Christmas candles in windows history

Ordered to leave the country, the priests instead went into hiding. The Irish were forced to obey British Rule. During Christmastime, faithful Irish Catholics would, in darkness, light a candle in the window and leave the door unlocked.

This was a sign to priests it was safe to slip into their home to say Mass. In return they offered hospitality to the priest. The British, questioning the Irish about the candles, were told it was their way to welcome Joseph, Mary, and the Baby Jesus as they sought shelter. On immigrating to the United States, the Irish brought this holiday practice with them. The tradition of the lit candle in the window in colonial America has been interpreted in many ways.

It has been seen as a beacon of hope for any passerby during the holiday season, and signaled strangers that there would be food and shelter there, should they ask. Candles also showed hope that Mary and other saints would pass by their home and bless it. Other interpretations say the candle would be sending a message — a child had been born or a family had received a blessing of some nature.

Often the candles would be commemorating a community event or celebration. Inns and now bed and breakfasts used candles announcing rooms were available, and leading travelers to the door. The key being the sense of welcome. When Colonial Williamsburg was established, they were unsure how Christmas should be represented.

Remember, it was not much of a holiday in colonial America. They hung colored lights on ten evergreen trees in , continuing to search for decorations representative of the period.

With that idea, the next year a single lighted candle was placed in the windows of the four buildings open to the public. Electric candles solved the concern with fire. Colonial Williamsburg visitors liked what they saw, and wanted candles to take back home. In , Williamsburg department stores sold their entire stock of electric candles by Christmas Eve. Today, having candles in the windows is even easier. My candles take batteries, and are remotely controlled.

I have no idea whether a popular site has linked to this page for history purposes, or it is being used in a class as an example. Bottom line, I write for myself to remember, but I love to share my learning and experiences.

Related This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. I was looking for the meaning of putting candles in windows because I wanted to decorate our home with them since I always liked how they looked. According to an article from the Westlake Bay Village Observer ,. The candle was often placed in the window when a member of the family was away. The lit candle was also placed in the window as a sign of good news or as a beacon to weary travelers.

Candles also represented friendship and were seen as a sign of welcome to others. In early America, homes were often miles apart.

While apparently not strictly a Christmas tradition, the practice has been appropriated for the holiday season. But the practice is also rooted in Irish heritage. According to RichardHowe. The candle in the window at Christmas symbolizes many things in Ireland. It is a symbol of Irish hospitality — a way of welcoming Mary and Joseph…and any travelers who might happen to pass by looking for a warm place to stay. Some Christmas traditions related to candles are relatively young.

For example, the custom of lighting up a candle in a window stems from the 17thth centuries. However, church politics merely influenced it in the UK and Ireland. Other customs, such as using candles as Christmas tree decorations, have solely practical roots. Table of Contents [ hide ]. The legend of the Star of Bethlehem , also called the Christmas Star, is one of the most known Biblical stories.

It narrates about the three Wise Men who came to Jerusalem ruled by King Herod from the far east, wondering where to find the newborn Messiah, who was later named Jesus.

They interpreted a verse from the Book of Micah, the Hebrew Bible, as a prophecy stating that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The Wise Men then searched for Jesus, and a miraculous bright star was guiding their journey. Instead of worshipping the Messiah, he wanted to kill him as he feared losing his power. The Wise Men saw this warning in a dream and chose not to return to King Herod. Regardless of whether it really has warned the Wise Men about danger, this star has helped them find the way.

For this reason, the light of a candle is associated with a guiding star. The tradition of lighting up a candle in a window on Christmas Eve stems from colonial times. It originated from Irish Catholics whose faith was oppressed by British Protestants. As a result, Irish priests became illegal and had to practice their faith in secret, traveling around the country instead of staying in one church. Irish people started placing lit-up candles in their windows on Christmas to indicate traveling priests that they were welcome in the home.

They used to leave the doors unlocked and the house dark. Advent is a special season before Christmas. It starts on Sunday between November 27th and December 3rd. On each of the four Sundays before Christmas, people light up a candle, each of which has a specific color and meaning. The first Advent candle is called the Prophecy Candle and is purple. The liturgical color purple symbolizes penance and sacrifice. The second Advent candle is also purple and is called the Bethlehem Candle.