0 Oh , Christmas tree!

Ever wonder why do Christmas trees were everywhere when Christmas season comes?

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Several reasons why you would have it around your house would probably be....

 Reason #1, merely for Christmas decorations. You erect it every year during Christmas season without failed because you think that  your Christmas will not be perfect without it. The Christmas tree kinda give you the serenity and the Christmas spirit.

Christmas tree at Leal Senado , Macau.

Reason #2 , Christianity symbolic. Yes, if you are a Christian you would not find anywhere in the bible saying anyone, let alone King of Herod or the wise men from East who first saw the star of Betlehem when Jesus Christ was born did erect any Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The wise men only brought presents for Maria and Joseph! Never a tree!

Behold, i am not saying all this to change any traditions.

But, you maybe erect it for the following reason too....

It was erected as to appreciate the birth of Jesus Christ on the earth , the incarnation of God. Earlier,it was decorated with candles, ball,candy canes, usually food,  and at the top of  the tree would be either angel or star. Under the Christmas tree would be gifts that would be given to children and the rest of the family.

All this decoration symbolise joys and hope that the world has when Jesus Christ was born.While the star represents star of Betlehem that appeared on the sky above Jesus  when He was born. While the gifts actually represents all the gifts that the wise men from East (as stated in the Holy Bible) brought to Maria and Joseph when they came to visit the newborn, Jesus Christ. 

Christmas tree at the lobby of Grand Opera Hotel,Manila.

Reason #3, paganism. 

WHAT?

 WHY? 

HOW? 

 Pagan also had trees to celebrate the winter solstice, usually the evergreen ones. Whenever winter comes which is on December, they would bring these trees inside their homes, had them decorated and worship it. Different ancient religions has different representations of trees but each of them generally worship it for triumphs and hopes as well as to chase away evil spirits. Almost all the major paganism in the ancient world like, Egyptians, Romans, Germans, Scandinavians and even Great Britain before Christianity worshipped evergreen trees.

So, what is your purpose of having Christmas tree in your houses?

Christmas tree and gingerbread little house at Tasty Buffet , Zhuhai.

How on earth this tradition comes to our shores?

I think after you identify your reason of erecting a Christmas tree in your homes , you would have ideas already how this tradition comes into our lives. Yes, we cannot deny that this tradition emerged from the ancient worships. 

But, the modern one was started by Martin Luther (the founder of Protestant) when he brought a fir tree to home and decorated it on a Christmas' eve on around 16th century. Then, he told stories to children using the Christmas tree he decorated. Then, Germans start to bring home evergreen trees to erect modern Christmas tree  and decorated it with candles.

On 18th century, German immigrants brought this tradition to Pennsylvania , America. However, Americans saw it as paganism symbolic. The New England Puritans even banned any decorated trees, Christmas carols or any hanging decorations in homes during Christmas as they called these tradition to be idolatry. This was undermined after a Germany sketched Queen Victoria , her husband and their children playing next to a Christmas tree. Well, whatever the royals did were seen to be fashionable by the Britain and even East Coast Americans. Then, the Christmas tree became slowly spread in America. The Christmas tree ornaments that was arrived from German had become more and more popular in America since then. The Europeans usually had their Christmas tree only at four feet height while the Americans like it to be larger, from floor to ceiling usually. 

 The rest of the history, we know that once Americans have it, the worldwide will too. Nowadays, people around the world just get more creative when it comes to decorating Christmas trees and the tree does make Christmas becomes merrier and more joyous to the already joyous festive. 

TALL Christmas tree at Zhuhai Port Plaza..there even had Santa Claus riding with reindeer.  At the other side of the tree.......

was a winter illustrations...