What is the origin of the Christmas tree?
In Christmas traditions, the tree is an essential symbol of it. Decorated with lights and ornaments, it never ceases to amaze throughout the years. 🎄
In European traditions, it also represents survival through the cold of winter, just like its congeners: the Semper Virens ( pronounced "Sèmper Wiren" ).
These are plants that are easily recognizable: they never lose their leaves, and always remain green, including winter. 🌨️
However, the historical origins of the decorated indoor tree are multiple and obscure.
1. A Christian origin?
In this one, it would be Saint Boniface , a German evangelist monk from the end of the 7th century, who would have wanted to convince the Germanic druids that the oak, associated with Thor, was not a sacred tree.
So he had a very old one cut down and "the tree, as it fell, crushed everything in its path except for a young little fir tree."
Since then, the legend has done its work: this pure chance wanted Boniface to give this tree the status of "The tree of the child Jesus". As for the wood of the oak, he would have built with it a church for the worship of St. Peter... 🪵
But no valid document really attests to this story. But since then, young fir trees have been planted in Germany to celebrate the birth of the child-light... 👼
2. Or an older origin?
Others will argue that the Yule tree has been decorated for millennia, as a reminder of the Norse sacred tree Yggdrasil. But Yggdrasil is described as an ash tree, not a pine tree. 🌲
It is likely that a Semper Viren tree has long been used for the Solstice. The spruce was already revered by the Celtic peoples as the tree of Childbirth , symbolizing the rebirth of the sun on December 24.
But it remains difficult to find any evidence (to our knowledge) of a particular ritual or aesthetic ...
3. Aside: What is the origin of the term “Christmas”?
The origin of the name is debated. Either it comes from Natalis Dies, the day of the nativity, either she comes from Noio Ilios , the New Sun in Greek. It is also found in Gaelic (Celtic) in the form of Nollaig to symbolize birth.
One thing is certain, all these terms speak of a renewal.
There has also been talk of a Celtic version, Noio Hel, for some years. But the sun in Gaulish would be Sulios or Sulis.
Natalis' explanation is appreciated above all by the church for distancing itself from a pagan solar cult. 🌞
We could go further, and note that the term Noio Ilios, pronounced with a Germanic accent gives the sound *noyule*, with the Germanic root niw/ne for "new". It also recalls "New Year", for the new year... solar.
You will be able to bring it back during your family meal this year, even if we cannot give you a definitive answer 😎
4. The oldest written traces of the Christmas tree
The modern and decorated Christmas tree actually appeared in the 17th century, in Alsace. 🥨
And it was not until 1738 that a wife of Louis XV introduced it to Versailles. A century later, it was the Duchess of Orleans, Helene of Meckembourg, of German origin, who had a fir tree decorated at the Tuileries...
The tradition that became widespread in the country would have to wait until the end of the war of 1870.
As for the origins of the decorations, it would be an Alsatian glassmaker who, in 1858, faced with the absence of red apples after a very cold autumn, had the idea of blowing glass "apples" to decorate the branches of the fir trees... 🍎
Conclusion
In the end, it's hard to know exactly where the tradition of decorating a tree at this time of year comes from. But does everything have to have a perfectly sourced origin? Oral cultures, including those of our distant ancestors, were more concerned with transmitting the meaning of a tradition. 📜
We suggest you do the same this year, and remember that you are maintaining a tradition whose roots are lost in the twists and turns of history... 🌿
