Christmas tree

Also called Christmas tree , the Christmas tree is associated with the Christmas presents.

Become an object of great consumption for the month of December, of the plantations only intended to provide the request are realized in order to limit the wild cuts in wood. One will note, until there is little, that the white Sapin ( Abies alba ) of Christmas was in approximately 70% of the cases a common spruce ( Picea abies ), less expensive tree and with faster growth but which keeps its needles less longer than the Sapin of Nordmann ( Abies nordmanniana ), appeared more recently on the market and which is in constant progression.

Traditionally, this Christmas tree should not be set up before the day before Christmas, i.e. the December 24th and must be removed twelve nights precisely after, for the Épiphanie. In the facts, decorations of the streets starting definitely earlier, it is thus not rare that a fir tree survives until the Chandeleur few days before the beginning of the Lent.

Lastly, the Fir tree of Christmas or the Christmas tree of a company is the festival organized by a work's council for the employees and their family, often comprising a spectacle for the children, a handing-over of gifts and one to taste.

History

The tradition of the Christmas tree is resulting from the adoption by the Christians of a pagan idea that the trees with persistent sheets represent the revival of the life. On Roman mosaics in Tunisia, one can see the Greek god Dionysos carrying a conifer. However, the medieval legends concentrate rather on miraculous “a flowering” of the trees with Christmas.

Some of the first Germanic tribes celebrated the tradition of Yule where one sacrificed male animals and slaves by hanging them to the branches trees. In Scandinavia, the kings Viking S sacrificed nine males of each species in crowned places, whereas poorest apples, pastry makings and other small offerings in the branches suspended. It is probable that the Christmas tree is a continuation of this tradition. Charlemagne, itself, hung the bowels as well as the eyes of its enemies overcome with the fir trees present in the area of Aachen.

By still going up time, one realizes that the decoration of the fir tree comes from the worship of the pagan god of the Middle East Attis, more known under the name of Baal, the husband of Astarte, Ishtar or Easter ( Easter in English) Attis, was crucifié on a tree. This tradition has report/ratio with the old spirit of the tree. The fir tree is cut and decorated with money, gold and an emblem of died and rebirth of Attis, with a star with six points of its sacrifice at its top. The Greeks adored the Adonis god, who was similar to Attis.

Attis was symbolized by a fir tree which one adored and who was crowned for him. The reason for which the fir tree was considered crowned, was because it was green in winter when the other trees had lost their sheets.

The emblems of Attis, attaches to the fir tree, were changed with the symbols of the sun at the top and, then, the angels. Decorations of the Christmas tree are easily identified like the sun, the moon and stars, represented by balls and garlands.

As much of other traditions of Christmas, that of the fir tree is resulting from the fusion of Christian ideas with older pagan traditions. The habit finds its origins in Germany. According to the legend, holy Boniface of Mainz tried to introduce the idea of the Trinité at the pagan tribes while making use of conifers and their triangular appearance. The tradition consisting in hanging decorations (representing fruits or offerings) on the trees is very old, but that to hang candles there is allotted to Martin Luther. The first Christmas tree known as modern, is brought back in 1521 to Sélestat in Alsace. Previously, the Mystery S of Christmas, played on the squares of the churches to tell the birth of Jesus, were frequently accompanied by a decorated tree, symbol of the life which reappears.

Here an explanation of the Christmas tree given by the Pope Jean-Paul II at the time of the Sunday Angelus of the Sunday, December 19, 2004:

one often finds beside the crib the traditional Christmas tree, a very old tradition it-also, which exalte life. In winter, the always green fir tree becomes the mark of the life which does not die. It is usually with the foot of the decorated Christmas tree that the gifts are deposited. This symbol is also speaking out of key about Christian reading because he points out the Tree of the Life, image of Christ, supreme gift of God to humanity .
the message of the Christmas tree is thus that the life remains green and that it is a gift, nonmaterial but of itself, in the friendship and the affection, the fraternal mutual aid and forgiveness, in the division and the listening of the other .

