Hi Ken,

There is not one ceremonial tradition on earth, which someone can't trace back to an influence by a different culture. Sadly, fundamentalists are obsessed with calling just about everything pagan. . . including Christmas Trees.

You can easily do a Google Search to learn the different meanings that these symbols have had throughout the years so I will let you do your own research on the specifics . . . it will take less than 5 minutes.

From a Christian point of view, from the very beginning, the Church has embraced various cultural practices and given them a Christian meaning. Just because the Pagans might have used Trees in a celebration of their Winter Holiday doesn't mean that when Christians do it for Christmas they are participating in pagan worship. That is nonsense.

Well, the same thing goes for wedding rings, arras, coins, bell cords, etc.

John