Christmas trees are in the Netherlands out of the woods, but are specially cultivated. In recent years, more and more artificial Christmas trees bought and rigged.
The Christmas tree originated in the medieval Christmas play that particularly in the churches of Alsace was performed. Preceded the paradise game that was shown how Adam and Eve sin entered the world. In this game, heard the so-called paradise tree (Tree of Adam) who was decorated with apples and communion. Later added nuts, cakes and sweets at.
In the 16th and 17th centuries the diving paradise tree outside the church during Christmas celebrations of guilds and fraternities. According to written tradition, the first decorated Christmas tree with candles 1611 in the castle of Duchess Dorothea Sybille of Silesia placed.
Worship God in trees
Date-palm
Originally the tree as a symbol of worship not connected with the birth of Jesus. In almost all cultures were in the trees somehow honored.
Dennen played an important role in the worship of Astarte, goddess of the Assyrian empire. Beside her altars were planted spruce. Sometimes this even palm trees, but the preference was for the spruce with its pyramid-like shape pointing to the realm of the gods.
In ancient Babylon, one tree decorated with objects that sun, moon and stars symbolized.
In ancient Egypt was the central palm tree to represent the boomgod Osiris.
In one Indian revered cult around December 25 the birth of the of light.
In ancient Rome, people venerated the tree as the god of Baal Berith (Lord of the den). Later celebrated the festival Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn. They gave each other presents and let the slaves temporarily Fri A later cult quarter on December 26 Natalis Solis Invicti, the birth of the invincible sun god Apollo. The Roman Emperor Constantine I belonged to this cult, until he is in 312 after a mystical experience on the battlefield to Christianity. He saw a cross and heard a voice saying: "This is the sign of your victory." He stated that Christmas in the Roman Empire had to be celebrated on December 25th, the feast of Apollo. The pagan elements were thus preserved. In 354 the Roman Christians celebrated the first Christmas. It was not the historical date of Christ's birth, but fit well with the habits of the Roman people.
The light tree as a symbol of the winter solstice
North of the Alps from December 21 celebrated the Germanic Yule. With much shouting and fire they drove the evil spirits. The houses were decorated with evergreen branches. They were fertility symbols.
The Celts hung eg dead birds in their sacrificial trees.
In the Netherlands people used pine trees hung high in the mast of a ship to sail thereby expressing the hope of Christmas back home.
Since the Middle Ages was celebrated midwinter with bringing in branches that bloom there until they came (Barbara Branches). They provided protection from evil and stimulated fertility. Later, they decorated the houses with evergreen branches of holly, pine, fir, yew, boxwood and laurel. In Silesia and Alsace was hung cookies and fruit in the trees or decorated it with candles.
They were not candles as we know, but walnut oil-filled caps.
In 1509 appears the hand of the painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, a copper engraving of a decorated pine tree.
From Strasbourg in 1605 is reported that in a living room with a pine tree and put colored paper, apples and golden star was hung. On the market, holly and yew branches as boxwood wreaths sold.
The wintertak was actually the forerunner of our Christmas tree.
The people in Alsace in the 16th century had been the custom at Christmas time small fir trees on their squares and in their homes to set up. They took the trees from the forest, or in such large numbers that the young tree stock was seriously affected. The city fathers had to eventually prohibit.
In the Netherlands published the first decorated Christmas tree in 1850 in Sunday schools and liberal Protestant families, while by Catholics until the Second World War was rejected as pagan.
The Prussian king Frederick the Great in 1755 on pine saplings message that his parents had hung golden potato "to the children an idea of paradise apples."
The Christmas tree is glowing symbol of the reawakening of nature. One of the first descriptions of a decorated, shiny and fragrant tree found in "Die Leiden des jungen Werther," Goethe (1774).
In a painting from 1601, we St.Christophorus next to a tree that apple pie and hung, where the Christ child to grab.
In Sweden they already knew the tree lighting, a wooden framework which proposed a tree. Were placed candles on its branches. From here came the three-arm chandelier is lit everywhere in Sweden.
In 1841 the English had Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, a large fir tree on the German model rigging. This was the beginning of a new Christmas ritual, for the first nobility, later also for ordinary citizens.
In the 19th century, the Vatican protested against the introduction of this pagan usage.
In 1866 the first cast iron Christmas tree stand patented.
In 1882 stated that a Christmas tree in the USA has electric lights.
In 1891, the first Christmas tree for the White House drafted.
Since 1900, we find everywhere in the Christian world, in families and in public buildings, decorated and illuminated Christmas trees. The pagan symbol is now combined with the Christian nativity scene.
Santa Lucia
Symbolism
The Christian symbol color for Advent and Christmas are green and red. Green symbolizes the hope of new life into the cold, dark winter, while the red blood of Christ that reminds us of our sins.
The green branch keep evil at bay.
According to the Christian faith had candles feature to deceased people in midwinter nights to find the way home. It was also overcome the darkest time of year is celebrated with fire. Therefore wanted the return of the sun dispel. Heat and light are a symbol of light and life and all life processes on Earth needed.
The apple is the Christian symbol of fertility, but also for the sin that Adam and Evan have brought into the world. He is the fruit of temptation on the tree of knowledge of good and evil grows. In the Middle Ages, some churches were decorated with apples so-called paradise tree (spruce) up.
Probably lametta like Christmas tree decorations and other shiny objects to do with the precious gifts of the Holy Three Kings.
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