JohnstonMommies: The Christmas tree: A history

Monday, December 19, 2011

The Christmas tree: A history

10:00 AM | Posted by Heather |

There is some dispute about the origins of the beloved “Christmas Tree”. The tree as we know it today comes from a 1,000 year old German tradition. It is said that St. Boniface came across pagans worshiping an oak tree; angry, he cut down the tree. From the roots of this tree a fir tree sprouted. The Saint took this as a sign, but it was not until the 16^th century that the trees were brought indoors.

The evergreen has been a part of celebrations around the world for a very long time. Egyptians worshiped evergreens. During the winter solstice they brought green date palm leaves into their homes as a symbol over death. Romans celebrated the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture. They used evergreen boughs to decorate homes and temples. The Druids of Northern Europe also decorated their temples with evergreen as a symbol of everlasting life. Even the Vikings in Scandinavia thought evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Baldur.

The first “Christmas Tree” traveled to England with the Georgian Kings. They were decorated with tinsels, silver wire ornaments, candles and small beads. The old custom was to have one small tree for each family member. In the United States the “Christmas Tree” goes back to the time of George Washington's defeat of the German Hessians in 1776.

From its humble beginnings, the “Christmas Tree” has come a long way. You can now find them in any shape, size, and color. You can get an easy to care for fake tree, or a real fresh evergreen. You can even buy one that you can plant after the holiday has come to an end. It does not matter if your tree has colored lights, or classic white, what matters is what that tree symbolizes for you and your family.

Happy Holidays

Heather Garcia, Promotions manager

www.johnstonmommies.com

miio.com

twitter.com

@Muirenn

@johnstonmommies

For more information check out the following sites:

http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html

http://www.allabouthistory.org/history-of-the-christmas-tree.htm

http://www.christmastreehistory.net/

http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-christmas-trees