Nativity Stuff
Was there snow in Israel when Jesus was born?
Most likely, Mount Hermon has snow on it for most of the year.
When did the Magi come to Jerusalem looking for Baby Jesus?
After He had been born.
Did Joseph find out that Mary was pregnant before or after they were married?
Before
Who were Jesus parents? (Those entrusted by God to raise Him.)
Mary and Joseph
What started the tradition of decorating with Christmas lights that we have today?
What animal or animals did Mary and Joseph travel with to Bethlehem?
We don't know, nothing is mentioned about them taking animals with them or using them.
What direction did the Magi come from?
The East
What kept Joseph from sending Mary away quietly after they were married?
The Lord sent an angel to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because the child that had been conceived was of the Holy Spirit.
What does Immanuel mean?
God with us
What started the tradition of singing Christmas carols?
During the age of the Saturnalia festival, there were carols sung for each of the four seasons but only the tradition of singing Christmas carols remained popular to this day.
What animals did the Magi use to aid them in their journey following the star?
We don't know, but they probably used something.
What were the gifts the Magi brought to baby Jesus?
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
How was Mary told of Jesus birth?
The angel Gabriel came and told her about what would happen.
Who was with Jesus when the Magi came to see Him?
Mary his mother.
Where does the tradition of giving presents at Christmas come from?
It is intended to remind us of the presents the Magi gave to Jesus.
What are the names of the two people that Mary and Joseph encountered when taking Jesus to the temple to be dedicated?
Simeon and Anna
Where did the Magi meet Jesus?
In a house
Why did Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem?
For the census because Joseph was of the house and family of David.
Who came to visit Baby Jesus in the manger?
The only ones that are mention are shepherds, there may have been others.
Where does the custom of kissing under the mistletoe come from?
The custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from England. The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing!
If we don't know what day Jesus was born on why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
The Romans believed that the Winter Solstice took place on December 25th and that is the time they celebrated the Saturnalia festival.
How many Magi were there?
More than one but we don't know exactly how many.
What else was a taboo about Jesus birth other than Mary being pregnant before they were married?
Jesus was born before they were married.
In what venue was Jesus born?
We don't know where he was born, just that it was outside the inn and he was laid in a manger.
What is a Yule Log and where does the custom come from?
The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back before medieval times. It was originally a Nordic tradition. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe.
The Yule Log was originally an entire tree, that was carefully chosen and brought into the house with great ceremony. The largest end of the log would be placed into the fire hearth while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room! The log would be lit from the remains of the previous year's log which had been carefully stored away and slowly fed into the fire through the Twelve Days of Christmas. It was considered important that the re-lighting process was carried out by someone with clean hands.