New Year's adventures of the Christmas tree: the origins of the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree. Christmas tree
New Year holidays are strongly associated with a decorated Christmas tree, on which multi-colored lights shine, mysteriously shimmer glass balls, beads and garland threads flicker. It seems to us that this has always been the case. But is it really so?
Ancient origins of the custom
The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree came to us from Germany. And it appeared long before the rise of Christianity. The ancient Germanic tribes endowed nature with divine powers. They believed in the existence of forest spirits. It was also believed that supernatural creatures live on coniferous trees, which can send blizzards, cause frost, and confuse hunters. And these spirits become especially strong on long and dark winter nights. Therefore, in order to appease the forest creatures and ask them for help, people tried to appease them. Spruces, where spirits supposedly lived, were decorated with fruits and various delicacies, the priests pronounced special incantations and performed rituals. For some tribes, spruce was a symbol of life, the beneficial forces of nature, so these customs were designed to ensure people's health and prosperity.
Christmas tree and Martin Luther
Many years have passed, Christianity has long been accepted everywhere in Europe. But people, as in pagan times, still went to the forest on Christmas night to decorate the fir-trees with colored shreds and fruits. All this worried the priest and reformer Martin Luther. There is a legend that once on Christmas Eve he was walking through a snowy forest, grieving at this behavior of his flock. And then he saw a tall fluffy spruce, on the branches of which frost sparkled like stars in the night sky. And the brightest frosty star adorned the top, like the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to the baby Jesus. Luther liked this analogy - he found a solution to the problem. The Christmas tree was delivered to the priest's house, and he decorated it with candles so that their lights resembled the twinkling of stars. And so this tradition was born.
Christmas trees in Europe and Russia
In fact, it is impossible to say exactly where the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree came from. Although the legend attributes it to Martin Luther, the first written mention of Christmas trees date back to 1605. In those days, they were decorated with roses made of colored paper, apples, nuts and other similar things. And only at the beginning of the 19th century this custom spread throughout all European countries. And in America, decorated fir trees became a ubiquitous attribute of Christmas by the middle of the 19th century.
Where did this tradition come from in Russia?
Although Peter I ordered to celebrate New Year and putting decorations of spruce, pine and juniper branches in front of the gates as early as 1700, the custom of decorating home spruce really spread everywhere only in the late 1830s. Tsar Nicholas I was the first to order to decorate the Christmas tree, and then all the nobility followed his example. At that time, German romantic literature came into fashion, and this contributed to the spread of the tradition. It is curious that at the same time, Swiss and German confectioners in St. Petersburg began to offer their customers ready-made trees decorated with sweets.
Christmas tree in the Soviet Union
However, it should be noted that a decorated Christmas tree was an attribute of Christmas, that is, a religious holiday. And of course, the October Revolution abolished everything - Christmas, New Year celebrations, and the Christmas tree. In the late 1920s, all this was banned. However, in a country devastated by the revolution and the Civil War, there were no opportunities for all this. But time passed, life got better, and people always need holidays. And in 1936, the tree returned precisely as an attribute of the New Year holidays. It was decorated with colored paper garlands, flags with Soviet symbols, bright balls. Fortunately, ideological motives were soon forgotten, and today we still have the opportunity to decorate the New Year tree.
It is impossible to imagine the New Year without a beautiful fluffy Christmas tree. For the New Year holiday, the forest beauty is dressed up by children and adults. A few decades ago, there was no tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in our country. So where did she come from? This is what will be discussed in our article.
Where did the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree come from?
The Germans claim that the origins of the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree came from Germany. The trees were originally decorated for Christmas. The tradition originated during the Middle Ages.
Residents believed that decorated trees at Christmas bring a rich harvest. The ancient Germanic tribes had a belief that local forest spirits live in the crowns of coniferous trees. The tribal inhabitants treated the environment with great honor and respect. They believed that if the spirits were well appeased, they would be protected.
