The Beginning of Christmas Trees
Christmas trees are now a staple during the holiday season. A lot people, in spite of their different religions and cultures, indulge in these symbols of the holiday spirit. One does not have to be a Christian to appreciate the culture behind Christmas trees. In fact, the history of this Christmas icon started way before the introduction of Christianity.
Christmas trees are usually coniferous trees that abound in the region. Examples of coniferous trees are spruce, fir and pine trees. These usually have needle like leaves and bear cones. Of course, artificial trees are also popular during the season because these just need to be kept after seasons and taken pout again when the holidays come around. Christmas trees are usually decorated with many decorations which range from balls to ribbons and even candles and popcorn. Many ornaments used to decorate the Christmas trees are symbolic of the season.
Pagan Worship of Trees
There is actually no direct link to some pagan worship of trees during the very early days of civilization but many tribes in Germany, Tunisia and the United Kingdom have worshipped coniferous trees. The very first record of a decorate tree was in Germany where the practice of decorating coniferous trees was done in the worship of fertility gods. The practice of decorating the trees usually occurred during the winter solstice which is usually around December 21. The pagan practice was adopted by Christianity when the Church declared December 25 as the birth date of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Trees Now
Currently, Christmas trees come in many different sizes from the tabletop trees to the gigantic trees used for outdoor areas. The coveted shape of the Christmas trees is usually triangular, tapering towards the top, and this is the usually shape that artificial trees are made into. The leaves of artificial Christmas trees come in different forms but usually try to be as true to real trees as possible.
Real trees are also quite popular and there are many Christmas tree farms all over the United States of America that cater to families and individuals who prefer the sight and smell of real pine trees. Christmas tree farms usually sell their ten year old trees and plant new ones to grow for another ten year. Trees that come from these kinds of farms are usually well taken care of an often have the desired triangular shapes that many people want for their trees.
