2006-12-09 15:24:17 · 6 answers · asked by binu m 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
A Christmas tree is one of the most popular traditions associated with the celebration of Christmas. It is normally an evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during the days around Christmas. An angel or a star is often placed at the top of the tree.
With likely origins in European pre-Christian pagan cultures, the Christmas tree has gained an extensive history and become a common sight during the winter season in numerous cultures.
Patron trees (for example, the Irminsul, Thor's Oak and the figurative Yggdrasil) held special significance for the ancient Germanic tribes, appearing throughout historic accounts as sacred symbols and objects. Among early Germanic tribes the Yule tradition was celebrated by sacrificing male animals and slaves by suspending them on the branches of trees.[citation needed]
According to Adam of Bremen, in Scandinavia the pagan kings sacrificed nine males of each species at the sacred groves every ninth year.[citation needed] According to one legend, Saint Boniface attempted to introduce the idea of trinity to the pagan tribes using the cone-shaped evergreen trees because of their triangular appearance.[citation needed]
Dionysus in his Triumphant Return; behind the god, Victoria holds an evergreen.The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of the ancient pagan idea that the evergreen tree represents a celebration of the renewal of life.[
Roman mosaics from what is today Tunisia, showing the mythic triumphant return from India of the Greek god of wine and male fertility, Dionysus (dubbed by some modern scholars as a life-death-rebirth deity), the god carries a tapering coniferous tree. This Christianization process is arguably seen in the Old English poem the Dream of the rood, in which the tree is the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The poem also refers to the Tree of knowledge of good and evil in Genesis.
2006-12-09 15:33:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Celts (Christmas celebrations like the tree come from yule) believed that the pine tree was the strongest thing because it stayed green through the winter.
Jesus's b-day was originally Easter. But when the Christians found out about yule, they wanted to make everyone christian so they put a Holiday in December and stole yule's traditions.
2006-12-09 15:30:14 · answer #2 · answered by gumchewer_7_7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a pagan decoration originating in the area that's now Germany. Early Christians succeeded in converting the pagans by putting Christian holidays around the same time as the pagan holidays, then outlawing observing the pagan ones. Since the symbols were effectively the same it wasn't too much of a stretch for peasants basically trying to live their lives without being killed for disagreeing.
I believe that the pagans felt the evergreen was a good representation of life in the midst of the barren coldness of winter. It was used as a yuletide decoration, in celebration of the winter solstice (Yule).
Ask me about Easter eggs next. ;-)
Happy holidays!
2006-12-09 15:29:31 · answer #3 · answered by Singinganddancing 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have ask that same question before. The answer I got didn't make much sense to me but here it is. because Jesus was crucified on a tree
2006-12-09 16:27:18 · answer #4 · answered by bittywrap 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hah ha ha ha lol tht made me laugh 4 like 20 minutes straight u shood have a comedy act
2016-05-23 01:12:36 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to make it look decorative and pretty. and to put presents under. and the angel to keep watch for protection.
2006-12-09 15:33:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