Where did the tradition of decorating the tree come from? Legends and facts

Today it is difficult for us to imagine New Year's holidays without a green, beautifully dressed fir-tree. But our ancestors once did without it. Where does the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree come from? You will learn about this from our article.

Christmas tree: a little bit about the symbol

The green beauty of spruce is an essential attribute of Christmas in many countries of the planet. As a rule, under Christmas fir is meant not only a specific kind of trees - spruce common. The role of a festive tree with the same success is performed by pine or fir. Also in recent years, artificial imitations of live spruce began to become increasingly popular.

Today, this attribute of the New Year mood is beautifully and diversely decorated with colorful balls, garlands, candles, lights and sweets. But many are wondering about the origin of the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree. Let's try to answer it together.

Origins of tradition

"Weihnachtsbaum" - that's what the Germans call the New Year's tree. Answering the question about where the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree for the New Year came from, the researchers confidently declare that they are from Germany. Residents of this country dressed trees for Christmas even in the Middle Ages. They were sure that plants can blossom and bear fruit on Christmas Eve.

By the way, it should be noted that the ancient German tribes always treated the natural world with special trepidation, giving it divine features. They sincerely believed in the existence of so-called "forest spirits". And the strongest spirits, in their opinion, lived just in the crowns of coniferous trees. Therefore, to cajole them, the Germans hung on the branches fruits, nuts and various sweets. By the way, that's why some people, when decorating the New Year tree, refuse today glass balls and "rain" in favor of apples, nuts or sweets.

Where does the tradition of decorating a 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 the forest on New Year's Eve. There they decorated trees with fruits and goodies.

This entire situation, which was more suitable for a pagan society than for a Christian, was extremely troubling to the priest Martin Luther. And one day he wandered into the forest, thinking about this problem. On one of the glades he saw a tall and beautiful spruce, proroposhennuyu silvery snow, which shone brightly under the moonlight. This wonderful picture reminded Martin Luther about the Bethlehem star, which became the guiding light for the Magi on Christmas Eve.

That's how the brilliant idea came from the reformer: he brought a spruce home and decorated it with lights resembling stars in the sky. Such is the legend, which explains this tradition.

It's hard to say how true it can be. However, you can safely trust the written documents in which the Christmas trees are mentioned for the first time. They date from the beginning of the XVII century. Then they were decorated with apples, nuts, colored paper. And only at the beginning of the XIX 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 over the ocean, in particular in the United States.

Where does the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in Russia come from?

Now it is worth to find out how this custom migrated to our country. Where does the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree for the New Year in Russia come from?

"Window to Europe," as is known, was cut through by Tsar Peter I. This concerns the New Year traditions as well. So, it was on his order in Russia that they started celebrating the new year, and decorations in the form of twigs of coniferous trees were used in 1700.

Nevertheless, the tradition of decorating the New Year tree in Russia became popular only in the 30s of the XIX century. And its founder by right can be considered Nicholas I. He was the first to decorate the New Year tree for the holiday. After that the tsar's example was followed by all his associates. Popularization of this custom was also helped by the fact that in the middle of the 19th century, German culture and literature was very popular in Russia.

It is also very interesting that the New Year tree managed to survive the difficult times of the "struggle against opium for the people" - the years of Soviet power. So, right after the October Revolution, 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 of the winter holiday, but not Christmas, but the New Year. At the same time, all the religious implication of this symbol to new ideologists was eradicated, and the top of New Year's fur was taken not by Bethlehem, but by the red five-pointed star.

Finally...

Now you know where the tradition of decorating the tree came from. Dressing up your New Year's wood visitor once again, you will know about the history and significance of this amazing and beautiful custom.