Tis the season of Christmas trees and greenery. Most of us probably don't think about what the origins of the Christmas trees, boughs, and wreaths that we decorate our homes are. These evergreens have an interesting background. Long before Christmas and the advent of Christianity, plants that remained green all year were believed to keep away witches, ghosts, illness, and evil spirits. Evergreens were also displayed during the winter solstice to remind everyone that green plants would grow again and the sun god would become strong once again. Early Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs during the solstice to mark the coming of farm production, the Vikings thought that evergreens where the special plant of the sun god. Across all cultures evergreens represented light and new beginning. Germany is credited with the Christmas tree tradition as we know it. Christians brought decorated trees into their homes to celebrate Christmas. It is said that 16th century Protestant reformer Martin Luther was walking home one evening and saw the stars twinkling amidst the evergreens and wanted to recreate that beauty for his family so he adorned the branches of his tree with lighted candles, hence the beginning of lighting the tree. German settlers brought the Christmas tree tradition to the US with little acceptance from the Puritans, seeing it as a Pagan symbol. In the 1600's most Christmas traditions we know today such as the Christmas tree, decorated front doors, candles, and Christmas carols were considered offensive. It even went as far as people were fined for having any Christmas decorations. However, the influx of German and Irish immigrants soon overpowered the Puritan ways and by the 1890's Christmas decorations were arriving from Europe and Christmas tree popularity was soaring. The most famous tree in the US, the Rockefeller Center tree was set up by construction workers during the depression to bring cheer to passerby's. Today the Rockefeller tree is a staple of the Holiday season.
www.history.com
Today Christmas trees adorn houses all over the country. Here are a few facts about Christmas trees today.
- There are 350 million real christmas trees currently growing in Christmas tree farms in the US alone, all planted by farmers.
- There are more then 4000 Christmas tree recycling programs in the US.
- The average growing time for a 6-7 foot Christmas tree is 7 years.
- The top tree producing state is Oregon.
- There are 25-35 million Christmas trees sold in the US every year.
realchristmastrees.org
No matter the history of the tree today we make them our own. Whether it is a traditional Frasier Fir with classic ornaments or a bright blue tree full of flair they represent our style, our family traditions, and the Christmas spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment