A Moravian Christmas: Traditions that Illuminate the Season

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Joy, Love, and Light are the three words that come to mind when thinking about a Moravian Christmas. It is a jubilant season celebrated to honor the coming of light to the world, the birth of Jesus. Learn about some of their traditions and how you can participate in Winston-Salem.

Children are central to the Christmas celebration and actively participate. Moravians consider children a blessing and value nurturing and educating them. They strive to make the Christmas holiday a time of instruction and enjoyment for their children. The value of children was explained in the Southern Church publication in the 1870s: “The manner in which the Son of God entered our human nature has sanctified the estate of childhood. He came as a babe laid in the manger in order that the little children might be loved and prized as they never had been before. If, therefore, in homes and Sunday schools we make children happy, we are doing what Jesus did in his birth at Bethlehem.”

Advent

Advent is the beginning of the Christmas Season for the Moravian people and other Christian religions. Advent originates from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming.” Beginning four Sundays before Christmas in 2025, on November 30, Moravians prepare for the birth of Christ. As it is for many of us, this means decorating the home and gathering gifts for loved ones. One decoration found in Moravian and many Christian homes is the Advent Wreath.

Advent Wreath

The Advent wreath can be made in various ways, but traditionally it is formed with a circle of evergreen branches, which symbolize eternal life, arranged so they touch each other, signifying life without end, with four candles surrounding a center candle. In the Moravian home, the four exterior candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, with the center candle representing Christ. One of the four candles is ceremoniously lit each Sunday before Christmas, and the center candle is lit on Christmas Eve.

Moravian Christmas Traditions

Two of the most prominent Moravian traditions are the Putz and the Moravian Star.

The Putz

The putz is an extensive Christmas display, centered around the Nativity scene, that tells the Christmas story. Putz is a German word meaning “to decorate,” and the Moravian tradition of setting up the putz dates back to 18th-century Europe. When the Moravians came to America, they brought some of the figures from their homeland and the tradition with them. Many homes today display a Nativity scene at Christmas. That is the centerpiece in a Moravian putz, but it may also include other events leading to Christ’s birth, such as the Annunciation, when the angels visited Mary. Or it may have a town built around the nativity scene, with the wise men traveling to find the Christ child. A putz can be small enough to display on a shelf or large enough to fill a room. A putz would be set up in the local Moravian Church, but individual homes would also have displays. Early Moravians in America would prepare their putz, then visit other families to see their putz; this was called putzing. You can view Old Salem’s putz in the Single Brothers House if you attend the Moravian Candle Tea, and you will likely find a putz in Winston-Salem at the Home Moravian Church, 529 S Church Street, Ardmore Moravian Church, 2013 W Academy Street, and other Moravian churches in the area.

The Moravian Star

The Moravian Star you see hung throughout Winston-Salem at Christmas time is said to have begun as a geometry project at the boys’ school in Germany, but was adopted by the Moravian Church as the Star of Bethlehem and a symbol of the birth of Christ. The Moravian Stars that you likely know have 26 points, but they can range from 6 to 110. They were made in a variety of colors: yellow, red, blue, green, and multi-colored. The red and white stars represent the life of Christ, white for the swaddling cloth wrapped around baby Jesus in the manger and red for the blood shed by Christ in his death. White is the most commonly seen color in our city, and it is traditionally hung on the first Sunday of Advent and remains through the Epiphany (January 6). One of the largest illuminated Moravian Stars in the world is located in Winston-Salem, during the Christmas Season, atop the tower of Atrium Health Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. It is 31 feet in diameter and has 27 points ranging in size from 7 feet to 11 feet. It is a beautiful sight to see and stands for community. Visit here for more information about the Moravian star.

More Moravian Traditions

The Moravians’ love of Christmas can be seen on the streets of Old Salem, adorned with bows, garlands of evergreens, and other natural decorations during the holiday season. Two traditions that delight children and adults alike are the Candle Tea and the Christmas Eve Love Feast.

The Moravian Candle Tea

A relatively new and beloved Moravian tradition, Candle Tea, began in Old Salem in 1929. A Moravian brass band will play, and costumed volunteers will welcome guests with an introduction to the history of the Moravians in Salem. An 18th-century Tannenburg organ will accompany you as you sing carols in the Saal, and there is a candle-making demonstration where the aroma of sweet beeswax mixes with the delicious scent of sugar cake. You can enjoy a piece of that sugar cake and some coffee before going to view the incredible Salem Putz. This warm experience of Moravian Advent and Christmas traditions takes place at the historic Single Brothers House in Old Salem, 600 Main Street, from December 3 through December 13. Reservations are required and tickets sell out quickly, so see our article about the Moravian Candle Tea for times and pricing.

Christmas Eve Lovefeast

Lovefeasts can be held at different times of the year for many occasions. The first one held in North Carolina was on November 17, 1753, when the first Moravians arrived at the Bethabara settlement. The Christmas Eve Lovefeast is a tradition that started over 250 years ago and is the most elaborate. Families gather at the church on December 24, and during the service, they light the final Advent candle, listen to scripture, sing hymns, and the congregation is served a traditional sweetened Lovefeast Bun and creamed coffee. The serving is done quietly, so as not to disturb the singing, and adults and children alike are invited to share in the Lovefeast meal. Before the final hymns, a small beeswax candle with red ribbons wrapped around the bottom is distributed to all attendees. These candles are a visual symbol, especially for children, of Christ’s birth, as the Light of the World. The beeswax represents the purity of Christ, while the red ribbons symbolize the blood of Christ. The candle flame symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ, giving its life as it burns. The church is darkened with the flickering candles illuminating the room, as all sing “Morning Star.” It is a moving and heart-lifting experience, one that fills everyone present with love and hope.

