Christmas Bells Are Ringing

From an early age we hear bells ringing. Alarms tell us it’s time to wake up. We know it’s time for school to begin or end when a bell rings. Morning announcements at school used to be signaled by the tones of bells. We know someone’s at our door when we hear the doorbell ring, or that someone wants to talk to us when we hear the telephone ring.

At one time it was common for churches to ring bells on the hour, allowing folks to keep up with the passing of the day. Some churches today still ring bells on the hour. Bells were rung to call the faithful to gather at church for worship. Before the days of mass media, bells also signaled that something important was happening. This might be a marriage, the birth or death of some important person or another event that affected the lives of many people. Bells alert us to pay attention.

Bells are rung during Christmas to announce the arrival of the season, to proclaim the birth of Christ. The ringing of bells at Christmas is actually a holdover from pagan midwinter celebrations. Long ago people believed that they could use bells to frighten away evil spirits. Bells were a simple form of noisemaking. They could be easily obtained or made and everyone knew how to use them.

The tradition of using noisemakers like bells during these times carried over into the celebration of Christmas. But instead of making noise to keep away evil things, folks made noise to celebrate something happy. Kids then, like kids today, believed that making noise was just a part of Christmas. Bells were an easy way to make that noise. They were inexpensive and could be taken caroling or wassailing and almost every family had one or more. Bells also provided a bright and cheery sound and were acceptable to parents as proper tools to celebrate and make noise at Christmas.

The ringing Christmas bells serve all of the functions that I listed earlier. They are rung to wake us up. They tell us that we need to pay attention – that something significant is happening. Christmas bells announce the arrival of the One who came to save us. They signal an important hour –the appointed time of our visitation. God Himself has come among us. This is reason for joy – for the ringing of bells and celebration.

Do you hear the Christmas story with the wonder that is proper to it? Have you heard the story so many times, that it fails to thrill you? Has your attention been diverted by crowds and noise, and the purchase of gifts? Have you decorated your home, but failed to prepare your heart? Christmas bells are ringing! It’s time to wake up, be alert, and make ourselves ready for the coming of our Savior.