Christmas tree
A traditional Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is one of the most
popular traditions associated with the celeb-
ration of Christmas. Normally an evergreen
coniferous tree that is brought into a home or
used in the open, a Christmas tree is decor-
ated with Christmas lights and colourful or-
naments during the days around Christmas.
An angel or star is often placed at the top of
the tree, representing the host of angels or
the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity
story.
History
Pre-Christian roots
There has historically been opposition to the
custom of the Christmas tree because of its
pagan
origins.
Thus, Oliver Cromwell
preached against "the heathen traditions" of
Christmas carols and decorated trees. In
1851, parishioners in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
condemned as a pagan practice the actions of
the pastor, Henry Schwan, for decorating
what was likely the first Christmas tree in an
American Christian church.
There are various legends regarding the
origin of the Christmas tree, often relating to
Saint Boniface. Thus, in one version, Boniface
disrupted a pagan child sacrifice at an oak
tree, flattening the oak with a blow of his fist.
A small fir sprang up in place of the oak,
which Boniface told the pagans represented
Christ.[1]
Though Christmas traditions in general
were often associated with paganism in 19th
century scholarship, Francis Weisler, in his
book Handbook of Christian Feasts and Cus-
toms, argues that “It is completely Christian
in origin. Historians have never been able to
connect it with ancient Germanic or Asiatic
mythology.” [2]
Robert Chambers in his 1832 Book of
Days asserts that the festivities of Christmas
"originally
derived
from
the
Roman
Saturnalia, had afterwards been intermingled
with the ceremonies observed by the British
Druids at the period of winter-solstice, and at
a subsequent period became incorporated
with the grim mythology of the ancient Sax-
ons. Two popular observances belonging to
Christmas are more especially derived from
the worship of our pagan ancestors—the
han