The Origin of the Christmas Tree
By James Donahue
The production of Christmas trees is big business. According to Wikipedia up to 36 million Christmas trees are produced in America and an estimated 60 million more are produced in Europe. During the holiday period surrounding the Christmas celebration nearly every home, business place and government office will display a brightly lighted tree. Many are evergreen trees, but we also use artificial trees that come with various colors but look like real trees.
Why do we do this? The origin of the Christmas tree is said to date back to German evangelist Saint Boniface and an event that occurred in Geismar in 723 AD.
As the story is told, Saint Boniface came upon a group of people dancing around a decorated oak tree in a pagan ritual that included the sacrifice of a baby. He interrupted the ceremony, took an axe, called upon the name of Jesus and then in one swipe, toppled the oak tree. The people were astonished at what he had done. Then Boniface pointed to a baby fir tree and said: “Let this tree be the symbol of the true God, its leaves are evergreen and will not die.”
Boniface also argued that the triangular shape of the fir tree (and other evergreens) was a natural representative of the Holy Trinity.
Historians note that the use of evergreen trees and limbs for wreaths, garlands and decorated trees to symbolize eternal life was a custom shared by pagans in many ancient parts of the world before Christ. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans before their conversion to Christianity.
In Scandinavia there was a custom of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil.
Decorating the evergreen as a Christmas Tree was recorded among the German Lutherans in the 16th Century. The custom was brought to America by the German Lutherans. The Moravians dared to place lighted candles on the bows and eventually the “Star of Bethlehem” was placed at the top of the decorated tree. Some people have chosen to put angelic figures at the top of the tree, thus symbolizing their participation in the Nativity.
If a growing part of Creation was chosen to represent man’s relationship with God, it seems right that it was the tree.
By James Donahue
The production of Christmas trees is big business. According to Wikipedia up to 36 million Christmas trees are produced in America and an estimated 60 million more are produced in Europe. During the holiday period surrounding the Christmas celebration nearly every home, business place and government office will display a brightly lighted tree. Many are evergreen trees, but we also use artificial trees that come with various colors but look like real trees.
Why do we do this? The origin of the Christmas tree is said to date back to German evangelist Saint Boniface and an event that occurred in Geismar in 723 AD.
As the story is told, Saint Boniface came upon a group of people dancing around a decorated oak tree in a pagan ritual that included the sacrifice of a baby. He interrupted the ceremony, took an axe, called upon the name of Jesus and then in one swipe, toppled the oak tree. The people were astonished at what he had done. Then Boniface pointed to a baby fir tree and said: “Let this tree be the symbol of the true God, its leaves are evergreen and will not die.”
Boniface also argued that the triangular shape of the fir tree (and other evergreens) was a natural representative of the Holy Trinity.
Historians note that the use of evergreen trees and limbs for wreaths, garlands and decorated trees to symbolize eternal life was a custom shared by pagans in many ancient parts of the world before Christ. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans before their conversion to Christianity.
In Scandinavia there was a custom of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil.
Decorating the evergreen as a Christmas Tree was recorded among the German Lutherans in the 16th Century. The custom was brought to America by the German Lutherans. The Moravians dared to place lighted candles on the bows and eventually the “Star of Bethlehem” was placed at the top of the decorated tree. Some people have chosen to put angelic figures at the top of the tree, thus symbolizing their participation in the Nativity.
If a growing part of Creation was chosen to represent man’s relationship with God, it seems right that it was the tree.