You can take part in a Christmas Eve Lovefeast; people from all denominations are welcome to attend. The Moravian churches in Winston-Salem all hold Lovefeasts, some at multiple times. Here is a listing of area churches. Visit their websites or contact them for information. Wake Forest University also has a Lovefeast. This year, it is on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 7pm in Wait Chapel. Doors open at 6pm, and the prelude begins at 6:20pm. The event is first come, first seated. Viewers may also watch a livestream of the service. Here is a PDF copy of the 2024 Lovefeast program.

Pyramids, Christmas Trees, Music, And Candles

Christmas Pyramids

The Christmas pyramid originated in Germany, in the form of wooden, carousel-like structures featuring tiers with nativity or holiday scenes and a propeller-like top that spun from the heat of candles. These German pyramids are still used today as Christmas decorations. You can find them here on Amazon. The Moravians settled in Germany (Herrnhut) in the early 1700s, learned the local customs, and brought them to America when they immigrated. They later evolved the Christmas Pyramid into a simpler, often symbolic version, emphasizing light and faith rather than elaborate carvings or moving parts. Moravian pyramid structures were made of wood in various sizes – from table-top to tree height. Many covered with greenery, they were found in Moravian homes before the Christmas tree became popular. The shelves might contain decorated evergreen branches, candles, sweet treats, nuts, and fruit, and often the Nativity or a putz. Some historians say that the first Christmas trees in America were the Christmas pyramids displayed by Moravians in Bethlehem, PA, in 1747. A small Moravian Christmas Pyramid can be found at the Visitors Center in Historic Bethabara Park in Winston-Salem.

Christmas Trees

Christmas Trees later replaced the Christmas Pyramid. The first known Moravian Christmas trees appeared in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Salem, North Carolina, during the 1800s, and there is written documentation of the Christmas tree on December 21, 1805, at the Moravian Indian Mission in Springplace, Georgia. The Christmas trees were decorated similarly to the pyramids. Gifts for the children, such as bible verses, cookies, and apples, were hung or placed by the tree. In the 1820s, toys made by craftsmen could also be found under the tree.

Music

Moravians believe music is a gift from God, a form of worship, fellowship, and spiritual expression. During the Christmas season, music is a significant part of all celebrations. They play at Lovefeasts and the Candle Tea, and brass bands play throughout the community during the holidays. The Moravians brought their love of music to the settlements of Bethabara (1753), Bethania (1759), and Salem (1771). They played horns, flutes, trumpets, and violins in the 1750s, with trombones added in 1771. The Musical Society of the Congregational Community in Salem was founded around 1780 and, over the next 35 years, accumulated a massive library of sacred and secular music and instruments. If you visit Old Salem during the Christmas season, you are sure to hear the exciting sounds of the brass band. The Salem Band of Winston-Salem, established in 1771, carries on the traditions of early musical ensembles, with the mission to provide free entertainment to the community as the nation’s oldest, continuous mixed wind ensemble, while honoring its Moravian heritage. See their schedule of performances, including their Holiday Concerts, Rejoice The Season, here.

Candles

We have already discussed the significance and purpose of the beeswax candles with red ribbons, but Moravians also had a tradition of placing lit candles in windows at Christmastime, which many people still do today. For the Moravians, light has always symbolized Christ, “the Light of the World.” Placing a single candle in each window was an expression of welcome, warmth, and faith – signifying that the home was open to the Christ Child and to anyone who might pass by. The custom is believed to have begun in the 18th century, first in Bethlehem, PA (founded 1741), and later in Salem, NC (founded 1766).

Christmas Events At Old Salem

You can experience a Moravian Christmas by visiting Old Salem during the holidays and participating in some of its events. We have already mentioned the Candle Tea and Lovefeast. Here are some additional seasonal events in Old Salem:

Salem Saturdays At Christmas

From Thanksgiving through Christmas, Old Salem offers tours that show how the historic town of Salem created an environment of celebration and reflection. Start at the Visitor’s Center, cross the beautiful Heritage Bridge, visit the museum center, and go to The Blum House to see how historical woodworking was done. Then, travel to The Miksch House to learn how a family used and preserved produce in Old Salem. Explore the history of Moravian medicine at The Doctor’s House, one of Salem’s largest family homes, and continue for so much more, ending at Winkler’s Bakery, where you can purchase a sweet treat! Special events occur on these Saturdays, including hands-on children’s activities, music, markets, and Santa. See the website as the season approaches for details and tickets.

Joy Of Christmas Evening Tours

From the end of November to the end of December, enjoy a lantern-lit tour and festive storytelling as you explore the history of Old Salem’s Tavern Museum, Volger House, and Boys’ School. You will take part in an activity that may include ornament-making, illuminations, and springerle molds, and you will take the craft home to enjoy as a memory of the experience. The tours take place on Friday and Saturday evenings. See the website as the season approaches for details and tickets.

Christmas Fest

A Moravian Advent & Christmas Festival and Holiday Market on December 13, 10am-5pm, Christmas Fest features Christmas carols, holiday music, artist and craft person demos, food and drink vendors, items for sale, tours of the archives, story time, and much more. There will also be activities for children, including decorating cookies, making ornaments, making stars, and trimming candles. Santa will be there from 11am-12:30pm, 1:30pm-3pm, and 3:30pm-5pm. Bring your camera to take a picture with Santa. Admission is free. The event will be held at the Archie K Davis Center at Salem College. See the website for schedules, more information, and parking instructions.

Old Salem And The Moravian Way Of Life

We have touched on some Moravian history regarding Christmas traditions, but there are many interesting details about their way of life to be found in Old Salem. See our article about the history of Old Salem to learn more, and then take a tour of this amazing living history museum here in Winston-Salem.

What are some of your holiday traditions? Tell us about them in the comments.