The Christmas tree is one of the most widespread traditions to celebrate and symbolize the birth of Christ, peace be upon him, and the green pine tree that is placed in a corner of the house is often used with decoration, just as Western countries and governments and Christian communities in most countries of the world place it in public squares and major streets as a symbol to celebrate the birthday.
Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on different dates, starting from December 23 of each year, knowing that there is no accurate evidence confirming the date of his birth.
Symbolism and ritual
In the fourteenth century, Christmas trees were decorated with apples, sweets and flowers, and it was the Protestants who decided in 1560 to add a star to the top of the tree in order to confirm their difference from the Catholics.
The Christmas tree is a symbol of Christmas that extends throughout the last week of December of each year, which corresponds to the winter season, and because the pine tree (spruce) is evergreen, it symbolizes - for Christians - vitality and renewed life.
The tree was traditionally decorated by placing some food on it, such as chocolate, apples, nuts, or other foods, but it is now decorated with a wide range of traditional decorations such as garlands, ornaments, and candies. A star or statue is placed at the top of the tree symbolizing “Gabriel” or the star of Bethlehem (home The birth of Jesus according to Christian beliefs).
The red crystals that decorate the Christmas tree are, according to Christian belief, a symbol of the blood of Jesus, and therefore they believe that the connection between the redness of these crystals and the greenness of the tree represents the safety of life in the present and the future.
According to the beliefs of those celebrating this tradition, on the night of the feast - or what is called the "holy night" - the legendary figure Pope Noel comes at night carrying many gifts for children, and places them for them under the Christmas tree that they had prepared with their families, and this "night visit" symbolizes For the meanings of making others happy and the joy and happiness that accompanied the coming of Christ to this world.
Children often write letters to "Santa Claus" and put them in the Christmas bag hanging on the tree before the holiday, and wake up on the morning of the holiday to open them. It is also a widespread custom for all family members to exchange gifts.
Historical development
The tradition of the "Christmas tree" on Christian holidays dates back to the development of pagan beliefs practiced in many civilizations associated with evergreen trees such as conifers, which were considered an embodiment of the idea of eternal life and immortality and were associated with scenes inspired by some religious texts and beliefs.
The ancient Egyptians, who worshiped "Ra" (their sun god), celebrated the winter solstice by placing green palm trees in their homes, as they considered them a symbol of the victory of life over death.
In the Roman Empire, December 25 marked the "day of the birth of the sun", and on this occasion the Romans used to exchange gifts and decorate their homes with pine tree branches.
In Northern Europe, the Celts - various tribal groups that lived in parts of western and central Europe in the late Bronze Age and through the Iron Age (700 BC to approximately 400 AD) - associated each lunar month with a tree, and the month of December was associated with the pine tree. .
In the Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries AD), church courtyards displayed Bible-inspired scenes depicting paradise, and among its trees was a tree decorated with red apples, in reference to the "tree of eternity."
controversial tradition
Lithuania and Estonia have disputed the historical precedence over the appearance of the first Christmas tree, as this tradition has existed in Lithuania since 1510 through the Merchants Association that roamed the streets of the capital, Riga, carrying the Christmas tree, and the merchants decorated it and then set it on fire at the end of the tour.
Estonia considered that a similar association had been carrying out this tradition in the streets of its capital, Tallinn, since 1441, with the same rituals that Lithuania tried to adopt and attribute to its traditions later.
In the year 1539, the first Christmas tree was placed in front of the Strasbourg Cathedral (Alsace Province), which was under German rule at that time in the history of France, and this first step led to an increasing demand for cutting down large numbers of pine trees to celebrate Christmas, which prompted the German authorities in 1554 To prevent this practice and punish loggers.
Part of the Americans fought this tradition as a pagan symbol, and William Bloodford, Governor of New England, wrote in his memoirs that he tried hard to "prevent that pagan custom," until the law banning it was adopted in 1659 as a "desecration of a sacred event."
In the 1920s, the then newly elected Soviet government embarked on an anti-clerical campaign. The first measures taken focused on traditions considered bourgeois, such as Christmas celebrations, but in turn encouraged citizens to celebrate the New Year.
Celebration of Christmas returned to Russia in the 1990s with the fall of the Soviet Union, and the tradition of the New Year tree continued.
Queen Victoria and her family with the Christmas tree, and it is said that because of this image, the British people adopted the tree tradition (Getty Images)
From kings to commoners
In 1738, Marie Lesinska, wife of Louis XV of France, placed the Christmas tree in the Palace of Versailles, and was considered the first to introduce this Christmas tradition to the French royal court.
In 1837, Helen de Mecklenburg, Duchess of Orleans of German origin, decorated the Christmas tree and placed it for the first time in the Tuileries Garden, thus spreading the tradition among the ranks of the bourgeoisie and from it to the general public.
In the year 1848 in the United Kingdom, the "Illustrated London News" magazine published a picture of Queen Victoria, her husband, Prince Albert, and the various members of the royal family gathered around a decorated Christmas tree. Christ, peace be upon him.
In the United States, with the arrival of German immigrants in the late eighteenth century and their adherence to their Christmas traditions, seeing the Christmas tree began to attract Americans.
By the year 1850, placing the Christmas tree in American homes had become a tradition followed by an important part of society in that period.
In 1923, US President John Calvin Coolidge oversaw the lighting of the first national Christmas tree.
In 1933, New York lit the first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, and since then, many tourists and New Yorkers have come to watch the start of Christmas celebrations.