The Christmas tree is probably one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas, seen on greeting cards, advertisements, cookies, wrapping paper and in the homes of millions of people around the world. I have to admit, that until recently, I never thought to question why I go to the effort every year of decorating a tree, apart from the fact that it always brings a little bit of so-called Christmas cheer.
While the celebration of Christmas is typically associated with Christianity and the birth of Jesus (although many non-Christians also celebrate Christmas), the symbolism of an evergreen tree did not have a place in early Christianity. In fact, it was not mentioned in connection with Christmas at all until 1605 in Germany.
Some suggest that the German reformer Martin Luther popularized the use of the Christmas tree. Luther, inspired by the beauty of the stars on Christmas Eve night, is said to have cut an evergreen and put lighted candles on it to represent the starry sky above the stable the night Jesus was born. By the early 1600s, trees decorated with candies, fruits and paper roses were a part of the holiday decorations in German homes.
Steel engraving of Martin Luther’s Christmas Tree, from Sartain’s Magazine, circa 1860. (Public domain)
The Use of the Evergreen Tree in Ancient History
The evergreen tree, laden with symbolic weight, is often linked to the ancient Roman sun god Mithras, whose roots lie in Persian or Zoroastrian traditions. As a pivotal figure in the Mithraic Mysteries,…
