Christmas - symbols

Reading people's opinions about Christmas - it was originally a pagan festival hijacked by Christians, but could each symbol be seen in the light of Christ's incarnation?

Tree - and it can remind us that Jesus came to die on a 'tree' for our sins. 
Each branch could be a picture of the church, with Christ being the trunk (vine) and His people, the branches.
Red baubles could be symbolic of His blood, 
Gold for His kingship, 
Purple for royalty too, 
Silver for the price paid at Calvary. 
Green is a peaceful colour so could remind us that He is the Prince of Peace, 
Blue, the colour of the heavens, where He resides! 
Star on top, symbolises the star from the east or even the Bright and Morning Star*!

Ok maybe it might be spiritualising it somewhat, but it doesn't have to be pagan!  

*Jesus is called the Bright and Morning Star so maybe the star the wise men followed, was visible during the day and that's what made it unusual! 

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

2 ladders in 2 pits (posted on my FB status)

Yesterday, I was thinking about other religions vs true Christianity!

There are 2 pits - both the same size, both have the same ladders in them, both are murky and dark (if I could draw, I would do a picture), each ladder leads to the top of the pit, but the first picture had a fluffy cloud with god written on it, but the second has a hand reaching down into the pit!

The ladders, in both pits, have a rung or 2 at the bottom with things like, "gave money to charity", "pray x number of times a day" etc, but above those are broken rungs which have things like - bitterness, jealousy, adulterous thoughts, hatred, anger, malice etc. Even the rungs with the good we do would be weak!

Anyway, the point being, however hard we try, we cannot reach God - not even the gods of other religions - they require such heavy burdens - do this, do that, be good - yet we never know if our works have been enough, so at the bottom of the pit we remain, but with true Christianity, God reaches down and lifts us out of the pit, out of the horrible clay, one psalm says He lifts us out of the dunghill (KJV) and sets us with the princes:

Psalm 113:7,8 

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

Psalm 40 says He lifts us out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay and sets our feet upon the rock and puts a new song in our mouths:

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth—

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

And will trust in the Lord.

We do nothing to earn our salvation - Christ did it all at Calvary! With other religions, the way is burdensome, but with Christianity, Christ took our burdens upon Himself, He lived the life we could not and died the death we deserved! As well as putting a new song in our mouths,  Zephaniah 3:17 says:

The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing. 🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