Christmas Morning Butter Braid: A symbol of the season?

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

—Luke 2:7

What is your favorite Christmas smell? Is it pine or peppermint? Gingerbread or vanilla? Or is it too hard to choose? As for me, I might select the heavenly scent of a freshly baked Butter Braid. Do you know what I’m talking about?

Butter Braid is the brand name for a Danish style hand-braided pastry filled with a variety of delectable fillings. Cream cheese is my family’s favorite. It’s our tradition to serve a Butter Braid for Christmas breakfast. Since it’s a yeasted product, sold frozen, I have to remember to take it out on Christmas Eve, place it in a pan and cover it. It will rise overnight. In the morning I am always amazed at how it has doubled in size. I place it in the oven to bake and enjoy the aroma as it wafts throughout the house. Before we partake, we insert a candle into the pastry, light it and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

We all have our own traditions of Christmas, our favorite smells, tastes, sights, and sounds. We celebrate in different ways and find meaning in the various symbols of the season.

The braided pastry is a type of symbol to me. It reminds me of overlapping swaddling cloths. In Jesus’ time, mothers used narrow strips of cloth to tightly wrap their babies. Most of us know from Scripture that Mary brought forth her firstborn Son (Jesus), and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths (Luke 2:7). But did you know that swaddling cloths were also used by the Levitical shepherds to wrap newborn sheep to keep them pure as they were to be used as sacrificial lambs? According to Hebrew law, these lambs had to be spotless and without blemish. When a mother ewe was about to give birth, the shepherd would take her to a designated cave, which was sterile and clean. The newborn lamb was immediately wrapped in swaddling cloths to protect it and keep it from blemish (South Platte Sentinel).

In Luke 2, we read the story of Jesus’ birth, which explains that Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem to register for a census. With so many people in town for the same reason, there was no room for them in the inn. Scripture does not tell us exactly where the couple stayed, but we can deduce that they stayed where animals were normally kept, as the Bible says, she laid Him in a manger, which is a feeding trough.

Shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their flock when the angel of the Lord appeared to them and said, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).

The shepherds didn’t need to ask for specifics. They knew where to find a manger and went in haste to Bethlehem. There they found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger (Luke 2:16-17), in a place reserved for the birth of sacrificial lambs.

Christmas is also an Easter story. Jesus was born to die to save us from our sins. This Christmas Eve as I cover the Butter Braid and lay it out to rise overnight, I will remember Jesus, our Sacrificial Lamb, who died, was covered and laid in a tomb and days later rose overnight.

As I savor my first bite of Butter Braid on Christmas morning, I will remember that Jesus is the Bread of Life, the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:25-59).

I pray that you too will find meaning in the symbols of Christmas. And may all your traditions point to the reason for the season.

And by the way, did you know that Bethlehem means “house of bread?”

Jesus, You are our Sacrificial Lamb, our Lord and Savior, and our Bread of Life. This Christmas I celebrate You. May I find You in all my traditions and savor Your presence with all my senses. Amen.