Christmas tree
The history of the New Year tree is many thousands of years old. “The prototype” of this charming and elegant heroine of New Year’s holidays was the World Tree. In ancient times, it symbolized the structure of the world and was itself considered the center of the universe. Its roots, which go deep into the earth, are the underworld. Its powerful trunk with branches is our terrestrial world, its crown stretching to the heavens, Paradise, the connection of man with the Higher Powers. In Slavic peoples, the World Tree was associated with birch, in ancient Egyptians – with a palm tree. In Greece, the world center represented cypress, in Rome – a fig tree, and Celtic peoples – mistletoe.
Finally, the tradition of decorating houses with trees was formed only in the Middle Ages. The day of the winter solstice (December 22, the shortest day of the year) was considered special, since it was on him, according to popular beliefs, the birthday of Adam and
New Year tree – a symbol of the New Year and Christmas
Approximately at the same time, spruce becomes a symbol of Christmas (which is celebrated on December 25 and by the date almost coincides with the birthday of Eve and Adam). As assured by written sources, for the first time on Christmas holidays, a decorated Christmas tree was installed in the German city of Strasbourg, in the early 16th century. For several centuries this beautiful tradition has spread throughout Europe. And by the beginning of the 19th century, she had reached America.
New Year tree in Russia
In Russia, the first Christmas tree appears thanks to Peter I. In 1699 he issued a decree to conduct the chronology, as is customary in European countries, from the Nativity of Christ. And celebrate the New Year on the night of December 31 to January 1, magnificent
For some time after the 1917 revolution, the New Year tree was considered a bourgeois relic. But already in 1935 the tradition of meeting with her the New Year returned. Nowadays in the days of New Year’s festivities, elegant Christmas trees decorate not only all the houses, but also the main squares of many capitals of the world. And, some trees look very unusual!
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)