People in the forests regularly dressed coniferous trees. Sprigs of needles were decorated with nuts, fruits, sweets and homemade fresh bread. The Celts believed that trees are endowed with magical meaning and are not amenable to destructive power. Over time, local residents began to dig up spruce with roots and transplant them near their homes. It was believed that the old spruce would be a good amulet.
In European countries, most residents refuse standard Christmas tree decorations. They are happy to decorate the Christmas tree with sweets, sweets, dried fruits. It looks beautiful and original. At any time, sweet tooth can remove sweets.
The legend of Luther King: what does the tree have to do with it
At the time of the birth of Christianity in Europe, the ancient inhabitants had a tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in the forest. Decorated with sweets, sweets, gingerbread cookies, fruits, berries. The ceremony of decorating coniferous trees was more reminiscent of pagan rites than traditions in Christianity. This worried a local priest named Martin Luther King.
On one of the winter evenings, he went to the nearest forest to understand why people come here to dress up handsome conifers. Walking along the snow-covered forest paths, his eyes fell on a tall beautiful spruce. It was powdered with silvery snow and illuminated by heavenly moonlight. The picture he saw was reminiscent of his biblical story about the Star of Bartholomew.
In the head of the priest, the idea arose to bring home a Christmas tree and decorate it with lights in the form of stars. And so he did. Since then, it has been born among Christians all over the world for the New Year to decorate the Christmas tree with toys, bright lights, serpentine, rain and tinsel.
In the annals, you can find records dating back to the 17th century that mention Christmas trees. Starting from the 19th century, the tradition from Germany to decorate a Christmas tree before Christmas passed to other European countries: England, Finland, France, Hungary, Slovenia and others. At the beginning of the 20th century, the tradition passed from Europe to America.
The great tsar and commander of All Rus' Peter I in the 17th century issued a law on the celebration of the New Year. For the holiday, the house was decorated with spruce branches and various treats were served on the table. The first Christmas tree, as an attribute of the celebration of the new, came to Russia with the ascension to the throne of Tsar Nicholas I.
It was he who ordered to decorate the coniferous spruce in the palace for the New Year, according to European traditions. The subjects followed the example of Nicholas I and dressed up spruces in their homes and estates for the upcoming Christmas and New Year. Since that time, the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree for the New Year began. In the 19th century, German culture, poetry and literature were popular in Russia. Therefore, the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in homes quickly took root in all sectors of society.
Without a green, beautifully dressed spruce. But once our ancestors did without it. Where did the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree come from? You will learn about this from our article.
Christmas tree: a little about the symbol
The green beauty spruce is essential attribute Christmas in many countries of the world. As a rule, a Christmas tree means not only a specific type of tree - an ordinary spruce. The role of a festive tree is just as well performed by pine or fir. also in last years artificial imitations of living spruce have become increasingly popular.
Today, this mood is beautifully and variously decorated with colorful balls, garlands, candles, lights and sweets. But many are wondering where the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree came from. Let's try to answer it together.
Origins of tradition
"Weihnachtsbaum" is what the Germans call the Christmas tree. Answering the question of where the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree for the New Year came from, the researchers confidently declare that it is from Germany. The inhabitants of this country dressed up trees for Christmas since the Middle Ages. They were sure that the plants were able to bloom and bear fruit on Christmas Eve.
By the way, it should be noted that the ancient Germanic tribes always treated the natural world with special trepidation, endowing it with divine features. They sincerely believed in the existence of the so-called "spirits of the forest." And the strongest spirits, in their opinion, lived just in the crowns. Therefore, in order to appease them, the Germans hung fruits, nuts and various sweets on the branches. By the way, that's why some people, when decorating a Christmas tree, even today refuse glass balls and "rain" in favor of apples, nuts or sweets.
Where did the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree come from? The Legend of Martin Luther
For a long time, even after Christianity was established everywhere in the European region, people continued to go to new year's eve in the forest. There they dressed the trees with fruits and treats.
