Does anyone know how the tradition of the Christmas tree started?

Answer 1

How Christmas got in the picture.

CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST, THE PAGAN ROMANS CELEBRATED FEBRUARY 15 & THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 14 AS AN IDOLATROUS & SENSUOUS FESTIVAL IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES & OTHER TRADITIONS TO HONOR LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES AND OTHER TRADITIONS IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS (THE DEIFIED HERO-HUNTER OF ROME). IT WAS ALSO BONDED ANCIENTLY WITH THE PAGAN PRACTICE OF TEENAGERS "GOING STEADY" THAT USUALLY LED TO FORNICATION. TODAY, "GOING STEADY" IS A REBIRTH OF AN OLD CUSTOM THAT CAME FROM THE TOMAN FESTIVAL LUPERCALIA THAT WAS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY BY DRAWING YOUNG WOMEN'S NAMES OUT OF A BOX BY MEN AS CHANCE DIRECTED.-- ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA, ARTICLE, "ST. VALENTINE'S DAY."

WHEN CONSTANTINE MADE CHRISTIANITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE THERE WAS SOME TALK IN CHURCH CIRCLES OF DISGARDING THIS PAGAN FREE-FOR-ALL. BUT THE ROMAN CITIZENS WOULDN'T HEAR OF IT! SO IT WAS AGREED THAT THE HOLIDAY WOULD CONTINUE AS IT WAS, EXCEPT FOR THE MORE GROSLY SENSUAL OBSERVANCES. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE REIGN OF POPE GELASIUS THAT THE HOLIDAY BECAME A "CHRISTIAN CUSTOM." AS FAR BACK AS 496, POPE GELASIUS CHANGED LUPERCALIA ON FEBRUARY 15 TO ST. VALENTINE'S ON FEBRUARY 14."--("CUSTOMS AND HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD", PG.172 BY LAVINIA DOBLER)(BY HERMAN L. HOEH; THE PLAIN TRUTH;FEBRUARY 1966).

LUPERCUS BORNE THE NAME VALENTINE AMONG THE HEATHEN ROMANS. THE GREEKS CALLED HIM "PAN"; THE SEMITES "BAAL" ACCORDING TO THE CLASSICAL DICTIONARIES". IN THE BIBLE; "BAAL" IS MENTIONED OFTEN; ANOTHER NAME FOR HIM IS CALLED "NIMROD, "THE MIGHTY HUNTER" (GENESIS 10:9). ANOTHER NAME FOR NIMROD WAS "SANCTUS" OR "SANTA", MEANING "SAINT", COMMON TITLE FOR A HERO-GOD. NIMROD KNOWN AS BAAL OR sun god OF ANCIENT PAGANS WAS BORN AT THE WINTER SOLSTICE. IN ANCIENT TIMES THE SOLSTICE OCCURED ON JANUARY 6; THIS WAS HIS BIRTHDAY UNTIL THE SOLSTICE CHANGED & THEN IT WAS CELEBRATED ON DECEMBRER 25. "IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF ANTIQUITY FOR THE MOTHER OF A MALE CHILD TO PRESENT HERSELF FOR PURIFICATION ON THE 14TH DAY AFTER THE DAY OF BIRTH. THE 14TH DAY AFTER JAN.6--NIMROD'S ORIGINAL BIRTHDATE---TAKES US TO FEB.15, THE CELEBRATION OF WHICH BEGAN ON THE EVENING OF FEB.14--THE LUPERCALIA OR ST. VALENTINE'S DAY." --(HERMAN L. HOEH) NIMROD'S OTHER NAME WAS "CUPID" WHICH MEANS "DESIRE"---ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA", ART., "CUPID".

