Friday, December 16, 2011

Friday Fact- Christmas Trees

This is my humble Christmas tree this year. When we  are going to have company, we go out into the woods and bring home a 15-20 foot tree(we have a 28 foot peak in our great room).  Since no one(kids/grandkids) are coming for Christmas we bought a six foot tree this year. But I think it turned out lovely.

Here are some Christmas tree facts I found for you.

Wood priest in Great Britain known as Druids used evergreens for winter solstice rituals. Holly and mistletoe were synmbols of eternal life and they placed evergreen branches over door to keep away the evil spirits.

During the Middle Ages Germans and Scandinavians put evergreen trees inside and by their doors on the outside to show hope for the upcoming spring.

A legend from the year 1500 tells of Martin Luther starting the tradition of decorating trees for Christmas. On a Christmas Eve he walked through a wooded area and was awed by the beauty of the branches dusted with snow and how they glistened in the moonlight. that night he placed a small fir tree inside his home and decorated it with candles to honor Christ's birth and shared the story of his walk through the wooded area to his children.

Do you have your tree up? What is your favorite thing about your Christmas tree or tradition?

2 comments:

Christine Young said...

Yes, we have our tree up. We put it up last Sunday when most of my family were here. The two little granddaughters went to cut the Christmas tree. It was there first trip. Can't say which is favorite Tree or Tradition. I love everything about Christmas.

We do have one tradition though that has been passed down on my husband's side of the family. It's the pickle present. It is German in origin. The ornament is a small pickle and the person who finds it on the tree first gets the pickle present. Usually chocolate.

Paty Jager said...

Hi Chris! Merry Christmas!! Christmas is so much more fun with children around. I've heard of the pickle present before. What fun!

Our tradition is watching a Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve.