasion. They toll during good times. They toll during bad times. Bells ring out warnings. Christmas bells are a popular symbol of the holiday season. Bells herald in the New Year. We ring bells to announce the union of a man and a woman. Importantly, we ring them throughout Christmas to announce the arrival of the season, and to proclaim the birth of Christ.
The ringing of bells originated with pagan winter celebrations. During those times, people used noisemakers to scare away evil spirits at night. Among those early noisemakers were bells. People had fun ringing the bells and making noise. It was too much fun to just use bells to scare demons away. So over time, bell ringing was incorporated into other events and activities. Today, we ring bells churches to call people to gather, as warnings, and to bring people together to make announcements.
From these ancient roots, the ringing of bells began to be used in the Christian Christmas season. The soft, cheerful tones blended well and enhanced the sounds of the season. Today, they play an important, traditional role during the holiday.
Christmas Bell Links
Xmas Bells – A poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written during the Civil War.
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