Why do we have christmas trees?

Question

They surely didn't have them in bethlehem
The only reference to trees i can think of is the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

what did jeremiah think:

Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. 2 This is what the LORD says:
"Do not learn the ways of the nations
or be terrified by signs in the sky,
though the nations are terrified by them.

3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

4 They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.

Seems like they were celebrating christams thousands of years before the birth of Jesus

so we have to ask the question who introduced it to the christian calendar, oh yes the pope, that's it

and before people say they don't worship the tree itself, we still adorn it with gold and silver and present it with gifts

like they did long ago

AHMED that whole chapter is about idolatry

so it's not exactly an innocent remembrance is it

Answer 1

Origins of the Christmas Tree:
Pagan traditions: Many Pagan cultures used to cut boughs of evergreen trees in December, move them into the home or temple, and decorate them. Modern-day Pagans still do. This was to recognize the winter solstice -- the time of the year that had the shortest daylight hours, and longest night of the year. This occurs annually sometime between DEC-20 to 23. They noticed that the days were gradually getting shorter; many feared that the sun would eventually disappear forever, and everyone would freeze. But, even though deciduous trees, bushes, and crops died or hibernated for the winter, the evergreen trees remained green. They seemed to have magical powers that enabled them to withstand the rigors of winter. Not having evergreen trees, the ancient Egyptians considered the palm tree to symbolize resurrection. They decorated their homes with its branches during the winter solstice.
"The first decorating of an evergreen tree began with the heathen Greeks and their worship of their god Adonia, who allegedly was brought back to life by the serpent Aessulapius after having been slain."
The ancient Pagan Romans decorated their "trees with bits of metal and replicas of their god, Bacchus [a fertility god]. They also placed 12 candles on the tree in honor of their sun god" Their mid-winter festival of Saturnalia started on DEC-17 and often lasted until a few days after the Solstice.
In Northern Europe, the ancient Germanic people tied fruit and attached candles to evergreen tree branches, in honor of their god Woden. Trees were viewed as symbolizing eternal life. This is the deity after which Wednesday was named. The trees joined holly, mistletoe, the wassail bowl and the Yule log as symbols of the season. All predated Christianity.

Answer 2

Because Christmas is really a celebration of Nature, made ok by the claim that Jesus was born on the 25th.

In reality Jesus couldn't have been born on December 25th, because the shepherds wouldn't have been in the fields. In Israel, sheep are kept in stalls and enclosures during the winter months.

Cutting down a pine tree from the forest, bringing it into your shelter, decorating it, and then presenting it with gifts, is pretty clearly a pagan form of nature worship, yet Christians do it happily every year.

Answer 3

Christianity adopted many practices from the cultures that it encountered. Christianity would wake the feasts of the Pagans and give them new meaning.

As you well know, Pagans were celebrating Yule long before the birth of Christ. Some traditions including decorating evergreen trees. The actual birthdate of Jesus was lost, so it was decided to celebrate his birthday to coincide with the Pagan festivities. The tree now represents Jesus - in particular that he still lives.

Christians began using Christmas trees in the 1700s in Germany, and the practice slowly spread.

Answer 4

Reading through the rest of the verse I think Jeremiah is talking about carved idols. Precious metals being scarce many idols were made of wood and covered with gold or silver. Most Christmas traditions are pagan in origin including the date of December 25 and the celebrating of a birthday. As people converted the traditions stayed.

Answer 5

Yule trees (what Jeremiah is referencing) were around long before Christianity. They were one of the many elements stolen from the Pagans when the Catholics created Christmas in the Middle Ages as a means to convert the masses.

Answer 6

Many Christian rituals are from pagan times. The slate was not wiped clean by Christianity; people evolved naturally and liked the old traditions. It symbolizes that some things live through winter, we will also live, life is a good thing to celebrate. And while the tree is a newer tradition, greenery has always been part of Christmas.

Answer 7

It's a pagan tradition along with the "three wise men" at the birth of Jesus Christ (which was likely in Sept-Oct by "our" calendar) the wise men from the east didn't get to Him for about two years at His house and that's why Herod had babies from two years old and under to be killed~there were three gifts mentioned not three wise men
red and green are middle east colors, not Judah's, and so called christmas colors have nothing to do
with it;
the whole thing is perverted
the church instituted it and all the sites in Israel and Jerusalem are set up by the church

Answer 8

The Christmas tree is of Pagan origin. Pagans in Europe would cut them down/bring pine boughs into their home to decorate for Yule--the celebration of the Winter Solstice.

Answer 9

The Christmas tree is actually a rememberance of the Tree of Life. The tree mentioned in Jeremiah is a wooden pole used for idol worship. Really. U really should know what u r talking about... I mean no offense. Just trying to help.

Answer 10

It is a tradition dating back pre christian times usually connected with having a yule log in the house or the actual burning over 12 days, a full tree was used and this is where you get your 12 days of christmas,obviously the tradition of having an actual"christmas tree" was introduced into the UK by Prince Albert and the trend soon caught on amongst the wealthy....so from offering our thanks to "spirit" with a yule log we now have what I refer to as a purely commercial christmas which I don't myself partake of ,I acknowledge the winter solstice on the 22nd of december,I have a fire which i burn my logs on and make other gestures and offerings.