Re: Candles in every window

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Article #70

#70

From: jeffrey.c.halle
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 14:47

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From article <111543@siemens.siemens.com>, by benson@siemens.com. (Dan Benson):
> Does anyone know the history or significance behind the tradition of
> placing a candle (or electric look-alike) in every window of a house
> around this time of year?
> 
> My wife and I recently moved to NJ (from Seattle) and it's the first
> time we've seen this phenomenon and wondered what it means. Is it
> religous? Amish? Is it practiced all over NJ? In other states?
> Who started it?

It's Moravian in origin.  Probably the Amish and other Germanic cultures
did it, too.

BTW, the first decorated (with candles, naturally) Christmas tree in America
was done by the Moravians in Bethlehem, PA around 200 years ago.

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Message-ID: <1992Dec17.144700.19041@cbnewsh.cb.att.com>

Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!sgiblab!sgigate!rutgers!att-out!cbnewsh!jch

References: <111543@siemens.siemens.com>

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!sgiblab!sgigate!rutgers!att-out!cbnewsh!jch
From: jch@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (jeffrey.c.halle)
Newsgroups: nj.misc
Subject: Re: Candles in every window
Message-ID: <1992Dec17.144700.19041@cbnewsh.cb.att.com>
Date: 17 Dec 92 14:47:00 GMT
References: <111543@siemens.siemens.com>
Distribution: nj.misc, nj.general
Organization: AT&T
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