History of the Christmas Tree
By Amber Ward

Decorating your home for the holidays with evergreens has had special meaning long before the advent of Christianity. Ancient peoples believed that plants and trees that stayed green through winter would keep away evil spirits and illness. This why hanging pine, spruce and fir tree branches above doors and windows has become a tradition, including the Christmas tree, that will grace many homes this festive season.

The shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere will fall on December 22 this year; this is called the winter solstice. Ancient peoples believed that winter came every year because the sun god was ill. The solstice was celebrated because this was the day that at last the sun god would begin to get well again. Evergreens reminded people that the green plants would grow again as winter begins to fade into spring.

The Ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun god Ra. At the solstice, Ra would begin to recover from illness, and the Egyptians would fill their homes with green palm rushes symbolizing Ra's triumph of life over death. The Romans celebrated the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that their crops would soon begin to grow again, and abundance would once again grace the Empire. They would also decorate with evergreen boughs to mark the occasion.

The ancient priests of the Celts, the Druids, would also decorate their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life during the bleak winters. Even the Scandinavian Vikings recognized evergreens as the special plants of their sun god, Balder.

Germany is credited with bringing the evergreen boughs indoors. Sometime during the 16th century devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes, starting the Christmas tree tradition.

Some would build Christmas tree pyramids of wood and decorate them with evergreens and candles if trees were scarce. It is commonly believed that it was Martin Luther, the 16th century protestant reformer, that was first to put candles on the tree. Walking home from a sermon one evening, he was awed by the glittering stars against the evergreen branches in the sky. Wanting to recreate this twinkling glory for his family and friends, he wired candles to the branches of a tree inside his home.

In 19th century America, Christmas trees were thought to be an odd tradition. The first record of a tree on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, even though they had been displaying community trees since the 1750s. Americans thought of Christmas trees as pagan symbols, and it was not until the 1850s that this view would change.

Christmas was sacred to the New England Puritans, and William Bradford, the pilgrims' second governor, tried to "stamp out the pagan mockery" of the holiday. Oliver Cromwell also preached against the "heathen traditions" of things like Christmas carols and decorated trees that desecrated the "sacred event" of Christmas. In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts went as far as to make any Christmas observance other than attending church a penal offense. This animosity towards the joyful expression of Christmas continued into the 19th century until the influx of German and Irish immigrants that eventually faded out the Puritan ideas of how Christmas should be celebrated.

In 1846, the popular Queen Victoria and her German Prince Albert posed with their family around a lavishly decorated Christmas tree for a London newspaper. What was done in the royal court was immediately fashionable, and the Christmas tree became immensely popular in Britain, but also with the fashion-conscious East Coast American Society.

By 1890, hand-crafted Christmas ornaments from Germany were arriving and tree popularity in America had reached new heights. It's interesting to note that Europeans commonly used small trees, around four feet in height, while Americans liked their trees to reach from the floor to the ceiling. Traditionally, trees were decorated with apples, nuts and cookies. Then came dyed popcorn strung with berries and nuts and handmade ornaments in the 20th century. Christmas lights, as we know them, came with the advent of electricity. Soon, Christmas trees began to appear not only in homes, but also in town squares across the country.

The Christmas tree is now an American tradition, and there are several varieties to choose from each year. There are two locations in Julian where you can purchase a tree.

On Hwy. 78, just east of Main Street, Ed and Denise Kelley of Mike's Tree Ranch have a beautiful array of silver-tipped fir trees varying in height from four feet to 20 feet tall. Originally started by Mike Mushet more than 60 years ago, they are open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to sunset. These trees are unique because they are cut from the tops of larger trees, causing no harm to the main tree. The Kelleys also have handmade garlands, wreaths and centerpieces made of fir, pine and cedar for sale.

Another option for a local Christmas tree purchase is on Hwy. 79, just south of Main Street. Here, Debbie and Kenny Mushet have some great Noble and Douglas Fir trees for sale. They are open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Happy Holidays!