THE EGYPTIANS CALLED HIM OSIRIS BECAUSE HE WAS THE HUSBAND OF HIS MOTHER. AS HE GREW, HE BECAME THE CHILD-HERO KNOWN AS "CUPID" BECAUSE MANY WOMEN DESIRED HIM. IN DAN.11:37, HE IS CALLED THE "DESIRE OF WOMEN". THE BABYLONIAN NAME FOR NIMROD IS TAMMUZ WHICH MOFFATT TRANSLATES. "HE PROVOKED MANY WOMEN TO JEALOUSLY THAN AN IDOL OF HIM WAS OFTEN CALLED THE "IMAGE OF JEALOUSLY" (EZEK.8:5). "NIMROD, THE MULATTO SON OF CUSH THE ETHOPIAN, WAS LATER A SOURCE OF EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PAGANS OF EUROPE. THEY DIDN'T WANT AN AFRICAN TO WORSHIP. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY SUBSTITUTED A SUPPOSED SON OF NIMROD, A WHITE CHILD NAMED HORUS, BORN AFTER THE DEATH OF NIMROD. THIS WHITE CHILD THEN BECAME THE "FAIR CUPID" OF EUROPEAN TRADITION." --HERMAN L. HOEH

VERSES-DEUT.4:19,28-31; 11:26-28; 17:3 & JER.10 & GAL.4:8-10.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/271589370/1272715597049373547QOChzt
http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/valentin.html
http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/stvalen.htm
http://home.swbell.net/kelkay/valentines

Christmas Tree
http://community.webshots.com/photo/88967283/1337450888047993148uFUzHy

When was Jesus's Birth?
http://community.webshots.com/photo/271589370/1342393463049373547FazWzQ

Answer 2

Evidently there are a lot of ideas as to where the Christmas tree came from:

The use of a Christmas tree indoors appears to have begun in Germany. German Christians would bring trees into their homes to decorate. In areas where evergreen trees were scarce, families would build a Christmas pyramid - a simple wooden structure which they decorated with branches and candles.

The tradition of the Christmas tree eventually spread throughout Europe. In 1841 English Royalty helped popularize the tree in England by decorating the first Christmas tree at Windsor Castle which Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, decorated with candles, candies, fruits, and gingerbread.

See the URL below for more information....

Answer 3

Many legends exist about the origin of the Christmas tree. One is the story of Saint Boniface, an English monk who organized the Christian Church in France and Germany. One day, as he traveled about, he came upon a group of pagans gathered around a great oak tree about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor. To stop the sacrifice and save the child's life Boniface felled the tree with one mighty blow of his fist. In its place grew a small fir tree. The saint told the pagan worshipers that the tiny fir was the Tree of Life and stood the eternal life of Christ.

Another legend holds that Martin Luther, a founder of the Protestant faith, was walking through the forest one Christmas Eve. As he walked he was awed by the beauty of millions of stars glimmering through the branches of the evergreen trees. So taken was he by this beautiful sight that he cut a small tree and took it home to his family. To recreate that same starlight beauty he saw in the wood, he placed candles on all its branches.

Yet another legend tells of a poor woodsman who long ago met a lost and hungry child on Christmas Eve. Though very poor himself, the woodsman gave the child food and shelter for the night. The woodsman woke the next morning to find a beautiful glittering tree outside his door. The hungry child was really the Christ Child in disguise. He created the tree to reward the good man for his charity.

Others feel the origin of the Christmas tree may be the "Paradise Play." In medieval times most people would not read and plays were used to teach the lessons of the bible all over Europe. The Paradise Play, which showed the creation of man and the fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden was performed every year on December 24th. The play was performed in winter creating a slight problem. An apple tree was needed but apple trees do not bare fruit in winter so a substitution was made. Evergreens were hung with apples and used instead.

Answer 4

The Germans brought it to this country (U.S.) and the English had it from Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband; since he was German and celebrated Christmas according to the traditions of his people. He ws popular with the English as he postponed his wedding to learn English, which endeared him to the general public. If he had a tree at Christmas, then they would! Up until that time the English decorated with wreaths and holly branches; but no trees. It became popular and stayed.

Answer 5

I don't know, but it was already happening in Biblical times.
If this doesn't sound like Xhristmas tree I don't know what does...

Check out Jeremiah 10:2. Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Answer 6

I read a deal on this before going to try to remember all of it so here goes there was a guy who wanted to show God his love for his beautiful creations so he cut down a tree to represent all the beautiful trees and placed a star at the top of it to represent the stars in the heavens that is all I can remember of it

Answer 7

Germans started the idea of decorating a tree. The evergreen of the tree stands for God's unfailing love, the candles (or lights that we now use) stand for the Light of the World (Jesus) and the candy canes have lots of symbolism.

Answer 8

Santa Claus

Answer 9

As most christian traditions, it began with the pagans:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

Answer 10

i was told that it was used because it pointed to heaven