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Christmas Tree Traditions
There are many myths and legends
about how the Christmas tree came to be the most significant
decoration to represent the Christmas holidays. But questions arise
as to whether the trees are an appropriate symbol for Christians to
have in their homes. Were the first Christmas trees rooted in
paganism? And what significance do those colorful decorations hold?
Good questions, so let’s see if we can find some of these Christmas
tree roots, (figuratively) and dispel the myths to discover the
truth about this tradition…
First, we know the Holy Land is desolate and contains few forests,
(other than in Lebanon where magnificent cedars grow in abundance.)
Palms, olive, and various fruit trees such as fig were the norm when
Jesus walked the Earth, and remain so to this day. So why then are
Douglas Fir, Scotch Pine, Balsam, Blue Spruce, and Eastern Hemlock
are the favored trees to represent Christmas, both in America and
other countries?
In Europe, evergreens were said to symbolize the rebirth in ancient
times. Egyptians brought palm branches into their homes at winter
solstice as a symbol of life’s triumph over death. Romans decorated
with evergreens during Saturnalia, a winter festival celebrating
agriculture. And northern Europeans hung prickly pine branches over
doorways to ward off demons during pagan solstice celebrations they
called Jul—beginning in early November and lasting two full months.
Also, the sacred trees of the Druids and Norsemen were deciduous
oaks, not evergreens. So you see there actually were some pagan
beliefs and traditions connected to decorating with bows and
greenery from trees of old.
From the 11th century, religious plays were called, ‘Mystery Plays’
and included the popular ‘Paradise Play’ depicting the story of
creation in the Garden of Eden. The logical choice for a lush green
tree (during winter months when the plays were held) was an
evergreen tree with apples tied on it’s branches to represent
sin—Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. Later small white wafers were
added to the evergreen to symbolize forgiveness of sin. In so doing,
the tree was not only representing the ‘Tree of Knowledge’ but also,
the ‘Tree of Life.’ This resulted in the very old European custom of
decorating a fir tree inside the home with apples and pastry wafers
symbolizing the Holy Eucharist at Christmastime. The pastries
progressed in time from simple round disks to shapes in the form of
angels, stars, hearts, flowers, and bells. In addition to the
Paradise Tree, many German Christians would set up a Christmas
pyramid called a Lichstock. This was an open framed triangle with
shelves for figurines of the nativity. It was covered in evergreen
bows and decorated with a star at its peak, candles, fruits,
candies, and pastries— each having a particular biblical meaning:
1) Star… the star of Bethlehem
2) Candles… light of Christ’s birth
3) Evergreens… eternal life
4) Sweets… goodness of Christ
5) Fruit… fruits of the spirit
By the 17th century, the Lichstock and Paradise Tree merged,
bringing the decorated Christmas tree into modern times.
The traditions behind today’s Christmas trees actually became
popularized in 1800 to 1846 when Queen Victoria and her (German)
Prince Albert, were illustrated in the London News with their
children circled ‘round a decorated Christmas tree. In America, the
White House soon followed suit with decorated Christmas trees during
the Franklin Pierce presidency. Despite some congregational protests
concerning Christmas trees representing pagan ritual, the tradition
was quickly adopted as a symbol of Christ’s advent—God sending His
only begotten Son to bring peace and eternal life to a fallen world.
Thus, Christmas trees seen in this way may still point to the One
true light of the World…
Legend of the Upside-down Christmas tree…
Legend has it about this truth of history, (at one time,
decorated trees were hung upside down from ceilings) that in the 7th
century, a monk from Devonshire, England traveled to Germany to
spread the gospel. Once there, he spent time in Thuringia—an area
that would eventually become the industry capital of Christmas tree
decorations. The legend goes on to tell us this monk used the
triangle shape of the fir tree as a replica of the trinity—Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Christians then began to revere the fir tree as
God’s Holy Tree like the people of this region had previously
thought of the mighty oak. By the 12th century it is noted, the
trees were being hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime in
most of central Europe to symbolize Christianity. Weird huh? But
hold on, there’s more…
Another legend is of St. Boniface, a missionary who took matters
into his own hands in order to stop sacrifices being brought to a
sacred oak in Geismear. He chopped this tree down in the year 725
AD. Low and behold, in time a fir tree grew from the oak’s
stump (most likely from a seed that blew in and lodged in one of the
crevices in the old stump.) St. Boniface told the people that this
beautiful young evergreen with branches reaching toward the heavens
was indeed a Holy Tree, tree of the Christ Child, a symbol of His
promise of eternal life. He then instructed his followers to go into
the winter forest and collect a fir tree for every home, and
decorate each with gifts—a symbol of love and kindness toward one
another. He was some powerful storyteller, huh?
By the 1600’s, many German towns and cities were celebrating the
winter holidays with decorated trees. Christmas markets soon became
popular during this season, providing special foods, gifts, and
decorations. Even visitors to the region readily found wax ornaments
and gingerbreads to buy as souvenirs and take back to their home
countries to be hung on their own Christmas trees. Such a tourist at
Strasbourg, Germany in 1601 recorded he saw a Christmas tree
decorated with wafers, sugar-twists, and flowers in various colors.
By the end of the 1600’s, many communities in Alsace began to limit
the cutting of evergreens for the winter holiday in order to protect
the forest from being completely depleted. (No wonder they started
Christmas tree farms in this country.)
Christmas trees continued to grow in popularity in the 1700’s and
1800’s, particularly among German Lutherans who eventually
immigrated to England and the United States. The tree finally found
its feet and was decorated standing on its stump rather than hanging
from the ceiling. It has pointed to the heavens every since.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine an upside-down tree
in my living room, gaily decorated with gifts piled on the floor
below it. Guess I’ll stick to this latest tradition and keep mine
right side up!
Written by Granny Tam
Merry Christmas Traditions
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My vote is to have Christmas traditions all year round. You see at
Christmas time most people at least the ones I have met, always change just a
little for the better around Christmas. I do not know whether or not it is the
great yuletide Christmas carols, the festive atmosphere every where you go, or just some
hidden part in all of us that screams out,