The Ninth Day of Truth - Christmas Tree
The single most common symbol of christmas. It seems like everyone in the world would recognize an evergreen tree with a star (or and angel) on top and lights, bulbs, and other shiny things adorning it as a christmas tree. But what in the world does a tree have to do with the celebration it is known for? As we've discussed, almost every pre-christian culture celebrated the solstice in one form or another. This celebration was one of joy for the waning of winter and celebration of the coming spring. Nothing represented this perseverance over the cold winter months more than an evergreen tree. The pagan cultures would not kill the whole tree and bring it inside, but just cut boughs to decorate. Most often fruit and candles would be used to decorate the boughs, one a symbol of the bounty to come, the other to symbolize the warmth and power the strengthening sun would bring. The earliest history of using a tree to celebrate christmas tells of it's use in northern Germany around the mid 16th century. By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not yet spread to rural areas. In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. The custom had spread to England by Queen Victoria's childhood. There are also traditional dates to put up and take down the tree. It is said that to put it up before the eve of christmas or to fail to take it down by the sixth of January (the 12th day of christmas) was bad luck. But of course the commercialization of the holiday has extended that tradition in some cases to before Thanksgiving.
The single most common symbol of christmas. It seems like everyone in the world would recognize an evergreen tree with a star (or and angel) on top and lights, bulbs, and other shiny things adorning it as a christmas tree. But what in the world does a tree have to do with the celebration it is known for? As we've discussed, almost every pre-christian culture celebrated the solstice in one form or another. This celebration was one of joy for the waning of winter and celebration of the coming spring. Nothing represented this perseverance over the cold winter months more than an evergreen tree. The pagan cultures would not kill the whole tree and bring it inside, but just cut boughs to decorate. Most often fruit and candles would be used to decorate the boughs, one a symbol of the bounty to come, the other to symbolize the warmth and power the strengthening sun would bring. The earliest history of using a tree to celebrate christmas tells of it's use in northern Germany around the mid 16th century. By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not yet spread to rural areas. In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. The custom had spread to England by Queen Victoria's childhood. There are also traditional dates to put up and take down the tree. It is said that to put it up before the eve of christmas or to fail to take it down by the sixth of January (the 12th day of christmas) was bad luck. But of course the commercialization of the holiday has extended that tradition in some cases to before Thanksgiving.
Each year more than 33 million trees are cut and sold for christmas. They are decorated quite before the tradition dictates and placed in a position of honor that nearly borders on worship. On the day of christmas, children run to it to receive their presents. This year, I suggest taking a good look at what you are really celebrating.
And now you know.
And now you know.
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