Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Christmas Tree

When I was a little girl, we were not rich. In fact we were very poor. Regardless of how many bills came through the mail, my mom always found a way to get us a Christmas tree. Now, most of the time it was the ugliest tree on the block and sometimes we had to make our own decorations. I knew that we weren't going to wake up Christmas morning with elaborate gifts under the tree, but the fact that we had a tree allowed us to hold on to the thought that Santa might not forget us that year. Not that he ever did.

 I never understood until later on in life why my mom was so gung ho on finding us a tree. I mean Baby Jesus was born in a manger, not a tree. Why didn't we put up a manger instead? To us it was just a tree for Santa to place gifts under, but to her I think it was simply keeping the spirit alive.

So, after careful research, this is what I found out about the Christmas tree: 

The Christmas tree comes to us from Germany. Martin Luther is credited with being inspired by the starry heavens one night, and expressing his feelings to his family by bringing a fir tree into his home, and attaching lighted candles to its branches. Fir meant fire, and fire is an ancient symbol for spirit. The tree also pointed toward the heavens.

Evergreens were thought to represent the ever-burning fire of life. The color green signified the life force through the year. Eventually decorative balls represented the planets, while the star that radiates from the top reminds us of Bethlehem. The entire tree and decorations teach us that the universe is witness to the Incarnation.

Red at Christmas reminds us of the fire of the Spirit. Green affirms nature, and the ongoing life. And in the Incarnation, Spirit unites with nature.

In fact, the Christmas tree symbolizes to us a further appreciation of Jesus' birth. It is a means of retelling a miracle in a colorful and beautiful way so that we can further understand and appreciate Jesus' entering our world.

 The tree is also a reinterpretation of pagan rites, along with the use of other greens and decorations to commemorate in ancient times a celebration of the feast of Saturnalia - the birth of the Sun in the sky at the Winter Solstice. Along with the giving of gifts, the feast was later Christianized with the selection of December 25th to announce the birth of the Son of God to the world.

The tree also tells the story of a cosmic event - a mystery. In personal celebrations of Christmas the tree begins its use in the 16th century, and is later brought to America by German immigrants.

The heavens and earth rejoice in the coming of the Lord of Life. Our decision must be either for our Christmas tree to represent the celebration of the birth of Christ, or simply an acknowledgment of the pagan festival of the Winter Solstice.

What does the beauty of the Christmas tree say to you?



By the way, my mother now puts up a 10 ft. Christmas tree in the living room and also a small one in the kitchen every year, decorated with ornaments and handmade items made throughout the years by her children and grandchildren. And the room is always filled with presents Christmas morning.