The Modern Christmas Story Project

The Christmas Pilgrimage 0001.jpg

The Modern Meaning for this image is very similar to the meaning linking back to the original Christmas story. This photograph depicts the modern Christmas’s pilgrimage made by people every year to get presents for the people they love. It is a time of busyness and preparation no-one has any time as the pressure and the stress is slowly increasing as each day is getting closer to the big day.

This photograph links back to the bible [Luke 2;1-7] Where Mary and Joseph begin there journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus decreed that everyone should be registered.

Away and a Manger 0002.jpg

This image in its modern context shows the emptiness of the modern Christmas. Religion only plays a small part now in Christmas and it has been replaced with commercialism and consumerism which has not fulfilled people. The Christmas tree in this image represents Christ and the lights represents the commercialism.

This photograph links back to the Nativity within the bible in particular [Luke 2;1-7]. Where baby Jesus was born and laid in a manger.

Hope? 0003.jpg

This third image in this modern setting asks the question does a fake Christmas really symbolise hope when compared to a real Christmas which actually symbolises hope. Does this mean that a fake Christmas tree represents false hope?

This photograph to me links back to [Luke 2;8-14] Which in my interpretation is about hope in particular when the angel said “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord….”

Following the Star 0004.jpg

The carousel in this fourth photograph to me represents the star in its modern form leading you to the young child. In this modern context the star is followed to find the perfect gift but to think of this give makes your head spin and the lights represents the commercialism.

This photograph links to the original Christmas story within the bible especial [Matthew 2;1-10] where the star leads the Wise-men from the east to the young child.

The Christmas Gift 0005.jpg

This fifth picture illustrates the modern Christmas gift. The modern gift is stress, you start off calm but the stress slowly builds and gets bigger and bigger.

To me this photograph links to [Matthew 2;11-12] which tells of the wise-men from the east giving the young child the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The End of Christmas’s 0006.jpg

This sixth and final photograph visualises what commercialism is doing to Christmas taking the parts of Christmas it can use to make a profit and leaving other and making changes. So slowly over time Christmas is slowly losing its true meaning a becoming something else.

This final image depicts from [Matthew 2;13-18] the turmoil in Jesus’s early life where Mary and Joseph have to flee with the young child from king Herod who put to death all the young male children in Bethlehem.