Dream symbols: Christmas, Christmas day, and related symbols

The biblical and spiritual symbolism of Christmas, Christmas day, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, Christmas presents, and more Christmas related symbols, in dreams.

Why did I dream about Christmas? What does Christmas mean in a dream?

What do Christmas presents mean, or a Christmas tree, or Father Christmas?

In this article we will take inspiration from the bible to investigate the spiritual meaning of dreaming of Christmas and related symbols in dreams, and what that means in practical terms.

We will explore its meaning in positive and negative contexts, with some real dream examples too!

I approach dream interpretation from a biblical perspective. My belief is that our dreams can come from God, and understanding them is best understood within the context of an ongoing relationship with Him.

Firstly, if you have just come across this post and are new to dream interpretation, it is worth mentioning that dreams are symbolic in nature. You might find it helpful to read the following article: Understand your dreams: A bible-based introduction to dream language. Plus, see my FREE ultimate guide to Interpreting Dreams from God.

Secondly, remember that dreams are personal, so the meanings that I suggest may not apply to your specific dream. But please feel free to use my ideas as a springboard to thinking and praying about dreams yourself. Don’t take my ideas as gospel, but rather let them help you start to think metaphorically.

Introducing Christmas as a dream symbol

Christmas can feature as the setting for a dream, or as part of a dream. It is quite common to dream about it during the advent season, but Christmas and Christmas day can appear in our dreams at any time of year!

There are so many scenarios and illustrations set around Christmastime that could play out in our dreams: The day itself; the food; the presents; the preparation and anticipation; church services; nativity plays; Christmas carols; decorations and Christmas trees; Father Christmas/Santa, and so much more!

It will be impossible to cover everything in this article.

In addition, each culture and family has different traditions that can influence the meaning. Some place an emphasis on Christmas eve, and others on Christmas day; some celebrate 6th January (known as Three Kings Day). Church may or may not play a role in our Christmas celebrations.

For some people Christmas holds fond associations and is a wonderful experience. For other people it is a more difficult time with sad memories or loneliness to overcome.

Christmas has a variety of personal traditions and meanings that could play out in dreams.

This article will attempt to cover some of the broad meanings and major themes associated with Christmas – from a biblical and spiritual perspective. Hopefully they will provide some starting ideas that will help you think about your own dreams.

As with any dream symbol, Christmas can potentially have both positive and negative meanings. The context, feeling and atmosphere of a dream will give us clues to help us determine whether to interpret it in a positive or negative way. 

Positive meaning of Christmas: Jesus at the centre

Although the spiritual aspect of Christmas is often neglected (or even banned) these days, we cannot get away from the fact that Christmas derives its name from being a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

“Church festival observed annually in memory of the birth of Christ,” late Old English Cristes mæsse, from Christ + mass.

Etymonline.com

From a biblical perspective, the Christmas narrative focuses on the nativity, i.e., the arrival of Jesus and the events surrounding his birth. The bible depicts this event as the coming of God himself – and his light and saving presence – into the world. This was God appearing in human form.

The positive meaning of Christmas in a dream relates to this. For example, it could represent:

• Jesus being at the centre of something.
• God or Jesus intervening in a situation.
• The presence of God or Jesus in a situation.
• Something being from God or Jesus.

If Christmas feels positive in a dream, for example giving a nice present, enjoying a lovely dinner, or something to be anticipated or enjoyed, then the Christmas aspect would generally confirm that this element of the dream is from God or Jesus.

If the dream element focuses on something from the biblical birth of Jesus narrative, such as the angel coming to Mary or the gifts of the magi, that could also suggest that God is in it.

Real dream examples: Christmas meaning God is in it

Dream	Meaning	Notes
I dreamed I was hosting Christmas at my childhood home and lots of people were coming for dinner. It would be a big serving up effort.	The time would come when I would be able to share what Jesus had done in my life with lots of other people.	A childhood home can be about our personal life and identity. This dream pointed to a future time when Jesus had done a work in my life.
I dreamed I had some difficult news one Christmas and didn’t want to celebrate, which was understandable.	Jesus was going to intervene in my life and it would be difficult but necessary. This did happen, and it was dramatic.	This dream was preparing me so I could receive and cooperate with what God was doing. The Christmas part confirmed that Jesus was in it.

Negative meaning of Christmas: Religious spirit

The negative meaning of dream symbols is often opposite to the positive one, and this is true for Christmas.

Although Christmas originated from the birth of Jesus – which is a real documented historical event, many of the elements of our Christmas celebration have nothing to do with Jesus and are based on human traditions and imagined ideas like Santa Claus in the sky with reindeer!

