There are benefits to living in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by Douglas Fir, and this is one of them. I can see in my mind's eye a cold wintery morning, a light dusting of snow, an old Caterpillar tractor path, and a hillside full of every shape and size of tree. I can remember trudging around, up and down the embankment, in and out of clusters of fir, debating the merits of this tree and that. Finally, right before our eyes, our perfect tree revealed itself. There is an undeniable satisfaction in harvesting the perfect tree, the type that leads to a smile all the way home, and anticipation that the rest of the family will enjoy your selection as much as you. I've also lived long enough, and in cold enough places, to have collected fresh mistletoe and holly and to have strung garlands of cranberries and popcorn.
The so-called "Christmas Tree" is an interesting seasonal ritual. As a historian, I am fascinated by the origins of things and the cultural repurposing of ancient traditions. The "Christmas Tree", like so many traditions associated with Christianity, is decidedly non-Christian in origin. One of the oldest literary mentions of adorning a tree is found in the Jewish Tanakh, or written Torah, "For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not."
The Roman celebration of Saturnalia involved the decorating of trees; however, trees were never cut down for the ritual because nature was revered as sacred, and to do so would have been an assault on nature. Celtic and Germanic pagans worshipped the tree as a sacred living thing, with numerous celebrations and rites associated with trees, especially around the Winter Solstice. The evergreen, or conifer, was particularly important because unlike other trees that shed their leaves, conifers stayed green throughout the winter season. Thus, they were revered for their life-force, and came to symbolize life itself. They also were believed to posses the power to ward off evil spirits that occupied the dark spaces in the winter forests. Our tradition of an evergreen wreath hung on the front door was meant to ward away dark spirits. Many cultures, especially in the Middle East and Asia, developed the concept of a Tree of Life that came to symbolize the origins and connections of all things under the heavens.
The Weihnachtsbaum, Yule tree, or "Christmas Tree" as we know it, originates in Germany in the 16th century. Evergreen trees would be cut down, hauled inside, and decorated to celebrate Christmastime. One interesting historical detour is that some Christians kept Paradise Trees, adorned with apples to symbolize the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and wafers to represent the Eucharist. The Christmas Tree tradition is most associated with early protestants, though Puritans eschewed the practice and other Christmas rituals in favor of austerity and prayer.
The modern holiday tree is really a secular tradition arising from the nineteenth century English middle class. Trees were adorned with lit candles, which, as you can imagine, led to many house fires. Therefore, trees were usually cut very near to the Christmas holiday so that they remained fresh. The tree skirt, now used for decoration, began as a plain mat meant to collect wax falling from tree candles. Presents originally were opened on New Year’s Day to celebrate the coming of the new year.
Popular culture continues to reshape the legacy of pre-Christian Europe and the Yule tree. Once adapted to celebrate religious rituals spanning thousands of years and numerous cultures and faiths, trees are now a staple of a generic secular holiday season that has come to represent a time of peace and reflection and family and... materialism. So I thank my Celtic forebears and Germanic peoples for my Christmas tree, much as I thank Robert L. May of Montgomery Ward for Rudolph. Whatever your family's traditions or beliefs, may you have a blessed holiday season and a bright and prosperous new year!
See you around campus.