2006-12-21 22:51:31 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Decorating a house with evergreen plants is a tradition that predates christianity by millenia. It symbolises eternal life or rebirth - the reason for celebration is of course the winter solstice, when the sun comes back and the days start growing longer after a period of darkness and cold.
Old pagan people celebrated this occurrence as the re-birth of the sun god, and they "helped" it by lighting fires and bringing about things that seemingly didn't die in winter, like pine branches.
Christianity couldn't uproot those traditions, so it gave them a christian content, to help converting people from paganism to christianity.
Even the ritual of the re-birth of the sun-god they turned into a celebration of a birth of a son (of) god. We all know jesus wasn't born anytime near december.
2006-12-21 23:26:07 · answer #1 · answered by Ymmo the Heathen 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In witchcraft, the Winter Solstice is a festival of the Sleeping Nature. The High Priestess of the Moon, will perform a rite, that summons the King of Holly (King Winter), to make way for the The King of Oak (King Summer)..... I have experienced, that finding my soul mate brings old thoughts of Nature to the surface, It feels more in sync ... There are not so many People left, who may cut down trees, without expecting to receive some kind of Natural Karma from the incident. However. ... Mother Nature is not crazy, about chopping trees either, but....... She feels in the year 2006 very committed to her community on Earth and Everywhere else. She prays with us to receive Prosperity, and likes to think everyone will have a tree in the house, artificial or otherwise, lit with candles to symbolize the Starlight falling through the branches, and establish a new meaning an understand how one we are. Mother Nature's Force is ours ..I hereby Summon The Spirits of The Four Corners, To Be With Us Throughout. Let the Days Before us Be Filled, With the Warmth of Joy. May Al Continents Become Gathered And Whole....Come Together 24th at Nine Minutes to Three Pm. Shall we Think a Loving Thought. to Share. A New Thing..... Thought for Internet... Prosperity will Flow Everywhere.....
2006-12-22 07:57:28 · answer #2 · answered by Lady Alma of Avalon Grailguard 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The tree goes back to an ancient Northern Europe pagan tradition of bringing in an evergreen tree for the winter solstice to symbolize that life can exist and thrive even in the dead of winter. The Christian church incorporated it into the holidays to help convert people with the tradition. It was decorated early on with apples to symbolize the forbidden fruit. As for why everybody has to have one, well its holiday thing. Accept it as a way to hold onto the past and hope for a bright future.
2006-12-22 07:05:03 · answer #3 · answered by Derek 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is A VERY SICK TRADITION... People forget about global warming and provoke the cutting down of thousands of trees each December just for the sake of putting up a tree and buying gifts that we all know is a tradition invented by merchants to move their merchandise before the fiscal year ends....
People acting like robots imitating what others do without asking why....
2006-12-22 06:55:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't put up a tree since the kids are grown and too far away to visit.
2006-12-23 20:19:20 · answer #5 · answered by FireBug 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well derek stole my answer lol but he is right it is a pagan tradition. and it also guids the pagan gods into your home for their blessing that is why you always put it in your window and decorate it with lights it has always been decorated. same with easter eggs they are a symbol of fertility during spring time.
2006-12-22 07:24:40 · answer #6 · answered by lucifer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