Chrismons are best described as Christmas decorations which bear Christian symbols. Their purpose is to help remind Christians that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus birthday, and accordingly Churches and Christian homes are decorated with Chrismons, placing them on Christmas Trees, mantles, doors, dinner tables, etc. Frances K. Spencer, a member of the Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, in the United States was one of first to come up with the idea of using Christian symbols to decorate with and she also thought of the word, Chrismon, which is a combination of Christ and monogram (meaning symbol). Her idea quickly spread to other churches and has since become a tradition for many Christian groups to make their own Chrismons using their favorite symbols. A few simple guidelines apply to the making of Chrismons: they are traditionally colored white and gold, as white is the liturgical (or Church) colour for Christmas and symbolises that Jesus was pure and perfect, and gold symbolises His Majesty and Glory. Modern Chrismons can be made from most any material, but paper and embroidered ones are the most widely used.Below are some symbols that are common Chrismons and what they represent to Christians.
The Cross symbolises that Christians believe Jesus Christ died for everyone on a Cross.
The Star of David, sometimes called the Star of Creation, is a symbol that Jesus was a Jew and a descendant of King David.
The Latin Cross, also sometimes called the Roman Cross. The base of the Cross has three steps that symbolise faith, hope, and love.
The Anchor Cross reminds Christian's that Jesus is the anchor of their faith.
The Irish or Celtic Cross is a normal cross with a circle in the middle to symbolise eternity.
The Fish is one of the oldest Christian symbols. The letters, from the Greek word for fish (ichthus), stand for Jesus (I), Christ (X), God (Q), Son (Y), Savior (S). Some of Jesus' disciples were fishermen.
Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. Used together, they are the symbolise that Christians believe Jesus is the beginning and end of all things.
The Shepherd's Crook or Staff remembers that Jesus sometimes called himself a shepherd.
A Five Pointed Star is the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem or Epiphany, when the Wisemen visited Jesus.
The Crown is the symbol that Jesus in King. It shows that Christians believe Jesus is ruler over heaven and the earth.
The Lamp represents that Christians believe Jesus in the Light of the World.
Both of these symbols represent the Christian 'Trinity' of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Triquerta with a Circle (at the top) is the most complicated of Christian symbols. The three loops making a triangle represent the three parts of the trinity. This is surrounded by a circle, which represents eternity. The Trefoil (at the bottom) is three equal circles intertwined to form a whole.
The Dove is the symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit. It is shown pointing down to represent the Holy Spirit that appeared as a Dove when Jesus was baptised.
The Scroll represents the Bible.
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