LOGOS TRADING POST - CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

The Savior’s Birth and the Means to Celebrate It

Matthew 1:21 says, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus came to be born as our Savior, and there is nobody more worthy of celebration than Him. It is our pleasure to carry these Holy Land olive wood ornaments celebrating His birth.

There are a variety of ways to demonstrate to God how thankful we are to Him for giving His Son to be born on Earth. After all, we know from John 3:16 that doing so was an incredible act of love for all the world: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” The Father has raised up a Son and Savior for us to believe in, and that belief gives us eternal life through Him. This fact is something we can celebrate every day of the year. We can always remember that we are saved and set apart by God. Even still, we can remember especially the gift that He gave us in Jesus coming to live as one of us during the Christmas season. Faith is diverse, so some can be skeptical, but we believe wholeheartedly that buying decorations and gifts for the Christmas season is by all means, a way of celebrating the Savior’s birth as long as your heart in doing so is one of faith. We hope that our wooden ornaments can serve you as tools to strengthen your faith and create a spiritual environment within your home, works of art with which you can celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Are Christmas Decorations Good for Christians?

Ornaments are, at the end of the day, a work of art. Naturally, ornaments most often find use on Christmas trees, another Christmas tradition of modern day. Are Christmas trees and Christmas ornaments a sign that the true meaning of Christmas is being diluted by our contemporaries, or are they merely another way to express celebration of that meaning? Like most discussions of art in the Christian faith, it depends on how artistic expression is being used. Is it art for its own sake, self-glorifying in nature, or does it serve a greater purpose with what it depicts? Paul touches on this discussion in 1 Corinthians 10:29-31, writing there, “Why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” An ornament hand carved or a Christmas tree decorated can be great things if done for the glory of God. If you decorate for Christmas, genuinely desiring to celebrate the Savior’s birth and bring Him glory, you can feel free to do so boldly!

This matter is why it is important to us that all of the holy land olive wood ornaments we carry are religious in nature, depicting a story or utilizing symbolism found in the Word of God. Again, if done for the glory of God, decorating with any ornament will do just fine, but we still want to give people the opportunity to decorate with ornaments of great spiritual meaning. Our ornaments aren’t inherently holy or anything like that - though they are made with Holy Land olive wood - it is ultimately just that the art carved into them is art meant to bring God glory, through and through. Therefore, if you’re interested in decorating with wooden ornaments using scenes from the true story of Christmas - wise men, angels, bright stars, nativity scenes, and so on - we hope that we can provide for that need.

Our Ornaments and Bethlehem

Of course, who better suited to create these works of art than those from Bethlehem? After all, don’t Micah 5:2 & 4 say, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days...And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.” Jesus Christ is, indeed, great to the ends of the earth, but his origins were humble. He was born in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem, small even to this day, with a population of almost 30,000 in contrast to Jerusalem’s 900,000.

Still, Bethlehem’s significance in scripture has made it an important place for the Christian faith. In light of that, it is our joy to have our Holy Land olive wood ornaments hand carved by skilled artisans from within Bethlehem. By recruiting them to make our wooden ornaments, we can support local Christian business in the Holy Land, and we also believe that the passion of someone who stood where Jesus stood shines through in their craftsmanship. After all, an artist who tells the story of Christmas while seated in the very place that it happened would have quite a story to tell. It is our joy to support them, both of people of the Holy Land but also simply as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We certainly hope you’ve found something you like among our wooden ornaments. If you have, consider making a purchase. The more our business grows, the more theirs can as well. Not to mention, in addition to supporting local artisans, a portion of our profits are dedicated to supporting the spread of the gospel in the Holy Land and the Middle East. Consider supporting this cause, and remember that the way you choose to decorate your home can create an environment of faith and peace!