How Blessed Are Your Branches
In response to Real Christmas Tree vs. Fake Christmas Tree
by Jenni Robison
Christmas trees are beautiful and I love them all–skinny, fat, short, and tall! But this year, we’ve chosen a real tree. It smells wonderful, and it’s very unique. Our beloved tree is a little skinny, but it’s just the right height at seven feet.
We’ve had fake Christmas trees in the past, but have opted to buy real from now on. I like the idea that the tree is natural, and I love the aroma. I don’t have to worry about storing it, accidentally bending the limbs, or gathering tons of dust! Plus, the tree is recycled: the city I live in uses the trees to help build up sand dunes on the beaches.
But what means the most is the symbolism behind the Christmas tree, a true representation of what Christmas is all about…Christ. Back in the 7th century, a monk from Devonshire, England made his way to Germany with hopes of inspiring Germanic tribes with the Word of God. The English monk used a Christmas tree, with the symbolic triangular shape, to help explain the Holy Trinity.
Photograph by Bree Bailey. Some rights reserved.
People loved the idea of having a symbol to celebrate Christianity and the birth of Christ. They started hanging the special tree from their ceilings…upside down. Eventually the tree found itself upright again and with that, decorations to boot!
O Christmas tree: you are awesome, real or fake. And even though I lean towards the real side of the argument, and the tree is ours only temporarily, the precious Christmas tree does have quite a life–a celebrated, sparkling symbol of life. Merry Christmas to all!
December 6th, 2007 at 4:45 am
Merry Christmas to you too!
I wonder if more Christians knew the true story behind the tree if it would motivate them to return to the roots (no pun intended) of the Christmas tree and purchase a real one to emulate the early tradition.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
I have always wondered about the story behind the tradition of having a Christmas tree…thanx!!
I love real trees they just seem more festive than the fake ones!
December 17th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
[…] trees hung from ceilings were the standard Christmas tree style. You can learn more about it at this piece on Step in the […]
December 17th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
[…] trees hung from ceilings were the standard Christmas tree style. You can learn more about it at this piece on Step in the […]
December 17th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
[…] trees hung from ceilings were the standard Christmas tree style. You can learn more about it at this piece on Step in the […]
December 18th, 2007 at 12:41 am
As the daughter and niece of two NYC firefighters I love real trees but appreciate fire retardation treatments and the chance to have it up from Thanksgiving to Ephiphany. My $5 June Yard Sale bargin Christmas tree makes me smile, and it still sketches the symbolic Trinity of love, knowledge and power. Thanks for the history!