Christmas tree
Christmas
Origin of the Christmas tree
Christmas trees come from Germany and Northern Europe.
Fir meant fire, and fire is an ancient symbol for spirit. The evergreen tree was thought to be the ever burning fire of life.
The lights on a Christmas tree represent the stars in the night sky.
At first only a branch of a fir or evergreen tree was used to decorate peoples homes.
The pyramid shape of the tree was suppose to mean that it was pointing up to the heavens.
The green color symbolized the force of life throughout the year.
Decorative bright ball ornaments represented the planets.
The star on the top of a Christmas tree is suppose to remind us of Bethlehem.
Many early Christmas Trees seem to have been hung upside down from the ceiling using chains (hung from chandeliers/lighting hooks)
These trees were thought of as paradise trees. Germans used these trees in plays and musicals that they performed in front of the people of the church on Christmas eve.
The trees reminded people of the garden of Adam and Eve.
- Christmas trees were thought of as foreign until the British Queen and her German husband decorated a grand tree for Christmas.