Unwrapping The Traditions Of Christmas
More than any other season, this is a time of traditions. They may be of our own making or they may be traditions that have been passed down through the centuries. Since we focus here on gardening, I’ll share some of the traditions and legends about plant material used during this holiday season.
The use of evergreens is steeped in tradition that simply can’t be broken. Let’s face it: Why else would we force a full-grown tree into the house, apply a fistful of techniques to keep it standing and then watch it shed bushels of needles onto the carpet? Tradition.
Evergreen plants have always been special. Maybe it’s because they give us color and a feeling of life when all else is brown and dead. The cave man used evergreens as part of a magical rite to celebrate the winter solstice. Romans celebrated the Saturnalia (between Dec. 17-19) by decking their homes and temples with evergreens. Even the early Egyptians decorated with date palms.
The Christmas tree tradition can be traced to Germany. Although trees, especially oak and fir, were worshipped as spirits during the time of the Druids, some scholars believe the first Christmas trees date back to 15th-century Germany. Germans decorated fir trees with apples. These trees became known as “paradise” trees.
Other scholars say the first Christmas tree was introduced by Martin Luther. Supposedly he was walking through the woods on a starlit night. The snow and ice on the tree boughs sparkled. Fascinated by what he saw, Luther hurried home to recreate this effect on his tree. He attached candles to the boughs and lit them. Unfortunately, radio personality Paul Harvey wasn’t there, so we don’t know the “rest of the story.”
Edison gave us the first tree lights in 1882 - they cost a mere $1,000 to $2,000. In 1890, General Electric manufactured Christmas lights, but they still required an electrician for installation. And how about this bit of trivia: Americans are credited with lighting trees outdoors.
Also for the trivia buff: Did you know that our national Christmas tree is named The General Grant Sequoia? It stands in Kings Canyon National Park, Calif. It was chosen by the U.S. Department of the Interior in April, 1926.
The use of holly also dates to the Druids. They believed it had special powers since it could survive the winter.
Many legends involve the use of holly, including one about Baby Jesus. He was hidden under a holly bush to protect Him from King Herod’s soldiers. The bush sprang forth leaves with sharp spines so the soldiers passed it by. The Child blessed the holly by giving it eternal life as an evergreen.
Another legend says that if thorny holly is hung in the house, it means the husband would rule in all matters for the next year. If smooth holly were brought in, the wife would reign supreme. Holly stands for peace and joy. If you believe in legends and you want peace and joy, then I suggest you use both the smooth and thorny types.
Mistletoe figures in many legends dating to pre-Christian times. Druids believed it had magical powers of healing. Romans thought enemies who met beneath the mistletoe must kiss and declare a day’s truce. Today, kissing beneath the mistletoe remains a happy custom. Correct procedure is to remove a berry for every kiss taken. When all berries are gone, there are no more kisses available. It also means prosperity and fertility.
Christmas is a time for traditions and a wee bit of magic. But most of all, it’s a time for love, peace and good will toward all. , DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review