Christmas Trees

Ancient Origins of the Christmas Tree

The 'Origins of Christmas' described how the concept of Christmas developed over the centuries. Even before the Christian era, trees were used for ceremonies. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death.

The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a festival called 'Saturnalia' in honour of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. As part of this celebration, they decorated their houses with greens and lights, exchanged gifts and part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen.

In ancient Britain, woodland priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals as symbols of eternal life, and placed evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits. To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts and evil spirits. In the latter part of the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes, or just outside their doors, to show their hope in the forthcoming spring.

Modern Origins of the Christmas Tree

In more modern history it is understood that the tradition of putting up and decorating a Christmas tree in the family home originates from Germany. How did this come about? Queen Victoria often visited relatives in Germany and while there she fell in love with a young Prince Albert. Prince Albert used to give a tree to his family as a gift for Christmas each year which was decorated in the finest of hand blown glass ornaments. When Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married they returned to England to raise their family and the tree that Price Albert provided to his family came to be admired by the people of England and the began to copy the Christmas custom.

The tradition progressed and in the late 19th Century, Germans were making the finest molds for Christmas tree ornaments with nearly 5,000 varieties and at the turn of the century there were over one hundred small cottage glass blowing workshops in Europe.

Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The Christmas tree, along with charity Christmas cards, is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. The fact that balsam fir twigs, more than any other evergreen twigs, resemble crosses may have had much to do with the early popularity of balsam fir used as Christmas trees.

Today the Christmas tree whether big or small, real or plastic, brings happiness to many families and marks the beginning of the festive season.