Germany, Austria and Alsace-Lorraine assiduously practice this tradition as of the 17th century. In 1738, the wife of Louis XV introduced a fir tree decorated with the Château with Versailles and, one century later, in 1837, a Christmas tree is installed with Tileries in Paris. London succumbs in 1841 following the erection of a Christmas tree to the castle of Windsor by prince Albert. The the United States await 1850 before yielding to this tradition. It is necessary however to await the war of 1870 so that the immigrants of the East of France generalize the tradition on the worldwide. With this generalization, each area brings its small key to decoration. Thus, for example, the small cotton characters and the hair of angels come from Lyon.

The introduction to the Quebec was earlier than in France. This tradition was introduced in 1781 by the German mercenaries and in particular general major von Riedesel, of the troops of Brunswick, and his wife. It planted, with Sorel, the first North-American Christmas tree . This habit was spread during the time victorienne, being limited however to the middle-class class. As from 1920, this practice started to spread in the great urban centres. In rural environment however, the decorated fir tree became a familiar reality only during the years 1930. Small fir tree of table one passed, towards the end of the 19th century, to the first fir trees of great dimension. This novel mode would be ascribable on arrival of the first metal supports on the market. In popular environments, one replaced these too expensive supports by two small planks of wood cross and nailed or one planted the fir tree in a bucket filled with ground.

Derived directions

A particular direction is given to the Christmas tree . Indeed in the world of oil , when a drilling is made and that oil is found, one associates this discovery with a happy event, comparable with the festival of Christmas. One regards this discovery as a gift of God. As, once the drilled well and as oil runs, one must close the well with a certain number of valves in waiting of his exploitation. This whole of valves to the shape of a Christmas tree, thus one calls it by this name.

By analogy with the multicoloured Guirlande S which decorate it, one calls also Christmas tree the gantry supporting multiple fires of various colors which announce the imminence of the departure of an automobile race on circuit.

Accessories

The Christmas tree would not be one without decorations which it carries. Those are several types:
  • a star at the top of the fir tree, recalling for the Christians the star which guided the Magi;
  • garlands: simple or luminous (twinkling or not);
  • balls of Christmas: brilliant and of various colors;
  • Of the artificial Snow;
  • Of the “hair of angels”: long very fine white wire;
  • Of other suspensions of various forms having a relationship with Christmas: in particular cherubs, Father Christmas, miniatures of objects out of wooden, and even of the candles lit in Germany (prohibited in France, because of the risks of Fire);
  • the Christmas presents: those are not accessories strictly speaking, but one places them at the foot of the fir tree the Christmas day before because of their decorative aspect (paper gift);
  • the support of the foot of fir tree, which can be:
    • large pot filled of sand (of ground if the fir tree is sold with its roots),
    • two boards nailed in cross with a hole with the intersection to slip the tree trunk,
    • half-roughs-hew whose plane side is posed on the ground, with a hole on the top to wedge the trunk,
    • a metal foot, expensive but more stable.

The Crib of Christmas, often associated, is not an accessory of the fir tree, it is simply concomitant. As much the fir tree has a double origin pagan and Christian, as much the crib has only one religious significance.

Trade

France

In France, one envisages a sale of five million fir trees for 2004. Half of the fir trees come from Burgundy. Two species are distinguished: the spruce, with the pleasant odor but which lose its needles in two weeks, and the Sapin of Nordmann, without odor but whose needles hold nearly two months. For 2004, one provides that there will be twice more sold fir trees of Nordmann than of spruces. The fir trees of Nordmann are in general more expensive than the spruces because their growth is longer before being marketable.

The Christmas trees can be sold crossed or out of pot. More and more of people choose a Christmas tree out of pot to replant it in their Jardin at the end of the festivities. That requires some precautions: in particular, it should be prevented keeping it too a long time inside, and it is preferable that such a fir tree was cultivated out of pot and not simply conditioned out of pot at the time of its marketing. The replanted fir tree can itself be used as Christmas tree of outside: the generalization of electric garlands “all times” makes it possible to the private individuals to decorate a tree with their garden, often visible of the street, as well as the frontage of their house.

