There are few places in the world with a concentrated density of religious symbolism such as can be found in the Holy Land of Israel. Located within the geographical region of the Middle East, this relatively small country has deep historical ties to the origins and foundations of some of today's most-practiced religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Catholicism. These cornerstone connections to their faith still bring millions of visitors every year to experience one of the most spiritually rich holy places on Earth.

The three most popular holy cities to visit are generally Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. These cities are also usually the most desirable origin for unique Holy Land gifts and other meaningful souvenirs. Neither the Old nor New Testaments of the Bible make any secret of the significance of these places, sometimes referring to them as special places. A defining physical feature of these regions, Jerusalem and Bethlehem in particular, is their bountiful olive trees. These beautiful, sturdy trees have become a staple in religious gift items, allowing visitors to take a piece of one of the holiest places in the world home with them.

At Logos Trading Post, we know that not everyone is in a position to make the journey across the world to Israel. That's why we strive to offer these products to everyone at reasonable prices. All of our olive wood products are sourced in the Holy Land of Israel in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, retaining all of the significance of bringing home a piece of religious and spiritual history as if you went there yourself. We use Holy Land olive wood to make a huge variety of Christian and Catholic religious gifts: ornaments, nativity scenes and mangers, pendant necklaces, rosaries, wall crosses and tabletop standing crosses, magnets, keychains, statues, and more. Fill your home with the significance of the Holy Land!

The olive tree is the plant most representational of the Holy Land, even in its physical characteristics -- It is strong, unwavering, long-lasting, and produces fruit used for many religious ceremonial purposes. Both olive oil and olive wood were used for anointing purposes and for ceremonies of worship.

The olive tree is native to the Holy Land, and some olive trees that are still alive today date back as far as Jesus' birth 2000 years ago, such as the trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. As the importance of these ancient trees cannot be overstated, it is illegal to cut them down or destroy them. Rather, all olive wood products are made from a selective trimming of branches that is essential to the trees' health and growth -- a process known as "pruning." Thus, no tree is ever cut down to make our olive wood products; all of the olive wood is responsibly and sustainably sourced.

Olive wood is very hard and is prized for its durability, color, and interesting grain patterns. Because of the commercial importance of the fruit, slow growth, and relatively small size of the tree, olive wood and its products tend to be fairly expensive. Common uses of the wood include: kitchen utensils, carved wooden bowls, cutting boards, fine furniture, and decorative religious items. The yellow or light greenish-brown wood is often finely veined with a darker tint; being very hard and close-grained, it is highly valued by woodworkers.

Just think -- the wood used in these Holy Land olive wood items could possibly be pruned from trees that may have been around since Jesus taught the first Christ followers in the Holy Land! Many of these trees have weathered the passing of ages and have lived many human lifetimes; the wisdom of Jesus himself may have even been shared near some of them. The fact that that Jesus grew up the son of a carpenter means that he almost certainly worked with olive wood himself, just as local carpenters and artisans are now making these very special religious gifts which help further his kingdom over 2000 years later.

Logos Trading Post is a United States-based company who is led by strong Christian values. We offer one of the widest selections of olive wood available: from Christmas tree ornaments and nativity sets to olive wood pendant necklaces to wooden rosaries and icons, and even olive wood mezuzahs. Let Logos Trading Post be your one-stop-shop for all things olive wood. You don't need to make an expensive pilgrimage across the world to give your friends, family, and loved ones some of the most meaningful religious gifts available.