I have always adored Christmas trees and wondered how the tradition was started. My research reveals the fir tree first appeared on Christmas, in the French city of Strasbourg in 1605. It was decorated with artificial colored roses, apples, sugar and painted hosts and was said to symbolize the tree of good and evil mentioned in the book of Genesis.
For years our family decorated the house and Christmas tree just after Halloween. In France, just a few days before Christmas, family celebrations begin with the decoration of the Christmas tree. Candles and lights, tinsel and many colored stars decorate its branches. I am not really sure about candles lit as they sit on the branches of the tree--that's a bit scary. But many of the sites I visited seem to imply some folks actually still use candles on the Christmas tree. Seems like it would be a fire hazard, but I can't help imagining how beautiful it would be.
Then, on Christmas Eve, when the children are fast asleep, little toys, candies and fruits are hung on the branches of the Christmas tree. What a beautiful tradition!
Merry Christmas and have a lovely weekend, everyone!
You decorated just after Hallowe'en???
ReplyDeleteWe always had a real tree and the Sunday before Christmas it went up and the Sunday after New Year's it came down. That continued even when we switched to a fake tree. Somehow, it made the magic of Christmas more special by having the twinkling lights only for a few days beforehand.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas Beth and all. This is a charming postcard, and that looks like candles on the tree from long ago, which probably isn't done much anymore. I like my LED lights.
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