When Christmas time rolls around, visions of angels appear everywhere. You find angels in lights adorning the exterior walls of homes. You find angels overseeing the Christmas mantle or hovering above the dinner table. Of course, the most popular location to find a Christmas angel is on the top of your Christmas tree.

Why are angels such a popular icon for the holiday season?
The fact is that angels were present at the very first Christmas celebration and they continue to be a welcome addition to our holiday decorating schemes today.

Angels at the First Christmas

Angels really began the process leading up to the very first Christmas, since it was an angel that appeared to Mary to tell her that she was going to have a son. After Jesus was born, it was angels who appeared to the shepherds in the fields, announcing the good news of the coming of the Messiah. And an angel also came to the wise men that had traveled to see the baby Jesus, warning them to go home by another route.

Angels have always been known in the Holy Bible as God’s messengers who reside with God in heaven when they are not doing his bidding on earth. It makes sense that a character that is so prevalent throughout biblical history would find a place in the Christmas celebrations of today.

So now we decorate our homes and yards with Christmas angels galore, of all shapes, sizes, colors and forms. There are country Christmas angels that dress our tables in their calico gowns and Victorian Christmas angels of white lace that hang from our tree branches and majestically adorn our fireplace mantles. Christmas angels have become a staple of the holiday season, and because there are so many to choose from, they have become one of the most popular collectibles as well. You can buy Christmas angels from just about any shop that sells Christmas décor, and if you have a talent for crafts you can make your own collection of Christmas angels.

The Christmas angel plays a significant role in the history of the first Christmas, because it was the angels that originally announced the coming of the Messiah to Mary, and relayed the good news of His birth to the rest of the world. Angels are a holy creature created by God to serve Him. It is no wonder that Christmas angels have played such a major role in the celebration of this most holy time of year.