Christmas Tree Legends
The Christmas tree is a much-loved symbol that instantly conjures up images of gifts and family joy. There are many beautiful connections to ancient traditions. Egyptian and Roman customs, early Christian practices, and Victorian nostalgia are combined in our modern Christmas tree.
The Greek fir is commonly used as a Christmas tree. The ancient Greeks called the tree “Pitys” and, along with the pine tree, it was sacred to Pan. Legend has it that Pan was once in love with a nymph named Pieta, just like the god of the north wind. Too bad Pan and the wind god, insulted and humiliated by her, blew her throat to death. Pan found her lifeless body and turned her into her holy fir. Since then, whenever the north wind blows, you can cry for pity and her tears are the little drops of tar that sprout from the pine cones every autumn.
Since ancient times, evergreens have been revered as representations of sexual potency and fertility, and played an important role in winter celebrations. Perhaps the Christmas tree is a diluted version of the Scandinavian Yggdrasil, the Great Tree of Life. In Northern Europe, the evergreen tree was a reminder that the long, dark nights of winter would end and the green of spring would return. For Saturnalia, the Romans decorated their trees with suns, candles and small pieces of metal and today we still bring trees into our homes and decorate them.
During the winter solstice, the Egyptians brought green palm trees into their homes to symbolize the triumph of life over death. Live trees in large tubs were brought into homes during the old German Yule festival. Prince Albert, husband and consort of Queen Victoria, continued this German tradition by decorating a tree with candles, candy, fruit and gingerbread. Although he was generally averse to anything of German origin, the English public held a great affection for his queen and soon adopted the custom for themselves.
Some say that the Christmas Tree has evolved from Paradise Plays. Starting in the 11th century, these popular religious plays were performed outdoors and in churches. It told the story of the creation of Adam and Eve, their sin, and their banishment from Paradise. The only prop on the stage was the “Paradise Tree”, a fir tree festooned with apples. From this tree, at the appropriate moment in the play, Eve took the fruit, ate it, and gave it to Adam.
A legend tells of Saint Boniface who met some German pagans about to sacrifice a child at the base of an oak tree. He cut down the oak tree to avoid the sacrifice and a fir tree grew in its place. Saint Boniface told the pagans that this was the Tree of Life and represented Christ.
Another delicious legend tells of the time when the Holy Family was persecuted by Herod’s soldiers, when many plants offered to give them shelter. One of those plants was the pine. As Mary was too tired to continue traveling, the family stopped at the edge of a forest to rest and an old pine tree, gnarled and hollow with the years, invited them to rest inside its trunk. Then he closed his branches, keeping the family safe until the soldiers had passed. When they left, the Child Jesus blessed the Pine Tree and the imprint of his tiny hand remained forever on the fruit of the tree… the pineapple. If a cone is cut lengthwise, the hand can still be seen.
Martin Luther also appears in the legends of the Christmas Tree. One night, the founder of the Protestant religion was walking through the woods. The sky was clear and many stars shone through the branches of the trees, giving the impression of flickering lights. Luther was so captivated and inspired by the beautiful brilliance of the sight that he cut down a small evergreen tree and brought it home. He recreated the stars by placing candles on the branches of the tree to imitate his glow and gave them to his children.
Whatever legend you like, be sure to tell it when you gather around your own Christmas tree.