I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement"TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled; what did he mean? Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR  TREE ."Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round,describing the everlasting hope of mankind,all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven." He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a savior  for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of his promise." He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of he who displaces  the darkness." Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return." Santa looked back and was pleased. I saw that the _ was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but an humble servant of the one that is, and I bow down to worship HIM, our LORD, our GOD." According to Santa, the star was   _  .
a symbol of man's thoughts turning towards heaven the sigh of fulfillment of the Santa's promise the symbol of the light of the world the sound of the bell which ring mankind to the fold