Metals, She Wrote: The Christmas Gifts

The holiday season is here, and the magic of the first Christmas still inspires and creates wonder in the hearts of millions around the world.

An integral part of the story includes the arrival of the Three Wise Men who bore gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The facts surrounding these highly respected men has varied throughout history. Personally, I had no idea there was so much debate over the facts of their journey to Bethlehem.

While some cultures believe the three men were kings from different lands who arrived bearing gifts, others believe as many twelve men arrived to greet the new King; however, they believe the men to be highly intelligent, well regarded men rather than kings.  A widely held belief (that I think is fascinating) is the Wise Men were astrologers, which is why they would have been aware of the new star that led them to Bethlehem.

What is not disputed is the gifts these men brought. Each had incredible value at the time of Jesus’ birth and had symbolic ties to the kingship of Christ and His mission on earth.

Frankincense is a resin scraped from trees, used most often in religious ceremonies. Biblical priests often lit frankincense along with their offerings as a sign of reverence to God. For Jesus to be gifted frankincense symbolized His status as holy and worthy of worship.

Myrrh is a spice used for perfume and burial rituals. Myrrh was often used in conjunction with beauty treatments to adorn a body with a lovely fragrance. Likewise, myrrh was used to anoint the dead before burial to aid in preservation. Jesus was presented myrrh by the Wise Men to foreshadow the death He was to experience and the anointing of myrrh Nicodemus would perform before Jesus was placed into the tomb.

Gold is, of course, a precious metal of great significance and value. During this time, owning gold signified your status.  Most often, kings were the few wealthy enough to possess gold; therefore, presenting Jesus with gold showed His status as King of kings. For the Wise Men to possess gold was rare, and gifting it to a child demonstrated the immense reverence they held for his birth.

Whether 3, 12, or 20 Wise Men arrived to marvel at the Christ child, what is known is the gifts they brought were gifts to honor a King.

Since the first Christmas, gifting presents has been a way to honor and show appreciation for loved ones. While I don’t think anyone has gifted frankincense or myrrh anytime recently, I’d like to know how you show your loved ones you care during the holiday season. This year, I am looking forward to seeing family from around the country, all gathered in Texas for a 70 degree Christmas. Let me know your plans!

Also, don’t forget to enter to win silver or Provident swag!

I truly hope each of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Happy Stacking!

-J