Therefore, Christmas can symbolise a religious spirit, which is something that appears to be good and from God, and we genuinely think it is, but really it is not. Jesus appears to be in it, but he is not. For example, it could be:

• A religious lie or deception.
• A religious environment or system.
• A counterfeit.
• An idol.

In a dream, this religious aspect of Christmas is most likely to appear as one of the traditions that is not focused on the birth of Jesus, such as Christmas trees, baubles, elves, and Santa.

However, those things could still be positive in the dream, so the context within the dream action and the feeling of the dream are vital clues. For example, is it something that needs to be removed or taken down? Does it feel lovely/beautiful or cheap/gaudy in the dream?

The presence of the colour white or snow or ice can also indicate a religious spirit, depending on the context.

Sometimes the Christmas element might represent something that was originally from God in its time, but has now become a human habit or tradition. We might need to move on from it or seek God for the new thing he is doing.

Real dream examples: Christmas as a religious spirit

Dream	Meaning	Notes
I dreamed some people were dressed in red Christmas outfits to go ice skating. I was also offered red skates but said no, I was not booked to go.	I would be offered a leadership opportunity that appeared to be from God, but I should not take it. This did happen.	The ice skating part confirmed that this was not of God, combined with me saying no. Red can be leadership.
I dreamed I was taking down two Christmas trees that looked dead. there was cardboard mess everywhere that needed clearing up.	Something that was helpful in its time was no longer useful for me, and I should move on. It would take a while to work out what was from God and what was not.	This did happen. The dead trees were old mindsets I needed to move on from. Cardboard suggests things of man, not God.
I dreamed I had to remove a small Christmas tree from a doorway to make it easier for people to get through.	In the future I would have to address something that was no longer relevant to a situation to help people make a transition.	The Christmas tree was negative as it was a hindrance. A doorway can be a transition.

Meaning of Christmas day: The day of the Lord

Christmas day is a common setting for a dream, and the positive and negative meanings previously discussed can apply.

In addition, dreams often focus on waiting or preparing for Christmas, such as during advent or in the months leading up to Christmas. We could be preparing food, buying presents, or putting up decorations. There is an expectancy in all this that something is going to happen.

In the bible, this is closely linked to the concept of the day of the Lord.

The day of the Lord in the bible

In the bible, the day of the Lord is a phrase used to refer to times when God intervenes personally in some way. These events are usually foretold by the prophets for some time in advance, even hundreds or thousands of years. The ‘day’ could be a literal day, or it could be any defined period of time.

This intervention by God could either be a positive or negative experience for those involved.

• Joel 2:11, NIV The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?

It could be some kind of judgment, which carries the idea of consequences for actions. God finally says, ‘enough is enough’ and puts an end to something unhelpful, evil, or oppressive. An example of this is the siege and fall of Jerusalem in 586BC. This sounds negative, but for the oppressed poor – who had been crying out to God – it would have been positive, and in the long term it shifted Israel back into their destiny.

It could be an obviously positive event such as the birth of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. Nobody was expecting God himself to arrive in human form and be born as a baby, even though it had been prophesied. In Luke 4, Jesus applied Isaiah’s prophecy to himself:

• Isaiah 61:1-2, NIV The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.

Another example of the day of the Lord is the fall of the temple in Jerusalem in AD70 which was horrific for those involved. However, Jesus prophesied that it would happen, and none of the Christians – who believed what Jesus said and left the city – died during that siege; for them it was long-awaited vindication and freedom.

Christmas day symbolising the day of the Lord

In a dream, Christmas day can represent the day of the Lord in our life or in the situations we are involved in. As we can see from the above examples, the day of the Lord is:

• A time of personal intervention by God.
• Something dramatic which shifts things significantly.
• Something long-awaited or a long time coming.
• Either expected/hoped for, or unexpected.
• Something positive or negative, depending on your perspective.
• For the best in the long term, even if difficult at the time.

So, in a dream, Christmas day could represent a time in our life when God or Jesus is going to intervene in some way. This intervention could be something like:

• A miracle or move of God.
• Unexpected heavenly revelation.
• God shifting our thinking in a big way.
• God intervening in events or circumstances.
• God coming through for us in an area of promise.

This heavenly intervention could happen in a single day or a given period. In the bible, a day can be used symbolically to represent a year, so dreaming of Christmas day might represent a whole year where God is working in our life: The things that happen during that ‘day’ in the dream could reflect the different parts of the year it symbolises.

In practical terms, dreaming of advent or preparing for Christmas can symbolise a period of waiting and looking forward to when God comes through for us; maybe we hope to receive a promise, breakthrough, or shift in circumstances.

Christmas day could also point to a time, when God unexpectedly intervenes to change the direction of our life. Dreaming of being unprepared for Christmas could point towards this meaning, and us not yet realising what is coming.

