So let me get this straight. We put an evergreen, a conifer, in our house? Ever think about that? Isn't it weird that we chop down a pine tree and put it in our house, then decorate it with lights and ornaments?
I guess it dates back to a time when things of this nature were used to ward of evil spirits, as one would expect from people in the olden days. They'd do just about anything to ward off evil spirits, wouldn't they? I totally get the symbolism of having an evergreen as a thing to celebrate, because it symbolized eternal life, right? It doesn't lose all it's leaves and look dead in the winter. We can place this tradition on the Germans, who started putting trees in places and decorating them with apples to represent the forbidden fruit. Later, they changed the apples to red bulbs. That makes sense.
This is just one of those things that I think about and realize that it's a strange thing to do, yet we all do it every year. Unlike other traditions on this and other holidays, we don't ever really question the Christmas tree and it's symbolism like we do with the Easter bunny or Easter eggs, or Santa Claus. We just accept the tree in the house as totally normal, regardless of what it means.
Anyway, just something I thought of while looking at the tree. Merry Christmas.
I guess it dates back to a time when things of this nature were used to ward of evil spirits, as one would expect from people in the olden days. They'd do just about anything to ward off evil spirits, wouldn't they? I totally get the symbolism of having an evergreen as a thing to celebrate, because it symbolized eternal life, right? It doesn't lose all it's leaves and look dead in the winter. We can place this tradition on the Germans, who started putting trees in places and decorating them with apples to represent the forbidden fruit. Later, they changed the apples to red bulbs. That makes sense.
This is just one of those things that I think about and realize that it's a strange thing to do, yet we all do it every year. Unlike other traditions on this and other holidays, we don't ever really question the Christmas tree and it's symbolism like we do with the Easter bunny or Easter eggs, or Santa Claus. We just accept the tree in the house as totally normal, regardless of what it means.
Anyway, just something I thought of while looking at the tree. Merry Christmas.
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