Angels have always had a starring role to play at Christmas, you will often see them perched precariously on top of decadently decorated trees. But the spiritual beings aren’t just popular at Christmas, they are revered by many. They are considered the epitome of all that is decent and holy- attendants of heaven and messengers of god.

Angels and The Christmas Story

We know that angels feature in the Christmas story, they were present at the birth of baby Jesus, to welcome the King of Kings. The angels appeared on high, above the stable, and above the earth, in celebration of the birth of Baby Jesus. We place angels on high, at the top of our tree to signify this. Others feel that placing an angel at the top of the three wards off evil spirits. Some prefer to use a star rather than an angel (to represent the star that shone above the stable, lighting the way for the wise men and shepherds).

Angels were also involved in other parts of the Christmas story, archangel Gabriel delivered the life-changing message to the Virgin Mary that she would soon give birth to the son of god, and an angel appeared in a dream – warning that King Herod would head to Bethlehem in a bid to kill baby Jesus. It seems that Angels have an integral role to play during the festive season. 

Angel Hair

In the past Christians would suggest to their children that it was actually angels that came to decorate the Christmas tree. They would reinforce the story by hanging delicate streamers on the tree and telling their wide-eyed sons and daughters that this was actually angel hair that had become tangled in the branches of the tree, while the angels were busy at work. Not too long after tinsel became popular as a decoration, and many still referred to this as angel hair when decorating their Christmas tree.

Angels Tree Ornaments

Angels ornaments were also placed on the branches of Christmas trees. The first angel ornaments were hand-crafted and consisted of decorations made from straw or cookie dough.  Christmas ornaments made from glass soon became popular too, these were devised in Germany by skilled glassblowers, and the trend quickly spread to countries across the globe. Nowadays there are manner of angel decorations available, some even light up or play trumpets!

Angel Figurines

So, we have an angel on top of our tree, angel hair wrapped around it and angel ornaments and decorations hanging from the branches – that’s one angelic tree! How about adding a few angel figurines to the mantlepiece or around the rest of the house? There are many beautiful Willow Tree Christmas figurines to choose from and a number of angel statuettes that will look lovely dotted around a Christmas inspired home. There’s the Willow Tree Angel of the Kitchen figurine, Willow Tree Thinking of You figurine, Willow Tree Angel of Freedom figurine and Willow Tree Angel of Healing figurine, to name but a few. Hand-carved, cast in resin and then painstakingly painted by hand, these beautiful figurines make a lovely gift – or treat yourself and bring the blessings of angels into your own home.

What Do Angels Mean to You?

The theological study of angels is referred to as angelology, this looks at the meaning of angels, and what we know (or think we know) about them. Ask someone to draw a picture of an angel and they may sketch a human like form with a shining halo and a pair of wings, surrounded by a shining light.

Those who hold religious beliefs may look to the new testament, which tells us that angels are spirits who are sent to care for us and help us fulfil our prophecy as the heirs of salvation. Some feel that angels visit the earth to watch over little children, acting as guardians to ward off evil. Others are of the opinion that angels come to us in times of need, or to guide us to heaven. Although angels are generally believed to be good, some also believe in the existence of fallen angels – spiritual beings who have been expelled from heaven.

We can’t be certain that angels exist, it’s down to what you believe and feel in your heart. But what we do know is that we have to deal with so many powerful emotions every day including love, closeness, healing, courage, grief, happiness, and hope. It’s comforting to think that there might be a higher being in our corner rooting for us!