Contents Introduction Paraments and Vestments Christmas Tree Advent Wreath Paschal Candle Other Candles Flowers If you haven't read about Advent...

Introduction

This page covers matters related to worship appointments for the Dodekaemeron of the Nativity of Our Lord (the Twelve Days of Christmas).

If you have not reviewed the general information on planning liturgy, worship appointments, etc., please do so at our Worship Aids for Pulpit Vacancy page.

Paraments and Vestments

The color for the Dodekaemeron of the Nativity of Our Lord is white.

Feasts that fall within the Dodekaemeron, e.g., the Feast of St. Stephen and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, both of which being classified as lesser festivals, are red.

"Luther Amidst his Family at Wittenberg on Christmas Eve, 1536," steel engraving, Sartain’s Union Magazine of Literature and Art (Philadelphia: John Sartain & Co., c.1860). (Public domain)

The Christmas Tree

Erection & Lighting

The Christmas tree was not originally associated with the sanctuary; its place was the home but eventually migrated into the sanctuary (though more recently than most people realize). As the name indicates, the Christmas tree is proper to Christmas, not Advent. If the Christmas tree is erected during Advent, consider not lighting it until Christmas Eve as a way of marking the distinction between the two times and as a way of highlighting the high feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. If a Christmas tree is erected in the sanctuary, it is kept up and lit throughout the Dodekaemeron (Twelve Days) of Christmas, beginning with sundown on December 24 and continuing through January 5. Obviously, the lights may be extinguished between services—we prefer not to set the church building on fire. We recommend that the Christmas tree be lit before the people gather for worship and extinguished after they leave.

Ornamentation

Ornamentation for the Christmas tree has varied throughout the ages. Around the 1970s, there was a push for the employment of Chrismons in place of other tree ornaments. There is nothing wrong with Chrismons, but we have noticed that many Chrismons, having been fabricated five decades ago, are reaching the end of their useful life. A congregation may certainly fabricate replacements, but it is also fine to hang Christmas tree balls. Some of the oldest known Christmas tree ornaments resembled (or were unconsecrated) celebrant's hosts (the large communion wafers used by the pastor at altar). Also among older ornaments were fruits or balls (intended to resemble fruits). The Christmas tree was not simply an evergreen tree brought inside as a pretty plant. It was a symbol of the Tree of Paradise, the "tree of life," reported in the Book of Revelation:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves are for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:1-2, NRSV).

The use of celebrant's host, fruits, and balls was meant to evoke the twelve fruit of the tree of life. A congregation may want to, in that spirit, place twelve different ornaments on the tree, being careful to pick items that will help bring to mind the tree of life (rather than distract).

Removal of the Christmas tree

The Christmas tree should be removed prior to the Epiphany service. One may burn the Christmas tree and any other greens on the Feast of the Epiphany—this is not recommended if the tree is made of plastic.

The Advent Wreath

As the name indicates, the Advent wreath is proper to Advent, not Christmas. It should be removed prior to the Christmas Eve service. The use of a white candle (as a central fifth candle, sometimes called "The Christ candle") with an Advent wreath is an exceptionally recent innovation and should be avoided as it is explicitly outside of Advent. For more on the Advent wreath, visit our Appoints for Advent page.

Paschal Candle

The Paschal candle is not lit during Christmastide except for baptisms and funerals. Furthermore, the Paschal candle is never incorporated into the Advent wreath. Visit our Paschal candle page for details.

Other Candles

The lighting and extinguishing of candles for the Sunday morning service is a matter of local custom. Some congregations have rather elaborate rituals for doing so. Others struggle to find acolytes. If lighting and extinguishing the altar candles has become a challenge, a congregation might follow the advice found in the Manual on the Liturgy—Lutheran Book of Worship, lighting the candles well before the service and extinguishing them well after the service, doing so decorously but without pomp and circumstance. This, then, can be done by ushers, the sexton, the altar guild, the pastor, etc. without vesting.

Flowers

Flowers are lovely and a fitting adornment. Flowers, however, should not placed on the mensa (tabletop of the altar). Most non-freestanding altars feature a gradine (a raised shelf at the rear of the altar). Flowers may be placed on the gradine along with altar candles. A freestanding altar (or communion table) poses a challenge to flower placement. If there is an old high altar with gradine in the apse or a reredos with shelves for flowers, the problem is solved. Flower floor stands can be used, or the flowers may be simply set on the floor in the front of the altar as it is faced by the congregation, assuming the pastor presides from the other side. Flowers should not pose a fire hazard in their placement or a tripping hazard.

If you haven't read about Advent...

If you haven't read about Advent, you might want to take a look at our Appointments for Advent page.