A Candle in the Window, An American Tradition

In years past at Christmastime, like so many Americans, we have decorated our home inside and out with tiny white lights. Many people like to outline their rooftops and their entire houses with the tiny lights, making quite a nighttime spectacle. Illuminating our homes, especially at Christmastime is a wonderful American Tradition.

This year, we chose to decorate our home in a much simpler tradition. It isn't necessarily a financial issue for us, but we liked the dramatic statement of using a single candle in each of the two front windows on our home. We opted for an electric candle with a sensor that comes on automatically when it gets dark and shuts off at daylight.

The tiny light hardly seemed significant until I walked outside after dark and observed the glow of two small candles lighting the front windows on our home. No, it is not spectacular and we won't win any awards for being the best decorated home in our town, yet it is an eloquent statement shining through the darkness.

A candle in the window has long been an American tradition. For instance, in Colonial America, a single candle in the window served to honor dignitaries or announce the birth of a new baby. A candle in the window symbolized warmth and security of the family within and signs of loyalty to family members who were not present. A simple candle in the window also guided travelers to a place of warmth and safety in those early days of America.

There is also a song titled "A Candle in the Window". I especially like these two lines from that song:

"And there's a candle in the window, a flame against the night

There's a candle in the window, its like God's perfect light."

I suppose placing a simple candle in the window could serve many purposes, but it reminds me of that night so long ago when God wrapped His perfect gift to us in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. That night, there was a single star shining brightly in the dark of night that guided the shepherds to the place where the Christ-child lay. If the best gift ever given was illuminated by one single star, then a single candle could indeed make a significant statement at this time of year. It is a Holy Night celebrating the birth of the Savior of the World and it seems appropriate to place a candle in the window just as our Colonial ancestors did so long ago when they announced the birth of a new baby.

Sources:

http://www.americanfamilytraditions.com/Candle_in_the_Window.htm

http://www.poemhunter.com/song/a-candle-in-the-window/