A beautiful Christian Christmas ornament is right at home on the Christmas tree. This Christmas, try displaying a Christian ornament in a whole new way.

Some Christmas ornaments are meant to blend into the background; others, particularly a beautiful Christian Christmas ornament, are best when showcased. Here, we’ll share some Christmas decorating ideas for showcasing any special ornament, including a special Christian Christmas ornament. If you need ideas for decorating a small space for Christmas, you’ll find the following methods for displaying ornaments can be easily adapted.

House It in a Jar or Canister

If you’ve got curious children or pets at home, or if you simply wish there was an easy way to keep your favorite Christian Christmas ornaments or mini Christmas Nativity sets free from dust, you’ll love this idea. House special ornaments inside a jar or canister, where they’re less likely to be damaged or get dirty. This idea is one that works very well for antique Christmas ornaments, as well as for special paper ornaments and fanciful gift tags. You can set the ornament on a shelf or tabletop and turn the jar over so it covers it, or you can use strong tape to fasten the ornament’s hanger to the lid for a look that’s both interesting and visually appealing. Cover the lid with pretty fabric or paper for an extra-festive touch.

Hang it From a Mirror

Using special ribbon that complements the rest of your décor, hang that special Christian Christmas ornament from the top of a mirror. You can do the same thing with a small wreath; add extra greenery for a lively touch.

Hang it From a Window

Windows are wonderful spaces for showcasing special Christmas ornaments. Create a display using several ornaments, or try hanging one olive wood nativity ornament in the window for an understated look that reminds viewers of the true meaning of Christmas. Use special ribbon, or keep it simple; the choice is yours.

Use an Ornament Stand

Ornament stands are designed to let you show off unique Christmas ornaments. Usually made with metal, they are inexpensive and can be found at most stores that carry Christmas decorations. Be sure to measure the ornament you want to display before you purchase the stand, as some oversized ornaments are a bit too large to fit in a standard small ornament display stand.

Create a Mini Christmas Tree

Perfect for a tabletop, buffet, or mantelpiece, a miniature Christmas tree is perfect for displaying a small collection of favorite ornaments that are similar to one another. You can easily create a small tree using heavy gauge copper wire, pipe cleaners, or other flexible materials, then decorate it with the ornaments you want to show off.

Finally, a great way to showcase a Christian Christmas ornament is to use ribbon to tie it to the top of a gift you’re giving someone! This way, everyone can enjoy the ornament before the gift is unwrapped, and the recipient can go on to enjoy it year after year – maybe using one of the ornament display ideas we’ve shared above.

Christians in Bethlehem and the rest of the area commonly referred to as the Holy Land celebrate Christmas – but in a different way than we in the Western world tend to. Whether you’ve made a tradition of giving simple gifts like the ones we offer to your loved ones, or if this is your first time exploring our website, we think you’ll enjoy this peek into what Christmas is like in the land where Jesus was born.

Traditions and Travelers

During the Christmas season, pilgrims flock to Bethlehem, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous Grotto where a 14-pointed silver star decorates the floor at the very spot where Jesus is said to have been born.

Whether at Shepherd’s Fields, Manger Square, St. Catherine’s Church, or any other Bethlehem location, visitors are amazed by the warm welcome they receive and by the intense experience of spending Christmas in the land where Jesus was born, lived his life, and gave the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Christians in Bethlehem see visitors all year round, but during the Christmas season, people from all around the world come to the place where the greatest miracle of all took place more than two thousand years ago.

What most impresses many is the lack of commercialism. While in Western society the concept of Christmas goes hand in hand with Santa Claus, loads of toys, and all kinds of fantastic things, in Bethlehem, Christmas is about remembering the birth of the savior – though celebrations and gift giving do take place, and though a few people do dress up as Santa Claus.

Up and down the streets, simple light displays are set up, and stages are erected for musical performances and Christmas plays. A Christmas bazaar offers goodies and local toys, along with some olivewood Christmas ornaments and other gifts much like the ones you’ll find on our site.

Three Christmas Eves are celebrated in the Holy Land. On the 24^th of December, Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate in one location, while Greek Orthodox, Coptic, and Syrian Christians celebrate at a second location on January 6^th. At the third locale, on January 18^th, Armenian Christians celebrate in their own way, but Jesus is the thread that binds them all together. After each of the church services has come to a close, everyone comes together to feast on turkey spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper, and stuffed with almonds, rice, and pine nuts.

All around, bells are ringing and Christmas Carols are being sung in many different languages; and everywhere, people are wishing one another a Happy Christmas and blessing one another. Local children walk through the streets taking in the sights, and the general feeling is one of contentment and joy.

Now that you know a bit more about the way people living in the Holy Land celebrate the birth of Christ, perhaps you feel more connected to them, as Christian brothers and sisters. By purchasing a few gifts made by Bethlehem artisans this year, you can help these people to continue to share their traditions with other Christians from around the world.

Selecting the right Catholic Confirmation gift doesn’t have to be a chore. Here, we’ll provide some tips for finding a great gift for Catholic Confirmation.

