Christmas Tree Traditions Around the World
Canada
German settles migrated to Canada from the United States in the 1700's. They
brought with them many of the things associated with Christmas we cherish
today: Advent calendars, gingerbread houses, cookies--and Christmas trees.
When Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, put up a Christmas
tree at Windsor Castle in 1848, the Christmas tree became a tradition throughout
England, the United States and Canada.
Mexico
In most Mexican homes the principal holiday adornment is el Nacimiento (Nativity
scene). However, a decorated Christmas tree may be incorporated in the Nacimiento
or set up elsewhere in the home. The typical arbolito (little tree) is often
an artificial one, a bare branch cut from a copal tree (Bursera microphylla) or
some type of shrub collected from the countryside.
Britain
The Norway Spruce is the traditional species used to decorate homes in Britain.
The Norway Spruce was a native species in the British Isles before the last
Ice Age and was reintroduced there before the 1500's.
Greenland
Christmas trees are imported, as no trees live this far north. They are decorated
with candles and bright ornaments.
Guatemala
The Christmas tree has joined the "Nacimiento" (Nativity scene) as
a popular ornament because of the large German population in Guatemala. Gifts
are left under the tree on Christmas morning for the children. Parents and
adults do not exchange gifts until New Year’s Day.
Finland
The earliest account of a Christmas tree in a Finnish home is from the year
1829, when a Helsinki nobleman, Barön Klinckowstrom, had eight of them
indoors. Within the next hundred years the Christmas tree tradition spread
from the west and the south to all parts of Finland. The first outdoor Christmas
tree decorated with electric lights stood in the market square in the town
of Pietarsaari in 1905. The city of Helsinki has erected a Christms tree
in the Senate Square since 1930. Since 1954, Helsinki has donated a Christmas
tree to the Belgian capital, Brussels. Source: Christmas
With Virtual Finland
Brazil
Although Christmas falls during the summer in Brazil, sometimes pine trees
are decorated with little pieces of cotton that represent falling snow.
Ireland
Christmas trees are brought in anytime in December and decorated with colored
lights, tinsel, and baubles. Some people favor the angel on top of the tree,
others the star. The house is decorated with garlands, candles, holly and
ivy. Wreaths and mistletoe are hung on the door.
Sweden
Most people buy Christmas trees well before Christmas Eve, but it’s not
uncommon to take the tree inside and decorate it just a few days before. Evergreen
trees are decorated with stars, sunbursts and snowflakes made from straw. Other
decorations include colorful wooden animals and straw centerpieces.
Norway
Nowadays Norwegians often take a trip to the woods to select a Christmas tree,
a trip that their grandfathers probably did not make. The Christmas tree
was not introduced into Norway from Germany until the latter half of the
nineteenth century, to the country districts it came even later. When Christmas
Eve arrives, there is the decorating of the tree, usually done by the parents
behind the closed doors of the living room, while the children wait with
excitement outside. Then follows a Norwegian ritual known as "circling
the Christmas tree." Everyone joins hands to form a ring around the
tree and they then walk around it singing carols. Afterwards, gifts are distributed.
Ukraine
Celebrated on December 25th by Catholics and on January 7th by Orthodox Christians,
Christmas is the most popular holiday in the Ukraine. During the Christmas
season, which also includes New Year’s Day, people decorate fir trees
and have parties.
Spain
A popular Christmas custom is Catalonia, a lucky strike game. A tree trunk
is filled with goodies and children hit at the trunk trying to knock out
the hazel nuts, almonds, toffee and other treats.
Italy
In Italy, the presepio (manger or crib) represents in miniature the Holy Family
in the stable and is the center of Christmas for families. Guests kneel before
it and musicians sing before it . The presepio figures are usually hand-carved
and very detailed in features and dress. The scene is often set out in the
shape of a triangle. It provides the base of a pyramid-like structure called
the ceppo. This is a wooden frame arranged to make a pyramid several feet
high. Several tiers of thin shelves are supported by this frame. It is entirely
decorated with colored paper, gilt pine cones and miniature colored pennants.
Small candles are fastened to the tapering sides. A star or small doll is
hung at the apex of the triangular sides. The shelves above the manger scene
have small gifts of fruit, candy and presents. The ceppo is in the old Tree
of Light tradition which became the Christmas tree in other countries. Some
houses even have a ceppo for each child in the family.
Germany
Many Christmas traditions practiced around the world today started in Germany.
It has been long thought that Martin Luther began the tradition of bringing
a fir tree into the home. According to one legend, late one evening Martin
Luther was walking home through the woods and noticed how beautifully the
stars shined through the trees. He wanted to share the beauty with his wife
so he cut down a fir tree and took it home. Once inside he placed small lighted
candles on the branches and said that it would be a symbol of the beautiful
Christmas sky. Hence, the Christmas tree.
Another legend says that in the early sixteenth century, people
in Germany combined two customs that had been practiced in different
countries around the globe. The Paradise tree (a fir tree decorated
with apples) represented the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of
Eden. The Christmas Light, a small pyramid-like frame, usually
decorated with glass balls and tinsel and with a candle on top,
was a symbol of the birth of Christ as the Light of the World.
Changing the tree’s apples to tinsel balls and cookies; and
combining this new tree with the Light placed on top, the Germans
created the tree that many of us know now.
Today, the Tannenbaum (Christmas Tree) is traditionally decorated
in secret with lights, tinsel and ornaments by the mother and is
lit and revealed on Christmas Eve with cookies, nuts and gifts
under its branches.
South Africa
Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. Although Christmas trees are
not common, windows are often draped with sparkling cotton, wool, and tinsel.
Saudi Arabia
Christian Americans, Europeans, Indians, Filipinos and others living in Saudi
Arabia have to celebrate Christmas privately in their own homes. Christmas
lights are generally not tolerated. Most families place their Christmas trees
somewhere inconspicuous.
Phillipines
Fresh pine trees are too expensive for many Filipinos, so handmade trees in
an array of colors and sizes are often used. Star lanterns or parol, appear
everywhere in December. They are made from bamboo sticks, covered with brightly
colored rice paper or cellophane and usually feature a tassel on each point.
There is usually one in every window, each representing the Star of Bethlehem.
China
Of the small percentage of Chinese who do celebrate Christmas, most erect artificial
trees decorated with spangles and paper chains, flowers and lanterns. Christmas
trees are called "trees of light."
Japanese
For most of the Japanese who celebrate Christmas, it’s purely a secular
holiday devoted to the love of their children. Christmas trees are decorated
with small toys, dolls, paper ornaments, gold paper fans and lanterns and wind
chimes. Miniature candles are also put among the tree branches. One of the
most popular ornaments is the origami swan. Japanese children have exchanged
thousands of folded paper "birds of peace" with young people all
over the world as a pledge that war must not happen again.
Adapted from History Channel website at http://www.historychannel.com/.
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