This whole situation, which was more suitable for a pagan society than for a Christian one, greatly disturbed the priest Martin Luther. And one day he wandered into the forest, thinking about this problem. In one of the clearings, he saw a tall and beautiful spruce, powdered with silvery snow, which sparkled brightly under the moonlight. This wonderful picture reminded Martin Luther of which became a guide for the Magi on Christmas night.
That's how she was born to a reformer brilliant idea: He brought the fir tree home and decorated it with lights resembling the stars in the sky. This is the legend that explains this tradition.
It is difficult to say how true it can be considered. However, one can safely trust written documents in which Christmas trees are first mentioned. They date from the beginning of the 17th century. Then they were decorated with apples, nuts, colored paper. And only at the beginning of the 19th century, spruce, as an obligatory attribute of Christmas, spread to other European countries. And closer to the middle of the same century, the tradition took root overseas, in particular in the United States.
Where did the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree come from in Russia?
Now it is worth finding out how this custom migrated to our country. Where did the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree for the New Year come from in Russia?
"Window to Europe", as you know, cut through the king. This also applies new year traditions including. So, it was by his decree that Russia began to celebrate the New Year, and decorations in the form of twigs of coniferous trees were used as early as 1700.
However, the tradition of decorating the New Year tree in Russia became popular only in the 30s of the 19th century. And Nicholas I can rightly be considered its founder. He was the first to order to decorate the New Year tree for the holiday. After this, the example of the king was followed by all his confidants. The popularization of this custom was also helped by the fact that in the middle of the 19th century it was German culture and literature that was very popular in Russia.
It is also very interesting that the New Year tree managed to survive the difficult times of the "fight against opium for the people" - the years of Soviet power. So, immediately after the October Revolution, the Christmas holidays, as well as everything connected with them, fell under a strict ban. However, later, apparently, the realization came that people still need holidays. And in 1936, the Christmas tree again becomes the main attribute, but not of Christmas, but of the New Year. At the same time, the new ideologists managed to eradicate all the religious overtones of this symbol, and the top of the New Year tree was no longer occupied by Bethlehem, but by a red five-pointed star.
Finally...
Now you know where the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree came from. Dressing up your New Year's forest guest once again, you will know about the history and meaning of this amazing and beautiful custom.
The tradition of celebrating the New Year holidays with a Christmas tree has entered our everyday life so much that almost no one asks questions: where did the Christmas tree come from? What does she symbolize? Why is the tree an essential attribute for Christmas and? When did the Christmas tree appear and where did it come from, and we will try to find out in this article. In 1906, the philosopher Vasily Rozanov wrote: “Many years ago I was surprised to learn that the custom of the Christmas tree is not one of the indigenous Russian customs. The Christmas tree is now so firmly rooted in Russian society that it would never occur to anyone that she is not russian…»
As you already know from the article, he brought the tradition of celebrating the New Year with a Christmas tree to Russia by his decree in 1699. Here is a short fragment from this decree (letter " b» at the end of words is not readable):
“... now the year 1699 comes from the Nativity of Christ, and the next Genvara, from the 1st day, a new year 1700 will come, and a new centenary age, and for that good and useful deed, the Great Sovereign indicated that from now on to count in Orders and in all affairs and fortresses to write from the present January from the 1st day of the Nativity of Christ, 1700. And as a sign of that good beginning and a new century in the reigning city, after due thanksgiving to God and prayer singing in the church and to whom it will happen in your home, along large and passing noble streets to noble people and at houses of deliberate spiritual and worldly rank in front of the gate make some decorations from trees and branches of pine, spruce and juniper against samples, which are made at the Gostiny Dvor and at the lower pharmacy, or whoever is more convenient and decent, depending on the place and gate, it is possible to make ... "
Nevertheless, the decree of Emperor Peter had only an indirect relation to the future Christmas tree: firstly, the city was decorated not only with spruce, but also with other coniferous trees; secondly, the decree recommended the use of both whole trees and branches, and, finally, thirdly, needle decorations were prescribed not to be installed indoors, but outside - on gates, roofs of taverns, streets and roads. By this, the Christmas tree turned into a detail of the New Year's cityscape, and not the Christmas interior, which it became much later. The text of the sovereign decree testifies to us that for Peter, in the custom he introduced, which he met during a European trip, it was important as aesthetics - it was ordered to decorate houses and streets with needles; so is the symbolism - decorations from evergreen needles should have been created to commemorate the celebration precisely.
