The Jeremiah Tree
 

Why Do We Have Christmas Trees?
The history behind evergreens, ornaments, and holiday gift giving.
Edwin and Jennifer Woodruff Tait | posted 12/11/2008 09:37AM

The evergreen tree was an ancient symbol of life in the midst of winter. Romans decorated their houses with evergreen branches during the New Year, and ancient inhabitants of northern Europe cut evergreen trees and planted them in boxes inside their houses in wintertime. Many early Christians were hostile to such practices. The second-century theologian Tertullian condemned those Christians who celebrated the winter festivals, or decorated their houses with laurel boughs in honor of the emperor:

"Let them over whom the fires of hell are imminent, affix to their posts, laurels doomed presently to burn: to them the testimonies of darkness and the omens of their penalties are suitable. You are a light of the world, and a tree ever green. If you have renounced temples, make not your own gate a temple."

But by the early Middle Ages, the legend had grown that when Christ was born in the dead of winter, every tree throughout the world miraculously shook off its ice and snow and produced new shoots of green. At the same time, Christian missionaries preaching to Germanic and Slavic peoples were taking a more lenient approach to cultural practices—such as evergreen trees. These missionaries believed that the Incarnation proclaimed Christ's lordship over those natural symbols that had previously been used for the worship of pagan gods. Not only individual human beings, but cultures, symbols, and traditions could be converted.

Of course, this did not mean that the worship of pagan gods themselves was tolerated. According to one legend, the eighth-century missionary Boniface, after cutting down an oak tree sacred to the pagan god Thor (and used for human sacrifice), pointed to a nearby fir tree instead as a symbol of the love and mercy of God.
Paradise trees

Not until the Renaissance are there clear records of trees being used as a symbol of Christmas—beginning in Latvia in 1510 and Strasbourg in 1521. Legend credits the Protestant reformer Martin Luther with inventing the Christmas tree, but the story has little historical basis.

The most likely theory is that Christmas trees started with medieval plays. Dramas depicting biblical themes began as part of the church's worship, but by the late Middle Ages, they had become rowdy, imaginative performances dominated by laypeople and taking place in the open air. The plays celebrating the Nativity were linked to the story of creation—in part because Christmas Eve was also considered the feast day of Adam and Eve. Thus, as part of the play for that day, the Garden of Eden was symbolized by a "paradise tree" hung with fruit.

These plays were banned in many places in the 16th century, and people perhaps began to set up "paradise trees" in their homes to compensate for the public celebration they could no longer enjoy. The earliest Christmas trees (or evergreen branches) used in homes were referred to as "paradises." They were often hung with round pastry wafers symbolizing the Eucharist, which developed into the cookie ornaments decorating German Christmas trees today.

The custom gained popularity throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, against the protests of some clergy. Lutheran minister Johann von Dannhauer, for instance, complained (like Tertullian) that the symbol distracted people from the true evergreen tree, Jesus Christ. But this did not stop many churches from setting up Christmas trees inside the sanctuary. Alongside the tree often stood wooden "pyramids"—stacks of shelves bearing candles, sometimes one for each family member. Eventually these pyramids of candles were placed on the tree, the ancestors of our modern Christmas tree lights and ornaments.

Nicholas and Wenceslas

It also took a long time for trees to become associated with presents. Though legend connects the idea of Christmas gifts with the gifts the Magi brought Jesus, the real story is more complicated. Like trees, gifts were first a Roman practice—traded during the winter solstice. As Epiphany, and later Christmas, replaced the winter solstice as a time of celebration for Christians, the gift-giving tradition continued for a while. By late antiquity it had died out, although gifts were still exchanged at New Year's.

Gifts were also associated with St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey), who became famous for giving gifts to poor children. His feast day (December 6) thus became another occasion for gift exchanges. During the early Middle Ages, Christmas gifts most often took the form of tributes paid to monarchs—although a few rulers used the holiday season as an opportunity to give to the poor or to the church instead (most notably Duke Wenceslas of Bohemia, whose story inspired the popular carol, and William the Conqueror, who chose Christmas 1067 to make a large donation to the pope).

Like trees, gifts came "inside" the family around the time of Luther, as the custom of giving gifts to friends and family members developed in Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. Often these were given anonymously, or hidden. One Danish custom was to rewrap a gift many times with different names on each wrapper, so that the intended recipient was only discovered when all the layers were opened.
Victorian Christmas

In the English-speaking world, the union of gifts, trees, and Christmas was due to the influence of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, a native of Saxony (now part of Germany). German immigrants had brought the custom of Christmas trees with them in the early 1800s, but it spread widely after Victoria and Albert set up an elaborate tree for their children at Windsor Castle in 1841. At this point, Christmas presents were usually hung on the tree itself.

German and Dutch immigrants also brought their traditions of trees and presents to the New World in the early 1800s. The image of happy middle-class families exchanging gifts around a tree became a powerful one for American authors and civic leaders who wished to replace older, rowdier, and more alcohol-fueled Christmas traditions—such as wassailing—with a more family-friendly holiday. This family-centered image was widely popularized by Clement Moore's 1822 poem, known today as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (which also helped give us our modern picture of Santa Claus).

As many of us make trees and gifts the center of our own Christmas practice, we would do well to remember that they are ultimately symbols of the One who gave himself to unite heaven and earth, and who brings all barren things to flower.

