What's with the Christmas trees?

Question

I don't celebrate Christmas, but I understand why so many people do. Many believe it is the birthday of Jesus, so some do it to honor him. Others like getting or giving presents, singing carols, the stories and so on. I understand all that.

But I don't understand why anyone would want a pine tree in their house. The mess that must make must be huge. First getting it inside can't be easy, and rubbing against everything probably knocks off quite a few pine needles. You probably knock off quite a few more decorating the thing, and then many just naturally fall off as the time passes. Then I've heard of more than a few occasions where an animal didn't quite make it out of the tree before it got inside the house, so you might have squirrels and raccoons and such ready and waiting to scratch the living hell out your face for your trouble. Why keep this tradition, it seems so painful and time-consuming?

Answer 1

I guess you've never lived in a snowy country, where the back yard goes off into the woods and the snow covered trees are a beautiful part of the winter scenery.
Why do people have Christmas trees? In fact, the trees have nothing to do with Christ -- there weren't any pine trees in Jerusalem. But when the Christian church first began, it was competing with earlier religions, and rather than fight a battle they could not win, the early leaders of the church simply absorbed local customs into the church, changed them slightly, and made them Christian. The process is still going on today, as any mainland Catholic who celebrates Christmas in Hawaii can attest.
However, the early pagans revered the evergreen tree, because it symbolized life everlasting. And Christians liked that idea. During the Christmas season, it was traditional to decorate the altar and the church with evergreen boughs, but it wasn't until the 1700s that the Christmas tree was brought inside and decorated with burning candles. Needless to say, that got pretty dangerous and numerous families ended up spending Christmas with relatives because their house burned down.
With the advent of electric lights (and the newest LDL lights) and, as you have so astutely noted, the vacuum cleaner, that is no longer a problem. Today, a growing percentage of Christmas trees are artificial and that wonderful outdoorsey pine scent comes from a spray can. But it's still part of modern Christmas tradition, and is likely to remain that way.
Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, have happy holiday, and spare a kind thought for those who do.

Answer 2

I know a Christmas Tree sounds like a lot of work, but they're worth having, Christmas is a time of giving, and celebrating life, and and evergreen tree (not a pine tree), is a symbol of life. Christmas trees are a fun tradition, that make Christmas the best holiday ever, it reminds you that it's a season for love, and giving and sharing, and being kind and sincere to others. Decorating and bringing home the tree is very exciting, and fun to do. Personally, my favorite part is that after vacuuming the pine needles they're still in the vacuum, and you can smell them while vacuuming after wards. Christmas time is a fun time for everyone, Muslim, Jewish or Christian. Decorations and songs make the tree worth wile. I hope I answered your question, Happy Holidays.

Answer 3

Before artificial trees came along that looked very real, people made a tradition of the family walking into the woods choosing their tree and chopping it down. Most people cleaned out dead needles, old birds nests and most critters got out on their own. People actually once put candles on the trees. They had special little attachments that held the candles upright. They had to be extremely careful the candles didn't flame up to another branch. Many fires were started that way. Now we have electric lights which are much safer.

The first Christmas tree was in Latvia. In Latvia as in all of northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun as a part of pagan activities where people were living their life as they had done for hundreds of years before.

The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer.

It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.

Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means wheel, the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Holly berries were thought to be a food of the gods.

The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again.

In all societies, there were people who filled the roles of judge, doctor, diviner, mage, mystic, and clerical scholar - they were the religious intelligentsia of their culture.

These people often used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees and gathering around a large bonfire.

The legend says that the first Riga tree in 1510 was decorated with paper flowers and burnt on the bonfire after the ceremony; most probably, with a toast for the future, with steins held high!

Answer 4

I did until I found this in my Bible: Jeremiah 10:2-6, Matthew 15:9, Deut.12:30-31. Now I no longer celebrate Christmas as Christ's birth. Although there are some Christmas songs that should be sung all year long...like Oh, Holy Night.
Now we just exchange gifts, have a nice dinner and that's about it. Other than enjoy being together.

Answer 5

I personally hate christmas trees, but there are some interesting stories behind it. One is that romans used to decorate trees with pieces of metal for their winter festival to honor the god of agriculture. Germanic tribes used to hang slaves and animals from trees. In the middle ages, trees were decorated with apples in honor of Adam and Eve on Dec. 24. However, not everyone believes in a Christmas tree. I don't know where in the Bible it is, but there is some verse that says people will start worshipping trees instead of God...or something similar to that. I have a friend who goes to some sort of church that basically says Christmas trees are the devil. They are Christian-based, but I don't know specifically what they call themselves. The Christian tradition comes from everlasting life being represented by evergreen trees, along with the holy trinity by the triangle shape. By the 12th century, people began to hang them upside down in their houses, and by the 15th and 16th century, people started decorating them.

Answer 6

In my family we buy a christmas tree and decorate it together. I enjoy keeping this tradtion and I will continue with this tradition with my own family. The whole point in this is the family spends time together doing an enjoyable activity.

Answer 7

in case you purchase a tree now, or in 2 weeks does not make plenty distinction. all the timber are decrease around the comparable, oftentimes in mid to late Oct. it quite is even obtainable figuring out to purchase it in the past and getting watered quicker could extend its "existence." or you may bypass to a decrease your very own farm, which could be an remarkable family trip. in case you chosen this course, degree the area the place you intend to place it, and produce alongside a tape degree, timber in no way look as huge in the "wild."

Answer 8

Because it's tradition. It's something people have done since their childhood, and it's something that they will always do. It has a nostalgic effect, plus they can be very beautiful. And it's still way easier than putting up Christmas lights!!

Answer 9

We did it ONE YEAR & it was a mess and a pain - vacuuming pine needles until FEB lol

Answer 10

It's actually a pagan Yuletide tradition. It has nothing to do with Jesus.