It is important that Peter's decree of December 20, 1699 is, almost the only document on the history of the Christmas tree in Russia in the 18th century. After the death of the impostor, they stopped putting up New Year trees. Only the owners of taverns decorated their houses with them, and these trees stood in taverns all year round- hence their name - " tree sticks».
Sovereign prescriptions were preserved only in decoration drinking establishments, which continued to decorate before the New Year. By these Christmas trees, which were tied to a stake, installed on roofs or stuck at the gate, taverns were identified. The Christmas trees stood there until the next year, on the eve of which the old ones were replaced with new ones. Having arisen as a result of Peter's decree, this custom was maintained during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Pushkin in the "History of the village of Goryukhin" mentions "an ancient public building decorated with a Christmas tree and an image of a double-headed eagle". This characteristic detail was well known and was reflected from time to time in many works of Russian literature. Sometimes, instead of a Christmas tree, pine trees were placed on the roofs of taverns: “The building of the tavern ... consisted of an old two-story hut with a high roof ... withered pine; its thin, withered branches seemed to be calling for help.
And in the poem by N.P. Kilberg’s 1872 “Yolka” the coachman is sincerely surprised that the master, by the tree driven in at the door of the hut, cannot recognize it as a drinking establishment:
“We drove in! .. we rush in the village with an arrow,
Suddenly the horses stood before the dirty hut,
Where the tree is driven in at the door...
What is this? .. - What are you, gentleman, an eccentric,
Don't you know? this is a tavern!..»
That is why, taverns in the people began to be called "Christmas Trees" or "Ivans-Yolkins": " Let's go to the Yolkin, let's drink for the holiday»; « It can be seen that Ivan Yolkin was visiting, that you stagger from side to side»; « Christmas tree (tavern) sweeps the house cleaner than a broom". Soon, the whole complex of “alcoholic” concepts gradually acquired “Christmas-tree” doublets: “ raise the tree"- to get drunk," go under the tree" or " the tree has fallen, let's go pick it up"- go to the tavern," to be under the tree"- to be in a tavern; " yolkin"- the state of alcoholic intoxication, etc.
Where did the Christmas tree holiday originate?
It turns out that many Europeanized Slavic-Aryan peoples during the Christmas season have long used Christmas or Yuletide log, a huge piece of wood or stump, which was lit on the hearth on the first day of Christmas and gradually burned down during the twelve days of the holiday. According to popular belief, careful storage of a piece of Christmas log throughout the year protected the house from fire and lightning, provided the family with an abundance of grain and helped the cattle to easily bear offspring. Stumps of spruce and beech trunks were used as Christmas logs. Among the southern Slavs - this is the so-called badnyak, among the Scandinavians - juldlock, the French - le buche de Noel(Christmas block, which, in fact, if you read these words in Russian, we get bukh - Russian butt - the reverse side of the ax-axe, there is quite a block or log; and no-yel looks like a merger of words - a Norwegian tree or a new Christmas tree , or the best and most accurate hit night tree).
