Gleaner Archives – December 20, 1972
The light of the Christmas tree, most beautiful when reflected in the eyes of a child, will bring peace and joy to millions of homes again this season, as they have for centuries. But
how did it begin? Why do we connect trees and lights with the birth of the Babe whom Christians consider the Messiah?
There are several stories about the origin of the Christmas tree. People in Scandinavia once worshipped trees, and, explains World Book Encyclopedia, they made evergreen trees part of Christian festivals when they became Christians.
One legend tells how the first Christmas tree was shown in a miracle to the English missionary Winfrid (later called Boniface). More than 1,200 years ago, while travelling in what is now northern Germany, Winfrid found a group of heathens at an oak tree, about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor.
Winfrid stopped the sacrifice and cut down the “blood oak.” As the oak fell, according to the legend, a young fir tree appeared. Winfrid said the fir was the tree of life, representing Christ.
The Germans probably were the first to decorate Christmas trees. They used stars, angels, toys, gilded nuts, and candies wrapped in bright paper, and later added tinsel and lighted candles. Scandinavians at one time trimmed their trees with little flags. Now they also use cookies, apples, and gilded nuts.
In the United States and Canada, homemade paper ornaments, candy canes, and strings of cranberries were popular before the advent of shiny coloured balls and strings of coloured electric lights.
Lights at Christmas represent Christ as the Light of the World. According to one story, Martin Luther put lights on his trees to represent the glory and beauty of the stars above Bethlehem on the night of Christ’s birth.
In the United States and Canada, many churches hold candlelight services on Christmas Eve. People in Ireland, World Book says, leave a candle burning in the window.
In the Netherlands, on the eve of Epiphany, young men carry the Christmas star – actually a lantern containing lighted candles – as they stroll through the streets singing hymns and carols.
No matter what the origin, the tree ablaze with lights is something we remember from our earliest childhood … and something the very youngest children will begin to learn this Christmas.