The Origins
of the Christmas Tree
Trees have long been considered to be symbols of life. Their size,
which dwarfs us humans; their longevity; their provision of food and
materials; and their obvious role as habitat for other animals have
long been recognized by people. So it shouldn't be surprising that
trees have been revered and even worshiped throughout the ages. The
roots of the modern Christian Christmas tree tradition stretch back
to pagan times in northern Europe. (Remember, much of our modern "Western"
culture stems from the customs of a few northern and western regions
of Europe. People from these regions just happened to be the first
to truly master sea travel and thus spread their cultures far afield
and cast their influence far wider than was previously possible.)
The early pre-Christian religions in the high latitudes of Europe
placed great significance in the comings and goings of the sun, and
its obvious effects, producing the distinct seasons of spring, summer,
autumn and winter. The winter  solstice,
which, although it occurs in the heart of winter, signifies the beginning
of the return of the sun, was a most revered event and the subject
of much festivities. It also appears to have been the root of our
modern day Western Christmas.
The Christmas tree origin is thought to be related to one very specific
event, in the early part of the 8th century A.D. in northern Germany
An early Christian missionary, now known as St. Boniface, felled a great
oak tree that was a center of worship for the then Druid peoples. In
felling the tree Saint Boniface hoped to symbolize the end of the old
beliefs. However, the legend maintains that a small fir sapling was
somehow left standing (or later appeared, depending on the version of
the legend), and the missionary offered up this new tree as a symbol
for emergence of the new Christian beliefs. (Hey, if you're dealing
with tree worshipers, its best not to push them too far in one step!)
So, hence forth, fir trees came to be associated with the early Christian
rituals in this part of the world. Instead of decorating oak trees for
the winter solstice, as had been the custom in pagan times, the new
found Christians decorated fir trees for "Christmas" (the mass celebrating
Christ's birth). It is no coincidence that our Western Christmas falls
just after the solstice. The early missionaries of Christendom were
wise enough to know that it was one thing to change the nature of the
gods people believed in (and which type of tree they might revere),
but it was quite another thing to tamper with the timing of a great
and traditional festival. So the Christian stories and mythology were
adapted to the existing culture of these people ("the return of the
sun" shifted to the "coming of the son"), and in much the same manner
Christianity and other religions have spread and continue to spread
to this day.
The more modern use of Christmas trees as indoor decorations is thought
to have been well established by the 16th century in Germany. From Germany
the custom spread through much of western Europe. Queen Victoria's German
consort, Prince Albert, is credited with popularizing the tradition
in England in the mid-1800's. Early in the 17th century, German immigrants
to what is now Pennsylvania in the United States are thought to have
been the first to trans-locate the tradition in the new world, but with
the great onslaught of European immigration the tradition "arrived"
many times since.
Carry on for more on the biology of the black spruce.
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