Apparently it started because the 15th century monk Martin Luther brought a tree inside and hung candles from its branches to show his children the beauty of the stars seen through the canopy of a forest.
The origin of the 'Christmas Tree'...
- Thread starter Matt Weir
- Start date
I heard this version on a debate on Radio 2 this afternoon ???
One of the earliest stories relating back to Germany is about Saint Boniface. In 722, he encountered some pagans who were about to sacrifice a child at the base of a huge oak tree. He cut down the tree to prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree grew up at the base of the oak. He then told everyone that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was a holy tree - the tree of the Christ child, and a symbol of His promise of eternal life.
Rich
One of the earliest stories relating back to Germany is about Saint Boniface. In 722, he encountered some pagans who were about to sacrifice a child at the base of a huge oak tree. He cut down the tree to prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree grew up at the base of the oak. He then told everyone that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was a holy tree - the tree of the Christ child, and a symbol of His promise of eternal life.
Rich
Apparently the pre-christian roots of the Christmas tree were assimylated into Christams rituals by prosletyzing monks who adopted it as their own practice in order to make it easer to convert pre-christians to christianity.
The evidence to support this does exist through cultural survivals from the pre christian era. Sacred evergreen trees, such as yew and holly were planted in groves and it was once common practice to bring in a branch of the evergreen tree into the house as it was once thought to harbour the spirits of dead relatives hence the tree did not die in the cold like others, it lived on... so to appease them the branch was brought inside before the first frosts and kept inside through the mid winter festivals and to the spring. The uk colours of xmas come from the red berries and green of the holly.
If anyone is interested in this, I studied this as part of my MA Hons in Social Anthropology and there are a great range of books on this, some of which are not widely known eg MacNeil the Silver Bough
The evidence to support this does exist through cultural survivals from the pre christian era. Sacred evergreen trees, such as yew and holly were planted in groves and it was once common practice to bring in a branch of the evergreen tree into the house as it was once thought to harbour the spirits of dead relatives hence the tree did not die in the cold like others, it lived on... so to appease them the branch was brought inside before the first frosts and kept inside through the mid winter festivals and to the spring. The uk colours of xmas come from the red berries and green of the holly.
If anyone is interested in this, I studied this as part of my MA Hons in Social Anthropology and there are a great range of books on this, some of which are not widely known eg MacNeil the Silver Bough
Along with Christ's birthday being on the solstice (they got the date wrong)
Easter
Mayday
All Hallow's Eve (halloween)
And lots of other stuff
I DO just love the fight back, Pagan symbols like The Green Man &c carved in the roof bosses of churches
You can tell me anything you want about that sort of thing Woodsmoke
BOD
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Yes those early Christians in Europe were shrewd political operators and PR people.
Invent legends and take the credit for every good thing that happens!
Invent legends and take the credit for every good thing that happens!
I've heard of evergreen being brought into the house so to invite the spirits of the woods into there home
Happy winter solstice and rebirth of the sun ( 25 DECish)
Happy winter solstice and rebirth of the sun ( 25 DECish)
Of course it's pre-christian. Christianity didn't bring anything new to europe (well, maybe if you count sins and probitions). Except corporal punishment, which wasn't present before (at least not here).
Errmm...21st
Sorry, I'm a (pedantic)pagan (I also get 2 new years
sorry but this year it's the 22 December,
21 Dec 2007 08:13 16:03 7h 50m 22s
22 Dec 2007 08:14 16:04 7h 50m 21s shortest day
23 Dec 2007 08:14 16:04 7h 50m 26s
I heard that xmas was invented by our alien overlords to keep us subdued and happy during the winter months.
They are tricksy indeed our masters!
Dr O
They are tricksy indeed our masters!
Dr O
fascinating post ,i could read stuff like this all day! of note about holly in the house,i was once told that in times past folk believed that spirits lived in the corners of rooms,so to stopthem sitting there theyed hang prickly holly ! i guess theres no end of stories about it ,but i love them all.it is y far the most culturally rich time of year.
as for the shortest day,thats mybirthday! i usually go up to stonehenge and watch the sun go down.the best i experienced was my 21st birthday at the stones ,21 on the 21st special to me. i believe it was customary to light fires to help the sun remember to rise the next day or to give it energy,anyone know of this?
Errmm...21st
Sorry, I'm a (pedantic)pagan (I also get 2 new years
I'm a pagan also.
It's the 22nd this year and the 25th is the rebirth of the sun, as in the days start to get longer.
Paganism's old hat now, heathen is the new old way....
he he I love you Heathen folk distant yourself from the word pagan.
Pagan is a crap word really a one size fits all thing, I prefer to call myself Brythonic polytheist.
Waes hael mate, Waes hael.
Yule starts Sundown on the 21st and ends sundown on the 22nd this year, the Jews also start their Sabbath and festivals at sundown, things like days starting at midnight is a modern (probably Christian ) invention
Pagan is from the Roman term 'Paganis' meaning 'those who worship in the fields' (or thats what I was told), literaly the religeon of farmers or rustics, I think that describes people like us (living with the nataral order, being in sinc with the seasons &c)
I call myself an ' enlightened Neo-Pagan' , it looks good on CVs
When she asked I told a workmate I was a Pagan , she said ' thats witchcraft isn't it?' I asked her what her church was (Catholic) and I said ' thats the one with the frocks and the incense isn't it' she said that there was a lot more to it then that I said 'me to'
Its just amazing how people think that ALL Paganism is Wicca and/or Druids
Arth, Drink Hael !
) inventionPagan is from the Roman term 'Paganis' meaning 'those who worship in the fields' (or thats what I was told), literaly the religeon of farmers or rustics, I think that describes people like us (living with the nataral order, being in sinc with the seasons &c)
I call myself an ' enlightened Neo-Pagan' , it looks good on CVs
When she asked I told a workmate I was a Pagan , she said ' thats witchcraft isn't it?' I asked her what her church was (Catholic) and I said ' thats the one with the frocks and the incense isn't it' she said that there was a lot more to it then that I said 'me to'
Its just amazing how people think that ALL Paganism is Wicca and/or Druids
Arth, Drink Hael !
Yule starts Sundown on the 21st and ends sundown on the 22nd this year, the Jews also start their Sabbath and festivals at sundown, things like days starting at midnight is a modern (probably Christian
Pagan is from the Roman term 'Paganis' meaning 'those who worship in the fields' (or thats what I was told), literaly the religeon of farmers or rustics, I think that describes people like us (living with the nataral order, being in sinc with the seasons &c)
I call myself an ' enlightened Neo-Pagan' , it looks good on CVs
When she asked I told a workmate I was a Pagan , she said ' thats witchcraft isn't it?' I asked her what her church was (Catholic) and I said ' thats the one with the frocks and the incense isn't it' she said that there was a lot more to it then that I said 'me to'
Its just amazing how people think that ALL Paganism is Wicca and/or Druids
Arth, Drink Hael !
Pagan comes from the word pāgānĭcus (paganus) meaning of or a country dweller, or rustic. it had nothing to do with worship, it just meant anyone who didn't live within the walls of a city or town
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Paganism's old hat now, heathen is the new old way....
See see, what ever you try to define yourself as some smart alex tries and tell you are wrong. So I am going to off in a big strop, dressed like a goth, and going to stand on hill, unless it is raining or it is cold, or it a bit muddy to which i will go to the pub to celebrate to the solstice in the way i read in a book once and never questioned.
As a non Christian country dweller, I guess I fall into the "Pagan" catagory quite nicely.
And I thought I was just an indipendant Spiritualist!
And I thought I was just an indipendant Spiritualist!
Similar threads
