Christmas Tree
In December, many of you may be looking forward to Christmas. Some are going to buy cake, things to decorate with, and a tree! Yes, Christmas trees are popular around the world. But do you know the history of the Christmas tree?
The very start of the Christmas tree is the religion of the ever green. Before the birth of Christ, the tribes in middle and northern Europe professed ever green plants because they thought the ever green should have magical forces. This was continued until the 4th century. Now, present-day Christmas trees are said to have arisen from the customs of the tribes that were Christianized.
In 1419, the ever green tree was first decorated as a Christmas tree by the Freiburgian brotherhood of bakers. They decorated the tree with gingerbread, apples, gold stripes, colored nuts and paper inside the "Heiling Geist Spital." Incidentally, Freiburg is one of the cities in Germany.
However, the custom of decorating trees didn't spread very widely until 1597, when the craftsmen's guild of Bremen decorated a Christmas tree. After the guild put up the tree, the citizens liked that new custom. They took it over quickly and the custom began to spread in the towns of the upper Rhineland. But it didn't spread to other areas for a long time. One of the reasons was that the custom was regarded as a Protestant custom by the Catholic majority.
But since 19th century, the custom of the Christmas tree became popular. In 1816, Princess Henrietta von Nassau-Weilburg introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in Austria, and the custom spread fast. Also in France, in 1840, the Christmas tree was first introduced and then spread.
The Christmas tree was also introduced to Japan in the 19th century. In 1860, the mission of Prussia decorated a Christmas tree in a diplomatic establishment. It was the first time to put a Christmas tree up in Japan.
Now Christmas trees are popular with not only Christians but also other people. But there are some differences in how long the trees have been decorated in other countries.
Traditionally, Christmas trees aren't decorated until December 24, when Christ was born, and they aren't removed until January 6. If the trees are kept up for longer or shorter than this period, it is considered bad luck.
However, recently, the traditions have become a little different. For example, in the UK, the tree is put up much earlier; in shops it goes up often as early as late October. This happens America also. There, Christmas trees are usually put up after Thanksgiving, on the fourth Tuesday in November, and removed right after the New Year. Yet some Americans don't put the trees up until the second week of December, and keep them decorated until the 6th of January.
Like this, the Christmas tree has a history and a lot of various customs. Did you know that? 117-5 Nagatomo Schun
The very start of the Christmas tree is the religion of the ever green. Before the birth of Christ, the tribes in middle and northern Europe professed ever green plants because they thought the ever green should have magical forces. This was continued until the 4th century. Now, present-day Christmas trees are said to have arisen from the customs of the tribes that were Christianized.
In 1419, the ever green tree was first decorated as a Christmas tree by the Freiburgian brotherhood of bakers. They decorated the tree with gingerbread, apples, gold stripes, colored nuts and paper inside the "Heiling Geist Spital." Incidentally, Freiburg is one of the cities in Germany.
However, the custom of decorating trees didn't spread very widely until 1597, when the craftsmen's guild of Bremen decorated a Christmas tree. After the guild put up the tree, the citizens liked that new custom. They took it over quickly and the custom began to spread in the towns of the upper Rhineland. But it didn't spread to other areas for a long time. One of the reasons was that the custom was regarded as a Protestant custom by the Catholic majority.
But since 19th century, the custom of the Christmas tree became popular. In 1816, Princess Henrietta von Nassau-Weilburg introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in Austria, and the custom spread fast. Also in France, in 1840, the Christmas tree was first introduced and then spread.
The Christmas tree was also introduced to Japan in the 19th century. In 1860, the mission of Prussia decorated a Christmas tree in a diplomatic establishment. It was the first time to put a Christmas tree up in Japan.
Now Christmas trees are popular with not only Christians but also other people. But there are some differences in how long the trees have been decorated in other countries.
Traditionally, Christmas trees aren't decorated until December 24, when Christ was born, and they aren't removed until January 6. If the trees are kept up for longer or shorter than this period, it is considered bad luck.
However, recently, the traditions have become a little different. For example, in the UK, the tree is put up much earlier; in shops it goes up often as early as late October. This happens America also. There, Christmas trees are usually put up after Thanksgiving, on the fourth Tuesday in November, and removed right after the New Year. Yet some Americans don't put the trees up until the second week of December, and keep them decorated until the 6th of January.
Like this, the Christmas tree has a history and a lot of various customs. Did you know that? 117-5 Nagatomo Schun
posted by SHABUKUST at
7:40 PM
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