Mike
Carruthers:
The origin of the Christmas tree actually predates Christianity.
Kenneth C.
Davis:
The evergreen tree was a symbol of life in the midst of winter.
Almost every pagan civilization celebrated the Winter Solstice
around this time of year.
Kenneth C. Davis,
author of the book, Don't
Know Much About Mythology…
The idea that
something was living in the midst of the dead of winter always
gave the evergreen tree this symbol of life. When Christianity
came along it took those pagan ideas and rituals and added them
to the Christmas story.
But the idea
of bringing a Christmas tree into every home is a fairly recent
custom apparently started in Germany.
It wasn't really
popular in England until Victorian times when Prince Albert
the husband of Queen Victoria, who was German himself, brought
the Christmas tree to England. The first Christmas tree in the
White House begins with Franklin Pierce who was from New Hampshire
and he introduced a tree to the executive mansion in 1856.
And kissing under
the mistletoes, where does that come from?
Also ancient
mythology, the Celtics people considered the mistletoe a sacred
plant. In fact it was such a powerful plant that adversaries
or enemies met in the forest near mistletoe they laid down their
arms and greeted each other in a sign of peace. Easy jump from
a sign of peace to a kiss under the mistletoe.
At somethingyoushouldknow.net
I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.
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