The great thing about dreams, is that God can use dreams about Christmas and Christmas day to help prepare us for what he is going to do and how we can respond or get ready.

Real dream examples: Christmas as the day of the Lord

Dream	Meaning	Notes
I dreamed I was preparing for Christmas by clearing up some mess. I had left the drinks cabinet door open, making a platform ready for everything.	The Holy Spirit was preparing me for a big revelation that was coming, and advising me to keep open to what he would show me.	The mess was old ideas. The drinks (i.e. spirits) cabinet pointed to me being open to the Holy Spirit.
I dreamed it was Christmas day but I had done nothing to prepare. I was looking for something Christmassy to wear and chose a green cardigan.	God was encouraging me that he was going to do a work in me that would bring life, but at the time of dreaming I had no idea about it.	Clothes can be about our character, gifts or calling. Green is the colour of abundant life in Christ.

Other Christmas related dream symbols

Here are a few more potential dream elements relating to Christmas. These meanings are not set in stone, but rather suggested ideas to help get you thinking metaphorically. They might mean something different in your dream:

Advent: Advent, or counting down to Christmas in some way, conveys the idea of faith, hope, expectancy, and waiting for God to come through in a situation or to fulfil a promise.

Candle: A Christmas candle is strongly linked to the light of Christ in a situation, or even the light of Christ shining through our life.

Christmas carol: A song in a dream can represent an attitude, life message, or value. So, a Christmas carol or Christmas worship song could be a life message that God has placed in our heart, to be shared. Someone called Carol can carry the same meaning in a dream.

Christmas dinner: Christmas dinner is a feast. If the focus is on the food, it suggests something prepared for us to receive from God, and typically this would be revelation or a shift in understanding. If the focus is on family or eating with others, it could be about fellowship or our church family. If we are hosting or serving Christmas dinner, we might be sharing with others what Jesus has revealed or done for us.

Christmas presents or gifts: Gifts in dreams can represent spiritual gifts, or anything we receive through God’s grace; so a positive Christmas link could confirm this gift is from God.

Christmas tree: In a positive context, a Christmas tree could symbolise Jesus at the centre (the tree is often prominent or central to decoration schemes); it could be a Christ-centred person or leader, or a Christ-centred idea or system (see trees). In a negative context, it could represent a religious system, person, or idea; or it could be a religious idol if it is central.

A real Christmas tree (as opposed to an artificial one) could be something in our life that was once of God (i.e. the tree was originally connected to the source), but is no longer connected to the Holy Spirit (i.e. the tree was cut down). So, this might be a human or religious tradition/belief/activity left over from a previous move of God.

An artificial tree is more likely to be something false, or that appears to be of God but is not.

Santa or Father Christmas: In a positive context, Father Christmas might represent God the Father – for example bringing gifts, or a spiritual father figure. In a negative context, he could represent the religious spirit operating in a leader, belief system, or situation.

Real dream examples: Christmas related symbols

Dream	Meaning	Notes
I dreamed I was going out for Christmas dinner. I took Christmas pudding and brandy butter, but not chocolate mousse. We were shifting things around in the kitchen.	God was preparing me for a big revelation and shift in thinking, resulting from time spent waiting on the Holy Spirit. This did happen later that year.	Christmas pudding has lots of fruit, suggesting results. I love brandy butter, and alcohol points to the Holy Spirit. Chocolate is brown, suggesting not from God.
I dreamed I went to put on some Christmas worship music on my phone, but my friend wanted old vinyl music on instead.	At the time of dreaming I was not yet ready to receive what God was speaking to my heart.	The phone was my personal connection to God, and Christmas worship was what he was saying (Jesus at the centre). Old vinyl music was my old ideas.

Conclusion

We have seen that in a positive context, Christmas related symbols in a dream can indicate the presence of God or Jesus in the area of life that they represent.

Conversely, in a negative context, Christmas can symbolise the presence of a religious spirit, which is something that appears to be God but isn’t. It could also be an old move of God which has now become a human tradition.

Christmas and Christmas day can also represent the day of the Lord, which is when God personally intervenes in a situation – for example to shift things, bring judgment, or fulfil a long-awaited promise.

Some closing thoughts:

• Christmas in a dream could represent any number of things. The above ideas should give you a good starting point. 
• I believe that only God can tell us what Christmas related symbols mean in a specific dream, so you could try asking Him!
• Consider the atmosphere and context of the dream to see whether the Christmas element is being used in a positive or negative sense.
• In addition to the meanings that I have shared, remember that these things could mean something personal or culturally significant to you, that isn’t mentioned here.

And finally… have fun interpreting those Christmas themed dreams! If this article has helped you interpret a dream, please do like or share this post!