Chrismon Tree and Hanging of the Greens

The second Sunday in Advent is special to me and all the members of the First Presbyterian Church of Bessemer, Alabama. This Sunday is extra special as that is the day we turn on the lights on the Chrismon tree(s) and the hanging of the greens.

Our church is one of the older churchs in Bessemer and is located downtown. I kid people when they are looking for directions to the church and I tell them "we are across the street from the county jail". Why do people seem to know where the jail is? I am getting off the subject. Today I served as usher and will for the month of December at all the activities leading up until Chrismas including our Christmas Eve service which is always really special to me and has meant to my family over the years.

The Chrismon tree is a large tree, maybe 15 feet high, decorated with handmade symbols, all in white or gold, and symbolizing all the symbols we all recognize as Christians. There are crosses of all variations, crowns, triangles (Trinity), mangers, stars, and everything we associate with Christmas. We started this maybe 25 years ago with the smallest of Chrismon tree as the decoration are so intricate and detailed that we had workshops for those that wanted to learn how to make these. The large one speak for themselves, but the detail and beads and foil in the tiniest ones, demand your examination.

We now have two of these trees, one on each side of the front of the church and lighted with tiny white lights. The work going into each of these trees is enormous as it takes a week of volunteers to get this all up between the first and second Sunday of Advent. Major ladders, long slender rods with steady hands to place the largest to the tiniest of ornament in the right place. We seem to get better at this each year.

Our church, from front to alter is a straight line with tall frosted glass windows reaching almost to the ceiling. The color of the sanctuary is off white and the windows are covered with beautiful adjustable shutters to allow as little or as much natural light in as necessary. The "Hanging of the Green" is part of the lighting service as the hangers are place about 1/3 of the way up and at the same time we turn on the lights, a family member hangs these beautiful green wreaths with beautiful red ribbon at the base. There are also two very large green wreaths hung behind the choir on the back wall of the sanctuary. This all happens so, so fast, tansforming the church from a season of winter, into the Christmas Season, virtually in a heartbeat.

I mentioned that this is the second week of Advent. We celebrate the 4 weeks before Christmas week by lighting one candle surrounding the large white candle in the center that is lighted on Christmas Eve. This week, a family lit the second Advent candle, the second of the 4 weeks recording where we are in the time and events leading up until Christ's birth.

Please remember what Christmas really is! Santa and gift giving is fine but remember the "gift" from God, who chose to send his Son to live among us, to be our redeemer. That IS our "Reason for the Season" as professing Christians.

Merry Christmas to all from the Jeff and Karen Nutter family. From our home to your home, may God bless you so greatly in every way at this most special time of the year.

 Evan Jones

What a beautiful post, and what a beautiful tradition. Thanks for sharing it with us.