| You may not realize this but the history of | | | | was more protective than celebratory.By the 12th |
| christmas trees did not begin in America, England | | | | century indoor trees were brought inside. Nobody |
| or even Germany. In fact America was one of | | | | is sure why but originally Christmas trees were |
| the last continents to catch on to the tradition of | | | | hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime. |
| decorating the Christmas tree. The history of | | | | This was a popular custom in Central Europe. The |
| christmas trees begins long before the birth of | | | | upside down tree was seen as both as a symbol |
| Christ and even before the Egyptian | | | | of Christianity and a pagan symbol. At that point |
| civilizations.Many historians and anthropologists | | | | Christianity was not wide spread and the tree |
| agree that the history of christmas trees begins | | | | may have been a nod to both pagan and Christian |
| in post-primeval times, just as agricultural societies | | | | traditions.It is widely believed that the history of |
| were developing across the globe. Christmas did | | | | the Christmas tree as we know it began in |
| not exist. It was simply, in one culture or another, | | | | Germany in the sixteenth century. However few |
| a pagan celebration of the winter solstice. The | | | | people realize that the tree was not brought inside |
| winter solstice marks the shortest day of the | | | | and that in fact, the first decorated christmas |
| year which usually occurs on the 22nd or 23rd of | | | | tree was a pyramid made of wood. These |
| December. The boughs of evergreen trees were | | | | German indoor pyramids were decorated with |
| brought indoors to protect inhabitants from the | | | | boughs and candles. Often jars of pickles were |
| evil spirits that could cause starvation and | | | | set on the steps. The pyramid shape was not a |
| illness.Ancient peoples also scattered evergreen | | | | direct inspiration from ancient Egypt but rather, |
| boughs over their floors, doors and around the | | | | the triangular shape was thought to represent the |
| windows. In fact, the tradition of hanging an | | | | three points of the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son |
| evergreen garland comes from the tradition of | | | | and Holy Spirit.The person credited with adding |
| hanging evergreens over the mantelpiece to keep | | | | lighted candles to a real tree is Martin Luther - a |
| witches, ghosts and spirits from traveling down | | | | German Protestant reformer who lived in the mid |
| the chimney and into the house.Evergreen boughs | | | | 1600s. The legend is that he was inspired to do so |
| were also used to keep away illness. Scents such | | | | by the sight of stars in the night sky peeking |
| as pine, juniper and balsam are still used by | | | | through the limbs of an evergreen while he was |
| aromatherapists today to fend off illness and | | | | on a walk.The next big development in the history |
| winter depression.Even the ancient Egyptians were | | | | of christmas trees was tinsel. Tinsel was invented |
| thought to play a role in the history of christmas | | | | in Germany around 1610. At that time, tinsel was |
| trees. Of course there were no evergreen | | | | made of real silver and it tarnished easily thanks |
| forests in ancient Egypt but during the solstice | | | | to the smoke from the christmas tree candles. |
| they filled their homes with palm rushes to | | | | Silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th |
| protect themselves from evil and celebrate the | | | | century when it was replaced by aluminum.The |
| return of their Sun God Ra.European and | | | | history of christmas trees was non-existent in |
| Mediterranean cultures also have episodes in the | | | | America until about the 1840s. They were |
| long saga that is part of the history of christmas | | | | sometimes displayed as curios in traveling |
| trees. On the solstice, known as Saturnalia, the | | | | sideshows. The christmas tree decorating ritual |
| Romans decorated their homes with evergreen | | | | was considered sacrilegious for most of the 17th |
| boughs. This honored the God Saturn whose | | | | and 18th century. It was seen as a mockery of |
| domain was agriculture. Further north, the Celtic | | | | the sober celebration of the birth of Christ. In fact |
| Druids used evergreens on the darkest day of | | | | in 1659, people were fined for hanging decorations. |
| the year to symbolize eternal life. These trees | | | | This law continued until the 19th century when the |
| were not decorated as we know them today. | | | | tradition was brought more into common practice |
| They were not much more decorative than the | | | | by German and Irish immigrants to the United |
| famous Charlie brown christmas tree. This is | | | | States. |
| because the function of these evergreen boughs | | | | |