The history of the transformation of spruce into Christmas tree still not fully restored. What is known for sure is that it happened on the territory Germany, where spruce in Vedic times was especially revered and identified with the world tree: “ The evergreen spruce was the queen of the German forests.". It was here, among the ancient Slavs, the ancestors of the Germans, that it first became a New Year's, and later a Christmas plant symbol. Among the Germanic peoples, it has long been a custom to go to the forest for the New Year, where the spruce tree chosen for the ritual role was lit with candles and decorated with colored rags, after which the corresponding rituals were performed near or around it.
Over time, spruce trees began to be cut down and brought into the house, where they were installed on the table. Lighted candles were attached to the tree, apples and sugar products were hung on it. The emergence of the cult of spruce as a symbol of undying nature was facilitated by its evergreen cover, which allowed it to be used during the winter festive season, which was a transformation of the long-known custom of decorating houses with evergreens.
After the baptism and latinization of the Slavic peoples (full-blooded Germans are not Aryans, but Slavs, more precisely Holy Russians - blue-eyed and fair-haired), inhabiting the territory of modern Germany, the customs and rituals associated with the veneration of spruce began to gradually acquire a Christian meaning, and it began to be used in quality christmas tree, installing in houses no longer on, but on Christmas Eve, i.e. the eve of the Nativity of the Sun (god), December 24, which is why it got the name of the Christmas tree - Weihnachtsbaum (an interesting word, which, if read in parts and in Russian, is very similar to the following - holy night log, where if to Weih add "s", then we get the Russian word holy or light). From now on Christmas Eve (Weihnachtsabend) the festive mood began to be created not only by Christmas carols, but also by a Christmas tree with candles burning on it.
A Christmas tree with candles and decorations is first mentioned in 1737 year. Fifty years later there is an entry by a certain baroness who claims that in every German house “a spruce tree is being prepared, covered with candles and sweets, with magnificent lighting”.
In France, the custom has long been burn a Christmas log on Christmas Eve (le buche de Noël), and the tree was assimilated more slowly and not as willingly as in the northern countries. In the story-stylization of the émigré writer M.A. Struve's "Paris Letter", which describes the "first Parisian impressions" of a Russian youth who celebrated Christmas in 1868, says: "The room ... met me embellished, but Christmas trees, kind to me according to Petersburg custom, even if it be the smallest, in her didn't turn out…»
Charles Dickens, in his 1830 essay "Christmas Dinner", describing English Christmas, does not yet mention the Christmas tree, but writes about the mistletoe branch, traditional for England, under which boys, as usual, kiss their cousins, and the holly branch, showing off on top of a giant pudding …
Now, knowing the truth about the Christmas tree and the holidays associated with it, you can perfectly celebrate the Christmas of the Sun (read the details in my article) and without a Christmas tree, and without Santa Claus, and without and not at midnight, and most importantly - on the present day Birth of the Sun, which is celebrated in the evening from the 24th to the 25th of December, and not according to our style from the 6th to the 7th of January.
It turns out that the whole Christian world correctly celebrates Christmas Sun, and us, Russ, as always, deceived And slipped us alien gods, alien traditions and holidays, and in days alien to the truth! When celebrating, do not forget why everyone gathered at the table, and whose Christmas you are celebrating ...
Without an elegant Christmas tree in the house, it is difficult to imagine the New Year and Christmas. When did the tradition appear to put in houses and dress up in New Year's celebration spruce, and how did this tradition develop?
Even primitive people treated trees with respect, believing that the souls of the dead move into them and protect people from evil forces, diseases and destructive weather phenomena- storms, thunderstorms. Spruce has been especially revered since ancient times, it was considered a magical tree: ancient people considered this tree the favorite of the god - the Sun, which allows it to always remain green, while deciduous trees shed their leaves for the winter. Therefore, spruce personified immortality, eternal youth, and was also a symbol of fearlessness, loyalty, dignity. Thus, the tradition of making offerings to the spruce, decorating its branches with gifts, dates back to time immemorial.