Whether you are a friend or family member of a Confirmand, the Catholic confirmation gift you select shows that you support the newly confirmed member of the Catholic faith in his or her decision to become a fully anointed member of the church. A Catholic Confirmation gift should be meaningful, and it ought to be long-lasting. Here are some tips for choosing a Confirmation gift that will be appreciated for many years to come.

Select an Appropriate Gift

Unlike a casual gift-giving festivity such as a birthday, Confirmation is a very special occasion. The sacrament of Confirmation is only conferred upon a Catholic once in his or her life, so the gift you give should be an appropriate one. Christian gifts are the standard here, and gifts specifically celebrating the Catholic faith are always well-received by Confirmands. Some items to avoid giving as Confirmation gifts include:

• Secular books or music
• Toys or games
• Personal care items
• Candies or other sweets
• Non-religious jewelry items

These items are just a few examples of gifts that might be perfectly appropriate at other times, but which do not make appropriate gifts for Confirmation.

An appropriate Catholic Confirmation gift is one that the recipient can use to increase his or her faith. Here are just a few ideas:

• Bibles and other religious books
• Christian music
• Mass cards
• Religious jewelry items
• Rosaries
• Religious sculptures

Just like gifts you choose for other occasions, you want to be sure that the Catholic Confirmation gift you select is one that the recipient will like. For example, a young girl who is being confirmed would probably like a gleaming white mother of pearl rosary better than a rustic rosary made of olive wood, and a young boy being confirmed would probably like the wooden rosary better than the one made with mother of pearl.

When giving an adult Confirmand a Catholic Confirmation gift, keep in mind that he or she probably already has plenty of religious reading material, and his or her taste in music might be a lot different from yours. In addition, he or she may already have a very special rosary. Look for something unique and meaningful, and think about ways to avoid giving gifts that are too typical – you want to ensure you give a gift that is one of a kind. A sculpture depicting the Holy Family, Praying Hands, or even the Head of Christ might make a wonderful gift for an adult, even though these items are things a younger Confirmand might want to put away until later.

At HolyLand-Gifts.com, you can find a wonderful selection of gifts that are perfectly appropriate for those receiving the sacrament of Confirmation, including members of both genders, and people of all ages. Hand-made rosaries and crosses of various types make excellent Confirmation gifts, as do cross necklaces. Spend just a few minutes browsing, and you’ll almost certainly find a gift that’s just right for the Confirmand in your life.

Many Christians have questions about Catholic rosary beads. Here, we’ll look at the mysteries Catholic faithful meditate on when using rosary beads.

You may have seen Catholic rosary beads at a Christian gifts shop, or perhaps you have seen them in the hands of a friend. If you’re Catholic, you probably know quite a bit about rosary beads, and perhaps you even use them; if not, you probably wonder what those Catholic rosary beads are for. You’ll find valuable information about Roman Catholic rosaries in other articles; here, we’ll just focus on the traditional meditations Catholics use when praying the rosary. There is a fourth set of mysteries which we’ll look at in another article on Catholic Rosary beads; these are the Luminous mysteries.

The Joyful Mysteries

This set of rosary mysteries comes mostly from Saint Luke’s Gospel, which can be found in the New Testament. If you know the Christmas story, and if you know a bit about Jesus’ childhood, then you’ll probably find that these occasions are familiar. For these and the rest of the mysteries we’ll explore, each mystery counts as a decade on a set of Catholic rosary beads.

• The Annunciation – An angel visits Mary to tell her that Jesus is to be born, and that she has been chosen to carry him in her womb.
• The Visitation – Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb ( whom we meet later as St. John the Baptist) leaps for joy, recognizing Jesus’ presence even from afar.
• The Nativity – Jesus is born
• The Presentation in the Temple – Jesus is brought to the temple for presentation to God, in accordance with Jewish law.
• Jesus is Found in the Temple – Jesus was thought to be lost; when found, he is preaching to the high priests in the temple.

The Sorrowful Mysteries

Even Jesus experienced trouble during his lifetime; he experienced more pain than most of us could ever imagine when he suffered and died. The sorrowful mysteries rosary commemorate his acts of redemption.

• The Agony in the Garden – Jesus prays in anguish, knowing what is about to happen to him. As he prays in the Garden of Olives, he sweats blood.
• The Scourging at the Pillar – Jesus is beaten mercilessly.
• The Crowning of Thorns – Jesus is draped in a purple robe, crowned with thorns, and mocked.
• Jesus Carries his Cross – Battered and bruised, Jesus is forced to carry his cross to Golgatha. He falls along the way.
• The Crucifixion – Jesus dies for the sins of mankind.

The Glorious Mysteries

This series of rosary mysteries celebrates Jesus’ most triumphant moments.

• The Resurrection – Jesus rises from the dead.

• The Ascension – Jesus ascends into heaven.
• The Descent of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit visits Mary and the apostles at the first Pentecost.
• The Assumption – Mary is brought to heaven.
• Mary’s Coronation – Mary is crowned as Queen of Heaven

You can find Catholic rosary beads made from gleaming mother of pearl or precious Holy Land olive wood at HolyLand-Gifts.com, along with many other Catholic and Christian items. We hope you enjoyed this informational article; you’ll find even more information when you visit our blog.