The Christ-mass Tree

Why do Christians put up a Christmas tree?  It is a long history.


Among non-Christians and time before Christianity, Evergreen trees in northern Europe were used by many tribes and communities for decoration.  Romans used them for their Saturnalia temples, other non-Christians used them (winter solstice celebrations to mark the oncoming Spring, i.e. agricultural community).  Romans used evergreen branches to decorate during the New Year celebration. Egyptians used evergreen branches too.

In the 7th century (600's), Saint Boniface (675-754 AD) of modern day England (Crediton, England) visited Germany to evangelize and is credited with using the triangular shape of a fir tree (evergreen) to symbolize the holy trinity.  This was an effort to convert pagans (non-believers) from revering the oak tree in northern Europe (reverence to Thor and performing human sacrifices) to instead recognizing the reality of God our creator and the life of Jesus Christ.





There is evidence from the 12th century (1100's) that fir trees were being used as "the tree of Christ" during Christmas time.  Trees were originally hung upside down from a roof beam.

In the 16th century a decorated tree was documented in 1510 in Latvia (Riga) but also in 1441 in Tallinn, Latvia, put up in the town square.  An historian (Balthasar Russow) documented the use of the decorated fir tree in Riga.  There is also a record of a decorated tree in 1570 Christmas time in Breman (Germany) at a merchant guild house.  German merchants are recorded having put up Christmas trees in their homes as well.  Christmas and New Year's were celebrated together.  A drawing from 1521 in Germany shows a tree paraded through town with a catholic bishop riding a horse behind it (i.e. Saint Nicholas).  Decorated fir trees were also called "Paradise Trees" because Christmas Eve was also celebrated as Adam and Eve day celebrating the creation of the first man and woman approximately 6,600 years ago.

In 1605 a record from a German indicates "At Christmas they set up fir trees in the parlors of Strasbourg and hang thereon roses cut out of many-colored paper, apples, wafers, gold foil, sweets, etc."

In 1771 writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited Strasbourg, near the German border, and included the concept of the Christmas tree in his novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther.

Decorated Christmas trees were not common in Great Britain until the 19th century (1800's) after Prince Albert began using one at Windsor Castle.



German immigrants to the United States of America brought the Christmas tree tradition with them.

The Vatican started installing a Christmas tree in 1982.

Debate has existed since the beginning of Christianity (as early as 2nd century AD) of whether or not to celebrate with distractions such as a Christmas tree or Paradise tree but the vast majority enjoyed adding some fun (decorations, symbols) to the celebrations.

Today the decorated Christmas tree continues to be a part of the overall celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ as well as a celebration of family.  It is not idolatry, it is simply decoration, a symbol of Christmas spirit and fun.




What about "Santa Claus" (Saint Niclaus or Saint Nicholas in English)?

Saint Nicholas (270-343 AD), a bishop from Greek Myrna in modern day Turkey, was made famous because of his history of giving gifts to poor children, among other actions.  The original feast day to celebrate Saint Nicholas was December 6.  This melded into the overall Christmas celebration over time developing the tradition of gift giving.  Christmas gifts were offered during the middle ages.  Again the tradition appears to have been started by northern Europeans (Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia) among the new Protestants and traditional Catholics.

Christopher Columbus: Stop trashing the man's character

In the 2010 decade there has been a movement by political correctness extremists to remove statues of Christopher Columbus (1446-1506), the man credited with being the first civilized european to discover the North American continent, as well as remove the government sanctioned holiday.  The historical legacy of Christopher Columbus is being derided by people who are ignorant of history.  He has been blamed for the actions of others who came after him and therefore unreasonably maligned.


In the book Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem, author Carol Delaney, a professor at Stanford University, we recall that Mr. Columbus had some favorable impressions of native American indians he met.  Europeans under his command were instructed not to abuse native but to trade with them.  Some were punished for committing crimes against indians.  Yes spanish europeans engaged in violence with native americans in Central America, including engaging in slavery and other abuses.  The acts of some colonists, however, cannot be generalized to besmirch all european colonists.  After the Santa Maria ran aground (1st voyage), the 39 men left on the Caribbean island with orders from Columbus not to mistreat locals had been killed and upon return although others longed for violent revenge Mr. Columbus said no.  Columbus developed a positive relationship with Guacanagair, a Taino native american chief on Hispaniola and even adopted one of his sons (Diego II) who accompanied Columbus on his final 3 voyages.

Christopher Columbus was a catholic spaniard, as Catholics were being maligned by protestants in europe he brought Christianity to the new world.  The legacy of Christopher Columbus was celebrated for centuries for good reason.  He was a progressive thinker and fearless explorer.  His navigation and discovery changed the course of history. 

  The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity founded in 1882 and still active today (2018) are named after the european explorer.

The KKK targeted Catholics including italian-americans and tried to suppress the Columbus holiday.  Italian-americans, latino american Catholics, and other Catholics recognize the pioneer and voyager as validating their presence in America that for a long time was predominantly Protestant. 

In 1892 Pope Leo the 13th wrote an encyclical that recognized Columbus' desire to spread catholic teachings of history, morality, and the words and wisdom of Jesus Christ.  It included such comments as:

"By his toil another world emerged from the unsearched bosom of the ocean: hundreds of thousands of mortals have, from a state of blindness, been raised to the common level of the human race, reclaimed from savagery to gentleness and humanity; and, greatest of all, by the acquisition of those blessings of which Jesus Christ is the author, they have been recalled from destruction to eternal life. Europe, indeed, overpowered at the time by the novelty and strangeness of the discovery, presently came to recognize what was due to Columbus, when, through the numerous colonies shipped to America, through the constant intercourse and interchange of business and the ocean-trade, an incredible addition was made to our knowledge of nature, and to the commonwealth; whilst at the same time the prestige of the European name was marvelously increased."

"To persuade the Indian people to Christianity was, indeed, the duty and work of the Church, and upon that duty she entered from the beginning, and continued, and still continues, to pursue in continuous charity, reaching finally the furthest limits of Patagonia. Columbus resolved to go before and prepare the ways for the Gospel, and, deeply absorbed in this idea, gave all his energies to it, attempting hardly anything without religion for his guide and piety for his companion."

All of us are sinners, and all of us have made mistakes, committed unethical acts, or committed immoral acts, none of us is perfect.  The derision of Christopher Columbus is ridiculous when compared to the positive impacts the man and his voyage discoveries have had on human history. 

I am happy to celebrate Christopher Columbus day, and so should you :)