Moravian Christmas Traditions with Guest Blogger Tamera Lynn Kraft



Moravian Christmas Traditions



By Tamera Lynn Kraft

In my novella, A Christmas Promise, I write about Moravian missionaries in Schoenbrunn Village, circa 1773. The Moravians brought many Christmas traditions to America that we use to celebrate Christ’s birth today. Here are a few of them.
The Christmas Tree: Moravians brought the idea of decorating Christmas trees in their homes in the early 1700s, long before it became a popular tradition in the United States.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services: Most churches have Christmas Eve services where they sing Christmas carols and light candles to show Jesus came to be the light of the world. The Moravian Church has been doing that for centuries. They call their services lovefeasts because they also have a part of the service where they serve sweetbuns and coffee – juice for the kids – and share Christ’s love with each other. For candles, Moravians use bleached beeswax with a red ribbon tied around them. The white symbolizes the purity of Christ and red symbolizes that His blood was shed for us.
The Moravian Star
The Moravian Star: In the 1840s at a Moravian school, students made 24 point stars out of triangles for their geometry lessons. Soon those Moravian stars started making their way on the tops of Christmas trees. The star as a Christmas tree topper is still popular today.
The Putz: The putz is a Christmas nativity scene surrounded by villages or other Biblical scenes. Moravian children in the 1700s would make a putz to put under their Christmas tree. Today, nativity scenes and Christmas villages are popular decorations.
  
About Tamera's Book, A Christmas Promise
A Moravian Holiday Story, Circa 1773
During colonial times, John and Anna settle in an Ohio village to become Moravian missionaries to the Lenape. When John is called away to help at another settlement two days before Christmas, he promises he’ll be back by Christmas Day.
When he doesn’t show up, Anna works hard to not fear the worst while she provides her children with a traditional Moravian Christmas.
Through it all, she discovers a Christmas promise that will give her the peace she craves.
“Revel in the spirit of a Colonial Christmas with this achingly tender love story that will warm both your heart and your faith. With rich historical detail and characters who live and breathe on the page, Tamera Lynn Kraft has penned a haunting tale of Moravian missionaries who selflessly bring the promise of Christ to the Lenape Indians. A beautiful way to set your season aglow, A Christmas Promise is truly a promise kept for a heartwarming holiday tale.” – Julie Lessman
Available at these online stores:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GM59GN4/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

Pelican Book Group
http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_47&products_id=512

Christian Books.com http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=48711EB&item_code=WW&netp_id=1206746&event=ESRCG&view=details

About Tamera:
Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures and writes Christian historical fiction set in America because there are so many adventures in American history. She is married to the love of her life, has two grown children, and lives in Akron, Ohio. Soldier’s Heart and A Christmas Promise are two of her historical novellas that have been published.
Tamera is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist. She has curriculum published and is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.
You can contact Tamera online at these sites.
Word Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.com
Revival Fire For Kids Blog: http://revivalfire4kids.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TameraLynnKraft
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamerakraft

Comments

  1. TheScribblingSpriteDecember 2, 2014 at 12:28 PM

    How interesting! I think we have one of those stars somewhere. Now I know what to call it. Thanks for posting! Your novella looks "promising." :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amber LemusDecember 2, 2014 at 1:20 PM

      Thanks for stopping by, Ally! I'm so glad you enjoyed Tamera's post. I love learning about the history behind things too.
      Have a Merry Christmas!

      Delete
  2. Tamera Lynn KraftDecember 2, 2014 at 1:15 PM

    Thanks, Ally. I loved researching Moravian traditions and how they affected they way we celebrate Christmas. Hope you enjoy A Christmas Promise.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tamera Lynn KraftDecember 2, 2014 at 1:15 PM

    Thanks for having me on your blog, Amber.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amber LemusDecember 2, 2014 at 1:25 PM

      It's been my pleasure, Tamera. Thank you for the informative post!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Stephanie Landsem With #giveaway!

Image
I'm so excited to introduce you to Biblical Fiction author, Stephanie Landsem. She is the author of The Living Water series, and the third book just came out YESTERDAY!  Welcome Stephanie! Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m a wife, mother of four, and author of The Living Water Series. I love to travel, and am lucky that I’ve been able to see many parts of the world and have visited 4 continents. At home, I love to cook, especially new ethnic cuisines from places where I’ve traveled. When I can’t go to new places, I like to be outside hiking, taking walks, or even snowshoeing during our long Minnesota winters. If it’s too cold, my favorite place to be is inside, reading a good book with a cat in my lap. What is your favorite time in History? It will come as no surprise that I’m most drawn to ancient civilizations. In college, I studied a great deal of Greek and Roman history, and perhaps that why I love researching biblical times. There’s somethin
Read more

Cave of the Winds: Historical Colorado Cave & Giveaway! Part 1

Image
Cave of the Winds: Historical Colorado Cave & Giveaway! One of the blessings of having out of state family and friends visit, is the opportunity to see the sites in your own area! Earlier in January, we took family to visit Cave of the Winds, which is only about 45 minutes from my home. It has some fascinating history, and I have some pictures and a giveaway to share with you as well! Cave of the Winds is tucked away in the foothills outside of Colorado Springs next to the cozy town of Manitou Springs. It was first discovered in 1869 but didn't become a tourist attraction until 1881. It has since become the 2nd most commercial cave in the United States. At the bottom of the cavern you see here, is where the original entrance was discovered. Two brothers, John and George Pickett, were exploring the area for caves when they heard a low howling noise. They came to investigate and climbed through a small entrance into a large cavern. Before long, the howling noise returne
Read more

When Reads the Heart with Amanda Cabot

Image
Today I am honored to welcome Amanda Cabot to our When Reads the Heart series as she shares a heartwarming letter from one of her readers.     What made me I think I should write this story?   What made me think I could write it?   Those questions bounced through my head countless times as I was working on Scattered Petals , the second of my Texas Dreams trilogy.   Yes, it’s true that I write stories of healing.   Yes, it’s true that I begin each day by praying that my words will touch readers’ hearts and deepen their faith, but why did I feel compelled to create a heroine who’s raped on her way to a wedding?   The research was painful.   So, too, was the actual writing.   I wept as I wrote the scene where Priscilla’s parents are murdered and she’s attacked.   I wept as I wrote the scenes where she tries to deal with the trauma.   And all the while, I kept asking why ?   Why was I writing this story? The answers began to come soon after the book was published in early 2
Read more