Edwin Woodruff Tait is assistant professor of Bible and religion at Huntington University. Jennifer Woodruff Tait is adjunct professor of church history at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian History & Biography magazine.
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Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

In my opinion... and that is all this is... my opinion.

I think that the writer is as one sided and biased in his interpretation as those are who interpret the writings of Jeremiah to be specifically speaking about putting up a christmas tree.

Their personal feelings allow them to glaze over the prickly parts and see a smooth and wonderful transition when there is clearly not one there.

Both sides of the fence have their biases that shine through more than either of them could realize because biases not only shape our thoughts & reasoning processes but they blind our ability to see outside that blinding light.

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

I do not think Christ was born in December but I am so glad He was born. I personally believe he was born during the feast of the tabernacles...
Maybe I will think to ask Him over there...

No, the first Chrisitans did not celebrated Christmas...but they neither celebrated birthdays...so....


(lots of history books will tell you that...)

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

Do you think this was purely by coincidence or do you feel that they had a specific reason for not taking part in these celebrations?

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

I do not think Jer. represents what we call a Christmas tree..however I am not a Bible teacher...it was more of maybe an idol god thing...

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

You know I really don´t know for sure. I think they were so involved in being a Christian history tells us they celebrated no holidays...Of course many thought Jesus would return in their day...
They fought in no wars...
To be a christian back then carried almost a death sentence...so different from the trend of thought in most places today..

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

not a Bible teacher.....I would have to respectfully disagree.:)

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

Nor do I...

But I do find the portion that says "Learn not the way of the heathen" to be relevant.

I think that these are practices that should have never found their way into Christian realms

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

is this talking about christmas trees....holidays in general....or fighting wars?

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

well, Sam was talking I think how customs began...little here and there...and I guess I got off the subject...sorry...( sometimes a 'age' thing) ha....

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

The real meaning of HIS coming was to bring salvation full and free... when He came a new day dawned...whatever I have I use it to cook for the hungry...It is awful hard to tell someone the story of the greatest love and leave them hungry...
I do not waste what little money I have on endless shopping sprees buying for people that already have about everything...when someone sends Christmas money to me I buy food and cook for the hungry and for those that have no one to share with them.


(that is just me...)

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

Well it is clear that the practice now referred to as the christmas tree was adapted (or "learned") from the heathen.

So, in my opinion, that scripture refers to adapting such practices.

I think it would refer to Beltane/Samhain, Saturnalia, Ostara etc

Now some may consider me "liberal" for this view but I feel that this scripture is speaking to the purity of our worship to God. To me it is a call to keep my worship free from pagan influences.

As has been said many times the clock is of pagan origin, the calender, the names of the days of the week etc. I don't feel that God is commanding us to refuse to allow these things to be a part of our lives but, instead, to ensure that our worship to Him is based upon His instructions and that we not mix practices designed to worship another God in with the worship of the true and living God.

So... beyond things that we actually work into our religion I think the scripture is speaking less to those things.

Now, on the issue of fighting in a war... I feel less and less like this is something that I feel comfortable taking part in as a Christian. Others will feel differently and they will act and move on their own convictions but I don't feel that going to war is something my convictions can agree with.

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

and I am off the subject again...

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

I may be too Sister... :)

When I get several threads going I sometimes lose touch of which one was on what subject.

An age thing probably... on my part. :)

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

I want my worship to be to HIM and HIM alone...

I have a problem in the states if I am not careful because much worship is to status quo...buildings...fancy things....new fads...

We can be what others may term as UC but be lost because our worship is things...we may not wear this or that...but our homes and cars and clothes...show where our heart and treasures really are...
and I don´t think we have to be on food stamps to be saved....however there is a balance...

well, just my thoughts again....

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

maybe I'm living in a cave...but I don't really know anyone who uses a Christmas tree as part of their worship. Most that I know....have one as a means of celebration....sorta like a b-day cake.

I think if we try to exclude all the things the "heathen" did first as a element of worship....we will have a very limited worship service.

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

In my explanation I am not talking about the tree in and of itself.

The tree is only one part of the practice that was adapted. That practice as a whole was christmas.

Surely you would recognize that our churches do, indeed, actively make christmas and easter a part of our their religious activities?

I think we should actively attempt to exclude activities designed for the worship of heather gods from our own worship no matter who limited it would leave our worship services.

Now one has to be fair in these assessments though. If a heathen used a stone in the worship of their god this would not preclude anything made of stone from being in our churches. But if the heathen fastened that stone with a certain symbol then we would do well to not adopt that symbol into our worship.

People wax nonsensical on this subject sometimes and say heathens use cars... should we not use cars. That is faulty reasoning and a discussion fallacy.

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

Indeed... a very well balanced post representing a call to be balanced ourselves.

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

thanks for the explaination....wasn't trying to be difficult...I just wasn't clear.

I guess I view many of these things throught the lense of..."to the pure all things are pure".

Re: The Jeremiah Tree
 

Yes. That is certainly a consideration.

And, in my thinking, the pure are only pure through our obedience to the word of God as we have no holiness of our own that is better than filthy rags.

But these are things that we all work out with fear and trembling.

In this thread I am expressing my thought processes by which I have come to my own convictions and I feel no need to knock those who do not come to the same conclusions I do.

Also... I did not take your post as "being difficult" The medium of forums leaves a lot to be desired in it's ability to properly portray our true thoughts & attitudes.

Asking questions is much preferred to going with assumptions.