Just what are Christmas
trees? They are decorated trees, usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce,
pine or fir, traditionally associated with the celebration of Christmas. An
artificial Christmas tree is a piece made to resemble such a tree, usually made
from PVC plastic.
In the past
trees were traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, oranges, nuts
or dates. In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles, which
with electrification could also be replaced by Christmas lights. Today, there
are a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garland, tinsel, and candy
canes. An angel or star may be placed at the top of the tree, to represent the
host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.
The custom of
the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany with predecessors that can
be traced to the 16th and possibly the 15th century. It acquired popularity
beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century. The Christmas tree
has also been known as the "Yule-tree", especially in discussions of
its folkloristic origins.
While it is
clear that the modern Christmas tree originates in Renaissance and early modern
Germany, there are a number of speculative theories as to its ultimate origin.
Its 16th-century origins are sometimes associated with Martin Luther.
It is
frequently traced to the symbolism of evergreen trees in pre-Christian winter
rites, especially with the story of the Donar Oak and Saint Boniface.
According to
the Encyclopedia Britannica, "The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and
garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians,
Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and
survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of
decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the
devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime."
As we look
forward to holiday celebrations in December may I ask if better job security
and a bigger paycheck would have made this year feel a bit better?
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