Spruce became a New Year's and then a Christmas tree in Germany, where this evergreen tree has long been revered as a symbol of undying nature and immortality. The choice of spruce as christmas tree its evergreen cover also contributed, which allowed it to remain green even in winter. After all, deciduous trees that stand naked in winter cannot symbolize immortality, rebirth by their appearance. Other coniferous trees, except for spruce, were also revered and even used as New Year's decor, but spruce, in addition, unlike the same pine, fir or juniper, has a successful pyramidal shape.
The ancient Germans had a custom for the New Year to go into the forest to the highest and pre-selected beautiful Christmas tree and decorate it with candles and colored rags, and then dance around it and sing ritual songs. Later, Christmas trees were cut down and brought into houses. The Christmas tree was put on the table, apples, sugar products were hung on it, candles were attached to the branches.
After the Germanic peoples were baptized (converted to Christianity), they did not abandon this rite, but gave it a new meaning: the Christmas tree became a Christmas tree. It is currently impossible to establish exactly when and where spruce was first used as a Christmas tree. This event took place around the beginning of the 16th century. In the 17th century, instead of small Christmas trees that were placed on the table, they began to put large Christmas trees in houses, and at the beginning of the 19th century, tall Christmas trees began to decorate the squares of German cities.
Half a century later, the custom of setting up Christmas trees crossed the borders of Germany and gradually began to spread in all European countries, as well as in America.
Each of the traditional Christmas decorations also has its own history. The star that crowns the top of the Christmas tree symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem - the one that lit up over the birthplace of the baby Jesus. This star became a guide for the priests-sorcerers: they went to her when she lit up at sunrise (east) to bow to the born "King of the Jews." And the star led them to the place where Mary and Baby Jesus were. In our country in the Soviet years, when active struggle with religion, the Christmas star was replaced with a red one five pointed star, similar to the ruby stars crowning the towers of the Kremlin.
At first, one of the indispensable attributes of the Christmas tree was apples - a symbol of fruits from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Later, sweets, nuts, and fruits were hung on the Christmas tree, which were wrapped in foil.
The time of the invention of glass Christmas decorations is not known exactly, but it has been established that this happened in Germany, where already in the middle of the 19th century their production became widespread.
Most Christmas decorations were originally edible. In addition to fruits, sugar gingerbread and cookies were hung on the Christmas tree. They were designed to remind of the rite of communion, during which they eat special bread.
Often in stores on New Year's Eve you can see artificial Christmas trees and wreaths decorated with scarlet berries. This is an imitation of holly berries, which grows in Western and Southern Europe. This is also an evergreen tree, the bright red berries of which hang on the trees until February. The idea is to use them as christmas decoration came to us from the Celtic tradition.
Candles as Christmas tree decoration symbolized angelic purity. The legend connects the decoration of the Christmas tree with wax candles with the name of the famous German reformer Martin Luther. By the way, some attribute the idea of installing a Christmas tree in the house to him. According to legend, Martin Luther was walking home through the woods one Christmas Eve. Looking up at the sky, he saw the stars shining brightly through the branches of the fir trees. This picture reminded him of the events of the night of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Luther began to think about boundless love God, who sent his only son into the world as the Savior of sinful mankind. These thoughts did not leave him even when he returned home, and he shared them with his household. To illustrate his thoughts, Luther went out into the garden, cut down a small Christmas tree, brought it into the house, attached candles to it and lit them. After this incident, every year at Christmas, Luther set up a Christmas tree in the house with candles burning on it as a reminder of the goodness of God.
Candle lights on fluffy branches look very beautiful, but this decoration is extremely fire hazardous. Therefore, over time, burning candles gave way to electric garlands. The author of this idea is the American telegrapher Ralph Morris. The filaments of signal lights were used on telephone consoles, and Morris had the idea to hang similar filaments on the Christmas tree. This happened in the 70s of the XIX century, and already in 1895 an electric garland decorated Christmas tree in front of the White House in Washington. After that, the tradition of decorating Christmas trees with electric garlands quickly spread throughout the world.
