The origin of Christmas tree

WE ARE counting the days to Christmas and every home by this time has a Christmas tree whether just a foot high or reaching the ceiling. Where, how and why did the tradition of the Christmas tree originate?

The Christmas tree was viewed as a pagan German ritual until the elegant Queen Victoria made it a popular tradition. In the 16th century, Western Germany would decorate trees with apples to commemorate the feast of Adam and Eve and they called this paradise trees.

Over time, they added other edible decorations like nuts. As Germans migrated to other parts of the world, their Christmas trees were viewed as a foreign custom until the Christmas of 1848 when Prince Albert, the German consort, was encouraged by his wife Queen Victoria to decorate a tree just like what he remembered in his childhood. Victoria was a very popular royale.

The London News sketched the queen and her prince standing with their children around a Christmas tree. It was an instant hit. What was trending in the palace became fashionable especially among the elite society. This is the story of how the Christmas tree became the centerpiece of the material Christmas holiday.

While Prince Albert and Queen Victoria are credited with having introduced the Christmas tree into England, tradition says that the honor should go to the ‘good Queen Charlotte’, the German wife of George III, who set up the first known English tree at Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, in December, 1800.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834, the famous poet) visited Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a duchy in Northern Germany in December, 1798, and was much struck by the yew-branch ceremony that he witnessed there.

When the young Charlotte left Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1761 and came over to England to marry King George, she brought with her the many customs she practiced as a child, including the setting up of a yew branch in the house at Christmas. But at the English Court the Queen transformed the essentially private yew-branch ritual of her homeland into a more public celebration that could be enjoyed by her family, their friends and all the members of the Royal Household. Yew is an evergreen tree or bush with stiff needles and small red berries.

Queen Charlotte placed her yew bough in one of the largest rooms of Windsor Castle. Assisted by her ladies-in-waiting, she herself dressed the bough. And when all the wax tapers (candles) had been lit, the whole Court gathered round and sang carols. The festivity ended with a distribution of gifts from the branch, which included such items as clothes, jewels, plate, toys and sweets.

The Christmas tree started in Germany, popularized in England but came late to America. To the New England pilgrims, Christmas was sacred. The influential Oliver Cromwell called Christmas carols, decorated trees and joyful expression “heathen traditions.” However, the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan tradition. So in 20th century America, trees were decorated with homemade ornaments.Then popcorn was dyed into bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts. Electricity led to the invention of the Christmas lights and the Christmas tree became an American tradition.

In the Philippines, fresh pine trees are scarce so we opt for the handmade ones. However, adding to the trees, we have the star lanterns (parol), which appear and are sold everywhere. Made from bamboo sticks and covered with brightly colored paper, usually cellophane or rice paper with tassels at their points, parols give a spiritual significance. The parol is representative of the Star of Bethlehem.

My tree is up. In fact we have two trees this year. We have our traditional family tree at the center of our home, and we have a new one which is meaningfully significant. All hanging in the tree are toys which Iñigo loved playing with since he was born. You will see his favorite rattles, mobiles, stuff toys, he played with in his crib, graduating to toddler toys when he struggled learning to walk and now to the flavor of hour, Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, Iron Man, Hulk, and more of the Avengers.

Added into the tree are some toys that his Papa and Mama also enjoyed playing when they were little children. The nursery rhyme he loved first was “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” so the stuffed toy he hugged as he listened to it is on top of the tree. We look at these ornaments and it is like a story book of the three years of his life. Each ornament is a snippet of much joy and love. !

It really doesn’t matter how humble or well adorned your Christmas tree is. What is important is that we treasure these traditions because they remind us the reason for the season. It is Christ.

And as we gather around the Christmas tree with the star shining brightly on the top, let us remember that Christ agreed to come to the world because of His love for us. Let us make the Christmas tree the symbol of that love!*

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