More and more the inhabitants of the great urban areas are equipped with an artificial plastic fir tree, often foldable, which has the advantage of being reusable several years. Some of these fir trees are sold “snow-covered” (the sheets are out of white plastic or they are covered with a white powder) or even decorated (pre-hung balls and garlands). The brand image of a plastic fir tree is less good than that of a natural fir tree, but it is often the most economic means (in the long run), less dirtying and most practical (not elimination of the fir tree to be envisaged) for which lives downtown. Moreover, the variety of the sizes makes it possible to choose a fir tree corresponding to the place available in the dwelling, by knowing that it will be soon possible to find the odor of the natural fir tree on the artificial one using various new processes available under the mark: Magic fir tree " creator of ambiances".

Denmark

The Denmark is the most important exporter in the world of Christmas trees. The 4000 Danish forest owners export 10 million trees, which are to 95% of the Nordmann species. This trade pays annually nearly 150 million euros.

The cut begins the November 15th and lasts four weeks in enormous plantations. Each logger crosses to thousand Christmas trees per day; he is paid thirty centimes of euro per cut tree. It is necessary between six and eight years so that a nordmann is with the size of a Christmas tree. There exist 3 categories: the first with branches distributed well and a beautiful arrow in top of the fir tree (33% of the production), the second average category and the third class quality poor.

Canada

With the Canada, where the production of the Christmas tree is concentrated, some 300 specialized companies in the production cultivate annually more than 110 km ² of Christmas trees. Harvest reaches two million trees. This production generates incomes evaluated to 30 million dollars, according to the ministry for the Agriculture of Quebec. But for a few years, the production of ornaments derived from the Christmas tree has become extensive more and more. According to Statistical Canada, the Canada exports some for 47,7 million dollars.

Recycling

After the festivals, the Recyclage of the Christmas trees is a true environmental problem. Deposited in mass on the pavements, it damage buckets of collecting and the cost of treatment is prohibitory. The solution is to bring them back in the Déchetterie S where they could be transformed into Compost.

Artificial trees

The artificial trees are very popular with the the United States of America, where in spite of their lack of realism (with the sight and the odor), one considers them more practical and (if they are re-used several years of continuation) less expensive than of truths trees. Some preserve the whole tree, still decorated, in large bags ready with employment for the following year. In the United States, approximately 70% of the trees are artificial. In the majority of the countries of Europe, the plastic trees are still regarded as being very bad taste, even if the electric garlands replaced the candles in the majority of the hearths.

The artificial trees have the advantage of presenting less risks of Incendie and can prove to be essential for those which present Allergie S to the Conifère S. Moreover, the intensive mode of production of the natural fir trees intended for a festive use is criticized enough: although not contributing to the Deforestation, since they are primarily cultivated in especially arranged plantations, the reduction of biological diversity related to the Monoculture in these zones disturbs the ecosystem of it.

The appearance of artificial Christmas trees is at the origin of the development of product ranges and decorations diffusers of odors available under the range: Magic fir tree " creator of ambiances". Indeed odors, such as those of the pine, cinnamon or the tangerine are strongly attached to Christmas in the imaginary collective, and are now reproduced using various processes such as:

- diffusion of perfume being fixed directly on the trunk;
- pre-scented and refillable plastic fir trees;
- curios decorative and scented manufactured containing terra cotta and intended to be fixed directly on the branches of the fir tree.

Others

In the southern hemisphere, Christmas is in full summer and the Christmas tree is somewhat different. In New Zealand, for example, it is the Pohutukawa, whose red flowers hatch at the time of the festivals of end of the year.

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Christmas tree, environment and cleansing of the air
  • history of the Christmas tree
  • royal Christmas tree

Simple: Christmas tree Zh-yue: 聖誕樹

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